Flooding, Slips On Coast

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31832, 9 November 1968, Page 1

Flooding, Slips On Coast

(From Out Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, November 8. Heavy rain on the West Coast throughout today has brought further problems to the. Rail ways Department and the Ministry of Works.

Flooding and slips blocked both roads and railway lines. The morning rail-car from Greymouth to Christchurch was halted at Rocky Creek, west of Otira, when the creek flooded the line. Passengers were transported in a railway gang bus to Otira, where they boarded another rail-car to continue their journey. West-bound passengers were brought to Greymouth by a Railways Road Services bus. The blockage at Rocky Creek was cleared in about three hours, but the line was then closed by flooding between Rotomanu and Te Kinga. The resident engineer of the Railways Department at Greymouth (Mr W. J. H. Duckworth) said late this afternoon that once the rain eased, the line could be restored within an hour. There was also a slip across the line in the Buller Gorge, said Mr Duckworth. The Haast Pass was closed

overnight because of a large slip at Hende’s Face, between Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. The road is expected to be open tomorrow, but may be closed again at night. The Otira Gorge route was still open late this afternoon, but because of the flooding of a concrete ford at Halpin’s Creek, between Arthur’s Pass and Bealey, heavy machinery was used to assist cars. Cars also had to be towed through Greney’s Creek. The road is expected to be dear tomorrow. The southern approaches of the Ford Creek bridge, south of Blackball, were washed out this morning, but the road was re-opened in the afternoon. A slip which blocked the Rewanui railway line at Duffy’s Cutting was cleared within half an hour. Golden Coast Airways morning flight from Greymouth was cancelled because of surface water on the Greymouth Airport, and the National Ainvays Corporation flight to Hokitika was also cancelled. ‘ Water entered at least two houses in the Ikamatua district tonight Both houses were invaded by water a fortnight ago. The chief engineer of the Westland Catchment Board (Mr H. E. Clarke) said the houses were in a hollow, and remedial work was planned.