Temuka hit by worst floods since 1925

Press, 27 September 1978, Page 1

Temuka hit by worst floods since 1925

Temuka yesterday suffered its worst flooding since the 1925 floods devastated the lower parts of the commercial area.

The southern lightindustrial part of the town was under water and the heavy traffic by-pass was closed because of . the depth of surface water flooding. It appeared that Temuka and Pleasant Point bore the brunt of the heavy rain which fell in torrents throughout Monday night. Rain to a depth of 65mm was registered at Temuka Park, compared with only 24mm at the Geraldine Forest Service office for the previous 24 hours. The worst-affected areas in the Temuka, Borough were to the west of the town in the Temuka saleyards where the Vine Street drain and its outlet was incapable of coping with the floodwaters. The worst hit business was that of Lane Walker

Rudkin, Ltd, in Fraser Street where water rose to a depth of 100 mm on the factory floor and affected 250 dozen garments. The manager of the firm was critical of the Temuka Borough’s emergency services which appeared unable to cope with the problem. . The heavy. rain also caused flooding in other parts of South Canterbury.

The main area affected was .that bounded by Timaru, Cave, Geraldine, and Temuka, said Mr O. A, Stringer, the chief engineer of the South Canterbury Catchment Board.

Flooding blocked roads in the low-lying areas, while snow closed them closer to the . high country. Telephone lines were brought down, farmlands inundated, and several schools closed.

There appeared to be few problems north or south of the afflicted area, however.

The Timaru-Tekapo highway was blocked at

Burke’s Pass, where 30 cm of snow covered the road. Snow ploughs later reopened the road. Fairlie was without ' power and telephones early yesterday morning. Faults occurred in a New Zealand Electricity Division transmission line between Tekapo and Timaru, and there was a number of breaks in Post Office lines. State highway 8 was closed by floodwater between Timaru and Pleasant Point, and Washdyke and Pleasant. Point. The road between Geraldine and Fairlie suffered similar problems, as did the Pleasant Point-Temuka highway. And a police spokesman said that “only a bit more rain” would have closed State highway 1. Back roads throughout the area, particularly near Waitohi, had also suffered, he said.

Creeks and streams were in high flood after more than 12 hours of rain, but there were no

problems in the main rivers because snow to low levels had slowed run-off.

A number of primary and secondary schools were closed because of the weather.

Levels plain, near Temuka, suffered. extensive surface flooding where a high-rising creek overflowed into the irrigation system.

No big stock losses had been reported, said Mr P. A. Dunne, a Ministry of Agriculture farm advisory officer.

Water had covered large areas of farmland, but it was believed that few sheep or lambs had drowned. It was unlikely that the ' rain and cold would present big problems for farmers lambing in lowland areas, said Mr Dunne.

In the higher country, the snow would be more likely to cause problems, he believed, although it was preventing farmers from checking their losses accurately.