FLOOD FEARS LESSENING

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31278, 26 January 1967, Page 1

FLOOD FEARS LESSENING

Arthur’s Pass Reopened (From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, January 25. The clearing of slips and other troubles caused by heavy rain on the West Coast continued late today. The Arthur’s Pass route to Canterbury was reopened in the afternoon and the 365 ft suspension bridge at the Fox river was carrying light traffic again.

The bridge was closed yesterday afternoon after hangers were found to be unsafe from severe buffeting by winds. Repair material was sent from Greymouth this morning but the truck was temporarily blocked by a massive slip south of the Whataroa bridge. Bulldozers and loaders were rushed to the scene and traffic was restored. The heavy rain had eased to showers in South Westland by this afternoon and a Ministry of Works spokesman at Fox Glacier said the weather appeared to be improving.

Damage in the Greymouth area was comparatively slight. Sawyer’s Creek broke its banks in some low-lying areas and some properties were invaded.

A small slip also occurred in Cobden but was cleared by Greymouth Borough Council workmen.

The Westland Catchment Board’s chief engineer (Mr H. E Clarke) was in South Westland today inspecting damage to protection works. The board reported that several works had been affected. Sixteen chains of stopbank at Waiho had been washed out.

Flooding had also been reported in the Matai, Ahaura and Totara Flat areas and the Greymouth Harbour Board reported at 3.30 p.m. a river flow of nine knots, which had increased from five knots in the morning. HAAST AREA

Heavy rain in the Haast area during the last three days caused two small bridges to be washed out. scoured the road both on the Otago side of the pass and in South Westland, and caused minor slips. It is hoped to have it open for vehicles to get through by tomorrow morning. The Haast road was closed until the necessary work had been carried out and it would

be most inadvisable for motorists to attempt to get through. The Rangitata river was “on the rampage” today, according to the secretary of the South Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr F. G. Howe). The river was higher than it had been for a few years and below the main road there was surplus water which escaped on to the south bank and did damage to one frontage, said Mr Howe. The south branch of the river was running—"an unusual occurrence”—but it had dropped one foot at the gorge this morning. There was one power failure in the South Canterbury Electric Power Board’s area. This occurred in the Pare-ora-St. Andrew’s area and adjoining districts and lasted for 12 minutes. Rainfall at Mount Cook since Saturday has amounted to 20.09 i it was still raining there today. SIGNS OF CHANGE

Although the high country rivers had fallen below their flood peaks by late in the afternoon the lakes were still rising.

The Chief Ranger (Mr.D. F. Bell) said the weather was overcast and, although the rain had not stopped, there were signs of a southerly change. Reporting on the state of the Pukaki-Hermitage highway, the Ministry of Work’s resident engineer for South Canterbury and Mid-Canter-bury (Mr E. R. L. O'Toole) said the highway was not obstructed.

“There is one spot on the Hermitage side of Fred's Stream where a small sidechannel is flowing over the road, but traffic is getting through with the highway reduced to one-way traffic for a short distance,” he said. However, rivers were still rising, and there was no letup in the rain in the area. At the Hermitage 7.23 in of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. today after a fall of 9.84 in during the previous 24 hours.