Camping Site Under 3ft Of Water

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31269, 16 January 1967, Page 14

Camping Site Under 3ft Of Water

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 15. About 50 people fought to salvage caravans, cars and camping gear when a flash flood swirled through a private camping ground at North Piha early on Saturday night, submerging it to a depth of more than 3ft.

The muddy water had broken over the banks of a stream adjoining the camp, after several hours of heavy rain.

“I was casually looking at the stream at the time,” said the custodian of the camp, Mr B. D. Reid, tonight. “Then before my eyes it rose up and began to run over the bank. It was fantastic.” The water swept through the acre and a half camp site at about 5 p.m., flooding the four tents and three caravans which were occupied by 30 people. Sounded Alarm

Mr Reid said that as soon as he saw the creek break its banks he sounded the alarm to move all the cars on to the camp road, which is 6ft above the ground.

“By the time we got the last car out, water was lapping to a depth of about six

inches around its wheels,” he said.

Mrs M. J. G. van Zon, of Titirangi, who was staying in the camp with her husband and three children, said that 1 their tent was a swirling mass of clothes, linen, foam matstresses and camping gear, beIfore they had time to start i removing things. "We managed to get them out to the cook house on high ground where everyone else was taking their gear,” she said. “The flood came frightfully quickly.” As word spread of the flood, nearby members of the North Piha Surf Life-saving Club came to help and local residents also donned swimsuits and aided campers. In the fading light an aluminium caravan was floated 50 yards to higher ground and as people waded through the water, two young campers in canoes started a shuttle service to and from the cook house.

Many clothes were spread out in the nearby surf club hall to dry during the night and one of the families spent the night in the hall.

The others were either taken in by local residents or returned home for the night. Mr Reid said last night that the stream running alongside the camp, which is situated several hundred yards from the beach, had probably been blocked by debris and then broken through suddenly. Several thunderstorms swept through the Auckland province after mid-day on Saturday but little damage was reported.