Caught In Flash Flood

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31278, 26 January 1967, Page 12

Caught In Flash Flood

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, January 25.

A contractor crawled exhausted from the Waitara river late this afternoon, after a twohour fight for his life in a flash flood which had raised the river almost Bft.

As police and workers were preparing to mount a massive hunt along the banks of the river, Mr George Bertrand, aged 29, of Carey street, Waitara, hauled himself from the river with a trailing willow branch and stumbled halfdrowned into a group of searchers.

He had been in the water from 3.15 p.m. until almost 5 p.m. and had been dragged more than a mile downstream. At 3 p.m. Mr Bertrand had left the mechanical digger which he operates about 100 yards from the river bank and walked back across the shallows and shingle heaps for a smoko.

River Swirling When he returned less than 10 minutes later the river was swirling round the cab of the digger. The motor of the machine was still idling and Mr Bertrand’s first thought was to get out to it and drive it to the safety of the bank. Mr R. Carruthers, of Wai-

tara, who was watching, said Mr Bertrand tried at first to wade out in his gum boots, but when the water reached over his knees he kicked them free and tried to swim the rest of the way. When he was only a few feet from the machine the current suddenly swept him away.

Shout For Help “I thought he was a goner,” Mr Carruthers said. “I could only see his head above the muddy water, and then I heard him shout for help.” Mr Carruthers raced downstream to where another

gang of contractors was working. They immediately got ropes and began to search along the bank. Meanwhile, Mr Carruthers asked a passing truck to get more help and to notify the Waitara police. The police and othe,r workers began combing the river bank. Just as they were preparing to organise a full-scale search and call out more men. Mr Bertrand clambered up the bank.

Tonight the powerfullybuilt Maori contractor was talking about getting back to work “tomorrow.”