GREAT FLOODS AT THE THAMES. LOSS OF LIFE AND DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 15, 18 July 1881, Page 2

GREAT FLOODS AT THE THAMES. LOSS OF LIFE AND DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Thames, 17th July. Tho severost and. most destructive flood ever experienced hero occurred last night. Rain fell incessantly for forty f eight hottra, and all the creeks were so flooded as to carry away bridges and bring down thousands ot tons of debris. Two m?n were washed away, One body only has been r< covered. About fifty million feet of bulk timber was flashed down to the booms at the Shortland mills, and millions were washed to sea. The damage to the town was very great, and is estimated at The Borough Corporation put on fifty men to repair tho damages, and it is estimated they will require J65000 to make good tho injury to the culverts, streets, <Sc. The domestic water supply water race and eomo of tho county races havo been destroyed, and the water cut off. The body recovered is that 1 of Daniel Boyle, of Shortlftnd, tho other was a Maori. M any small dwellings were washed away, and much damage has been dono to the batteries. The captain of the Kotomahana states he saw a watarsp^ut break brer, the town as he approached it from Auckland. This Day,. It ia now estimated that the damage dono by the floods to local works, county water- „¦ race, borough re-ervoirs, culverts, creeks, bridges, &c, amounts to .£20,000. Some storekeepers are completely ruined. 'I ha opinion is now confirmed that the flood was the result of a waterspout, for the localities on each side of tho borough were comparatively little injured. The county and borough authorities have telegraphed & the Government for assistance.