WHANGAREI CUT OFF

Evening Post, Issue 20, 23 July 1935, Page 10

WHANGAREI CUT OFF

BIG SLIP ON RAILWAY

ROADS ALSO BLOCKED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

" WHANGAREI, July 22.

The exceptionally heavy rain which commenced to fall at noon yesterday still shows no sign of abatement, and has caused floods which prevented the north-bound express from Auckland today proceeding further than Wayby, being forced eventually to return to the city. The south-bound express got no further than Maungaturoto and returned to "Whangarei tonight. The railway authorities are unable to state when the through service will be available again owing to the continuance of the downpour.

As road communication is also blocked in consequence of slips in the Dome Valley, necessitating'a long and risky detour via the West Coast, the far north is practically isolated except Cor steamship services.

Reports from northward of Whangarei state that conditions are . very menacing, though so far the roads are still passable.

This is the sixth serious inundation the northern peninsula has experienced during the last seven months.

An inundation varying up to a depth of six feet covers the railway track for five miles between Wayby md Hoteo, with a 300-yards slip at the latter place, causing an indefinite hold-up of the railway. The rainfall this month in the Whangarei area is already two inches above the July average.