AUSTRALIAN FLOODS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 122, 21 February 1928, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN FLOODS

SERIOUS POSITION IN COUNTRY DISTRICTS J FARM LANDS BADLY HIT SEVERAL LIVES LOST Farming districts in New South Wales have been badly hit as ,r the result of the Hoods, and in many localities the position is very serious. The Clarence Valley is mostly under water, and extensive losses of stock o and crops are reported. A simin lar state of affairs is reported from the Macleay Valley. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright (Rec. February 20, 9.45 p.m.) Sydney, February 20. The weather in the city is unsettled and showery. Many country centres report further rain. At Grafton this morning the river was up 22 feet, and swirling through the main streets. Much water has still to “■ come down stream, and it is feared that g many houses, which’have so far escap- )■ ed, will be submerged. '• Residences and public buildings are e already crowded with refugees. Nunie bers of people since Wednesday have s been going about in bathing suits only, e i- Dairy Herds Isolated. v A pathetic feature of the visitation is the isolation of many dairy herds on islands in the Clarence Valley. All g that can be seen of these lands are ' high spots with homes surrounded by clustering cattle. Thousands of gallons of milk produced by these herds are being poured into the river and wasted. It is estimated that 21,000 acres of maize and several hundred acres of sugar-cane are destroyed along the Clarence Valley, and extensive damage has been done to bridges and culverts. A wide acreage of pasture will be rendered unavailable for months. The town of Kempsey is in a bad way. Waters from the flooded Macleay River invaded the town to a depth of six feet in the lower streets. Patients were removed from hospitals to safer ground. Desolation in the Macleay Valley. Devastation is ' evident all along the Macleay Valley. Over a hundred families were compelled to abandon their homes and take refuge in the townships. It is estimated that ten thousand acres of maize has been destroyed. Acting on early warnings, most of the stock was removed, but still considerable numbers have been drowned. At Lithgow water broke into the Cohar mine tunnel and completely flooded the mine. Two Men Drowned. At Arundale a number of residents were forced to leave their homes. A man named Holmes was washed from a bridget at Bundarra and drowned. Another man engaged in repair work at Marrina was caught in the flood and drowned. Stories of flood damage and railway destruction are coming in from all parts, north and south. Washaways on both main and branch lines are numerous, and traffic generally is very seriously held up. Murray Valley Settlers Preparing for Floods. Incessant heavy storms in the Riverina district are making the work of repairing the railway lines increasingly difficult. Washaways had been repaired, and within a few hours mended line was again broken. Stock-owners in the Murray Valley are preparing for more serious floods. At Grafton the river is again rising. Torrential rain is still falling; and further flooding now seems inevitable. At Ulmarra the Clarence River broke its banks and flooded the country for miles. Boats have arranged to leave Ulmarra at daybreak to pick up settlers whose lives are threatened bv the oncoming waters. It is stated that twelve families are in danger. Richmond River in High Flood, The Richmond River is in high flood in the Kyogle district. A fall of fifteen inches of rain caused a rise of 50 feet in the river, and water entered the western portion of the town, which is isolated. Many houses are submerged. The police warned residents before the flood reached them. At Richmond the water reached a maximum of 60 feet, and then commenced to recede. The telegraph lines are down beyond :Kyogle, and it is difficult to obtain news from centres up the river. It is still raining. A message received from Junee reports that the weather is fine, and the waters are falling. Orange experienced one of the biggest floods in its history. The lower parts of the town were flooded to a depth of four feet. Reports from Kyogle state that a man and his wife named Smith were drowned at Grady’s Creek. At Oaklev Park an elderlv man named John Brennan was drowned. DIFFICULTIES OF RAILWAY TRAVELLERS HUNGER-MADDENED CATTLE RESCUED (Rec. February 20, 11.35 p.m.) Sydney, February 20. Railway passengers from Melbourne are reaching Sydney many hours late. They have to be conveyed across washaways by boat or utilise hastily-con-structed deviations. On some country lines both north and , south traffic is entirely suspended, and manv travellers are marooned. ( Even when the flood waters subside , it will be days before normal condi- . tions can be 1 estored. ■ Sixty dairy cows on an island in the Clarence River, maddened by hunger, ( were daringly rescued by men in a , motor-launch. ( Shipping plying on the Northern ( Rivers is seriously hampered by large quantities of floating debris, including ( drowned stock. NO SERIOUS DAMAGE IN ] VICTORIA ’ i Melbourne, February 20. , Although heavv rain continues to fall . in many parts of the State, no serious , damage is reported. The rivers, however, continue to rise, and should the rains continue, there is a danger of serious flooding. All the low-lying areas near Rutherglen are submerged, ghe water being two feet deep.