AUSTRALIAN FLOODS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 150, 19 March 1908, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN FLOODS.

PEOPLE LEAVE HOUSES, HOMELESS SEEK THE CHURCH, NAMOI RIVER RISING. BY TELEOEArH—PRESSjiBSOOIAnqN^mYnibnI Sydney, March 18. Reports to hand indicate the continuance, of sorious floods at Gunnedah (on the Namoi river, 296 miles north-west' ; 'of' Sydney);-,at: Narrabri (oil the Narrabri Creek, a branch' oftlio Namoi river, 361, ...mileQ,, ,pf, Sydnoy); at Wee Waa (on the Wee AVaa Lagoon, near tho Namoi river); at Taraworth (on tho Peel and Cockburn, : ;railes north of Sydnoy) also : 'in-other: plnoesi.on" tho Northern railwky lmo and itf'Queonsland. BIGGEST FLOOD, SINCE '61 " Tho arrival of water from abovo tho town caused a renewal of. the flood at. Gunnedah, , Rosidcnts in low-flying l streets were oom-; pellod to leavo their houses, while many residents of hamlots along' I 'the' rivftr dTo ;seekingrefuge in tho town.;",' ':. Tho church is boing used to accommodate the homeless. The ..water oxtonds^as 'taigas' tho oye.can raoh.vi Tho flood is the'. biggest since 1864. In some places tho water is up to tho earps of tho houses. Flood boats are'out.'." Four hundred sheep ' u'eroV drowned: ;on, :o: common. It is feared th& loss 'bf ! 'cropi : -ahd stock will ,bo exceedingly heavy. ' AT NARRABRI. ' ; "' u '] Narrabri reports that the rivor. ;is;j£tjl); rising,- a fact that 'is causing niuch.ahxiety. Numbers of stock are surrounded by i water;' A solector at Wee Waa saved 400 shoep, dismantling his stockyard and building a raft whoreon ho placed , tho sheep., Tho suburbs of Narrabri and "all'the sur-' rounding country aro submerged.. Poople aro taking rcfugo on-,-the highlands. Tliero have been exciting experiences during tho rescuing of stock. ...s \ Tho damago.by'flbods in tho TamWorth trict is estimated at £40,000. : . . IN QUEENSLAND. Telegraphic communication with Queensland is still interrupted "by" th¥" floods,'and thero is no immediate prospect of its restora-' ' tion. Messagos for Brisbano aro being cabled via Now Zealand. ■ ' ; Brisbano files to hand show that;thp floods,in tho Brisbano river submerged a wide sub- . urban aroa. - jTho drowning of Constable 'Murtagh at Fortitude Valley, I wh'ilov rescue a? horse, was surrounded by pathetic circumstances. His companions would not-give 'up attempts at r plot-ely exhausted. < J> "