SUDDEN FLOOD

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 55, 28 November 1930, Page 12

SUDDEN FLOOD

Hutt River Rises Nine Feet JAMAGES UPPER REACHES Lower Valley Escapes While the people in the Hutt Valley slept on Wednesday night the biggest flood since 1915 was sweeping down the Hutt River. Properties near the river in the upper reaches, Silverstream and the Moonshine Road portion of the Upper Hutt Borough, were seriously affected, the water overflowing the banks and inundating great areas of land. In its lower • reaches the river did not overflow. For weeks the Hutt River had been very low in its bed. On the ranges, however, have been large quantities of snow. .All day Wednesday and through the night heavy rain tell. This melted the snow on the hills, and soon the Hutt and Akatarawa Rivers became rushing torrents. In a remarkably short time the Hutt River had risen nine feet. Road Under Water. First to feel the effects was the land adjoining the Mooushine Road at Upper Hutt near to the river. There the water swept across the paddocks for two or three hundred yards to the height of . three or four feet. A man, sleeping in a tent near the bank of the river, on a section on which he was building a house, was awakened by the water lapping the top of his bunk; Toward the Upper Hutt side of the river, the street lights showed him an unrelieved waste of water. His journey to safety was a very hazardous one, for the road was under water, and in some places the tops of fences were submerged. Near by was another house in course of erection. Although built on foundations well above the level of the section, the water flowed through the house, depositing some inches of silt on the floors and in the fireplaces. Two hundred yards or so from the river bank a cowshed was flooded to a depth of six inches, and the damage done to machinery and fencing was estimated at about £lOO. A‘ gateway to the same farm was scoured out to a depth of about three feet, the way big boulders were shifted showing something of the force of the torrent. Losses at Silverstream. The Upper Hutt borough is engaged in building a big dam in connection with its water supply scheme. So great was the rush of water down the hillside that yesterday morning the dam, which, when completed, will hold 9,000,000 gallons, was half full. ■The greatest damage seems to have been done at Silverstream, near the railway bridge. There the river overflowed its banks and swept across the road into several large paddocks, tearing down fences that had been erected but a month before. Three Jersey yearlings and one ram were drowned, a loss of over £5O “We were up all night attending to stock,” said one of the men, “but the rush of water was so terrific that we could not get through. It came tearing across the road to a height of three or four feet, as you can see by the stuff sticking to the fences. When it receded it went back with a rush.” Golf Links Flooded. ' golf links was inundated to a depth of about four feet. That did not deter golfers , from having a round after the flood had receded. The greens were soggy, there was plenty of casual water near the river bank, a huge log was lying close to one of the greens, and debris was strewn about everywhere. Manor Park toll bridge decking was under water to a depth of a foot when the river was at its height. Severe damage was done to certain supports of the bridge by a big log. “The water came on to the main road at the gate entrance, a thing I have never known it do before,” said the-toll keeper. Three hens and eighteen chickens were drowned in the hen house, and a setting of eggs was destroyed.” A serious scouring occurred at the tea house Still coming down the river, the next place to suffer was what is known as the Taita extension. The wisdom of the Hutt River Board’s opposition to certain subdivisions there was shown by the effects of this flood. Mr. Sandy, the occupant of one of two houses there, was awakened to find the water rushing through the building. The force of the water at the front door was so great that Mr. Searle and his family had to make an escape through the backdoor. Damage was done to the extent of about £5O on low-lying portions of the Hutt golf course, the water being over three feet deep in places. Bunkers were destroyed, and turf damaged. Near here Mrs. Carcae had to abandon her house, the floors being under water. Near Melling Bridge representatives of the Hutt River Board, who were inspecting the damage came upon Mrs. McLaren and her daughter huddled up in a motor-car. They had started up the car to escape from the flood. Disaster overtook the River Board’s punt and pile-driving engine. The engine is presumed to be at the bottom of the river, while the punt has been broken in half. The board’s rowboat was found on the Petone beach. Considerable quantities of wood and other debris were swept down by the river, and all day large numbers of people were to be seen collecting trees, scrub and logs, and removing them for firewood. For the complete absence of flooding in the lower reaches, the Hutt River Board and its engineer, Mr. H. Sladden, are considered to be responsible. It is regarded as a complete answer to critics who have asked what the board is doing. It was reported that there were no slips on the Western Hutt Road er the Moonshine Road, but that a big blockage had occurred on the Akatarawa Road 14 miles beyond the Brown Owl, which would take some time to clear. DAMAGE AT OTAKI Settlers Heavy Losers By Telegraph.—Press Association. Otaki, November 27. The biggest flood for many years occurred in Otaki at one o’clock this morning. The river overflowed its banks • and is reported to have drowned stock. It swept away three temporary bridges, damaged vegetable gardens, flooded houses in the vicinity of the Otaki Railway station, damaged the main road and undermined the railway line for some chains. Hundreds of chains of fencing have been washed away and several bridges are severely damaged; Many settlers are very heavy losers. DELUGE IN WAIRARAPA Masterton, November 27. Heavy rain fell all over the Wairarapa last night, and all rivers are running high, although there have been no reports of damage. Stormwater outlets in Masterton were unable to cope with the deluge last night, and as a result streets were flooded for a time. To-day was cold and showery. , WANGANUI RIVER RISING Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, November 27. The biggest flood at this time of the year for the past two years is recorded in Wanganui, where at 11 a.m. at Pipiriki the Wanganui River was 17 feet ■ above normal and still rising. So far no damage has been done to landings or property on the river.