Arkansas Leaves Death And Damage

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30782, 21 June 1965, Page 13

Arkansas Leaves Death And Damage

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

DENVER, June 19.

The mighty Arkansas river, trailing a 175mile wake of death and multi-million-dollar destruction in southern Colorado, splashed a mile wide and 20 feet deep into Kansas tonight.

President Johnson declared Colorado a disaster area.

The State Governor, Mr John A. Love, estimated damage in the 27 flood-stricken counties at 102 million dollars.

He asked Mr Johnson for 31 million dollars in Federal aid. To the north, the South Platte river inundated small communities and twisted bridges in Colorado, where 10,000 persons were homeless.

The death toll rose to 19 in Colorado. Two men were missing and presumed drowned in Kansas.

The raging Arkansas hit Carden City, Kansas, and caused what was expected to be the city’s worst flood in history. It then poured into the old frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas, flooding a 20block area. The. river was 7ft over its banks.

Authorities were prepared for the onslaught of the dirty,

debris-laden waters. About 1500 persons were evacuated from the stricken sections of Dodge City.

A crew of more than 2000 men and boys worked all day and tonight to sandbag the river’s banks before it hit the Kansas cities.

Only the roofs of houses were visible at the tiny community of Howell, nine miles west of Dodge City. Added to the danger in three Colorado cities is the threat of typhoid. Vaccine shipments have been flown in.

However, one town—La Junta—has already reported that its supply has run out and that more vaccine is needed. Although the awesome 22ft crests which inundated whole towns in eastern Colorado were falling as the Arkansas bore east through Kansas, it was expected to bring record levels to that State for nearly a week.

Reporters flying over the swollen Arkansas saw people going towards the flood crest to watch it pass in western Kansas, then fleeing on foot to higher ground while the water inundated their cars.