Worst Over In Southland Flooding; Losses Held

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31655, 16 April 1968, Page 1

Worst Over In Southland Flooding; Losses Held

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, April 15. Wyndham residents made short visits to their houses today to collect clothing and food for another night in the homes of neighbouring farmers as the Mataura River slowly fell.

About one-third of the houses in the town did not suffer damage from water, which reached four or five feet in some streets last night.

The peak flow expected did not come—otherwise damage would have been greater, and not confined to floor coverings, fences, gardens and backyards. The 700 evacuated residents of Wyndham may be able to return to their homes tomorrow, the chairman of the Wyndham Town Board (Mr P. T. Bums) said tonight Mr Bums said that the floodwaters in the town were starting to recede tonight after having maintained during the afternoon the depth which caused the evacuation on Sunday. The floods tonight were deepest in the main street, then covered with only about two feet of water after depths earlier had been up to four feet. Septic Tanks One problem in bringing the residents back is that sep tic tanks, which will be flooded, will mingle with bore water. Most of the town, how ever, has a water and sewer age system. The police will consult health and medical authorities about the difficulty. The evacuation of the town yesterday was orderly, and most people had plenty of time to gather up necessaries and

put furnishings on higher levels. A tour through the town's streets— mostly still under water, although by later afterinoon me level had dropped about a foot—showed window drapes knotted to lift them from the floor, and furnishings piled high. Legs Of Mutton Refrigerators and deep freezes were raided by the householders who returned today. People came- from their houses carrying legs of mutton and other foodstuffs to take back to their farm “homes”. Some came out carrying pets which could not be found when houses were evacuated yesterday. But of those left there seemed to be few, if any, casualties. A poultry shed with more than 100 hens suffered a little structural damage, but the hens were safely perched above the water. Almost all the cars parked on the higher ground avail able in the town were safe Centre plots on roads were favourite parking areas. Roads Cut When evacuation took place yesterday the roads were already cut for light ■ traffic Some cars could be moved today. Shops with low frontages suffered. In most shops, how-

i ever, the water did not rise I high enough to damage stock One petrol station showed only the dials of its pumps early today. Some people left without bringing in their washing. They returned to find the water lapping at the ends of the sheets and towels—and a dirty brown stain stretching up at least a foot. Tractors Busy Tractors were kept busv taking the residents to and from the control point—a ■garage—on the fringe of the ■flood waters. The tractors were mainly manned by farm ers. Reactions by those returning for supplies today differed according to how high the water had risen about their homes. Some stayed long enough to clear water from paths and porches Others, relieved at not finding , floors covered in silt, remarked that the garden would not need watering for some time. Others tried their electrical appliances to see whether they had suffered damage, and some piled their furniture higher—just in case. Police and volunteers kept an eye out for more rain. A few harmless showers fell during the day. Fences Go Water running through the streets today sometimes reached the speed of normal river flow. It carried away fences and pushed aside corrugated-iron fencing. Mataura was beginning to dry out this afternoon after the most serious flooding for 50 years. There was a noticeable fall in the river which, however, was still running high, turbulent and dirty. Weary but cheerful workers, many of whom went with-

out sleep all Sunday night, were busy returning residents and their belongings to evacuated homes. In Kana Street—which was probably the most devastated area—rehabilitation was made difficult by the lack of sewerage, as the pumps were still under water. Shuttle Service Trucks and their volunteer drivers were running a shuttle service between homes and the Town Hall, where mattresses, blankets and other items had been left. Fears for the safety of the Mataura River floodbank at East Gore have been removed. A fall in the river level today and stabilisation of the bank with further bags of sand and gravel have diminished the threat of h break. Pumps are working in several parts of the town to clear water from low-lying areas. At one stage on Sunday an estimated 600 men were filling and laying sand and

gravel bags, assisted by trucks and drivers. It was clear by tonight that several thousand sheep have been drowned. Possibly the hardest hit districts are Mataura Island an.d Titiroa, between Wyndham and Gorge Road. Winter feed supplies are likely to be seriously diminished on affected farms. Swedes and turnips—the staple winter food for Southland sheep and cattle —are believed to have been washed out of the ground by the rushing water in some paddocks.