DELUGE OF RAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1938, Page 10

DELUGE OF RAIN

HAWEE'S BAY AREA

ORCHARDS SUFFER

WIDESPREAD FLOODING

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) 1 NAPIER, This Day.

All the rivers are in high flood. The new river control scheme is succeeding in holding tbe waters, but inland from the main rqad where the scheme is not complete the Ngaruroro overflowed its 'banks',in the fruit-growing area, where the flood is rising rapidly, threatening much .-fertile land. Some of the orchardists have vacated their properties where the j?ale uprooted some trees. The rainfall was exceptionally severe overnight, and the fells now total 4m at Napier, lOin in th>e Esk Valley, llin at Maraekakaho, arad,l3in at Maraetotara. . Later reports state that the damage to fruit crops is not very great. Telephone communication '■with the country areas is disrupted and in some parts electricity is cut off. The water is feet deep on the Pakowhai Road, in Poplars Avenue, and Ngaruroro. At the Pakowhai bridge it .is still- rising. , ! .-.,', Some retailers on the west side 01 Heretaunga Street suffered through last night's downpour, their shops being flooded to a depth of a foot in some cases through the inAlux of water from the streets and backyards. Private and public gardens suffered through the high wind. The flood position at noatn was Gtili threatening. The most afSacted area was at Pakowhai, but the indications were that- the flood was at 4ts height. The water at that time had reached a slight ridge in the road a few hundred yards south of the Pqst Office, beyond which point water -waned Up to four feet deep. No serious stock losses are reported. A family of Maoris is isolated near Pakowhai, where many houses are surrounded by water. ■ ' Fruit losses have not accurately been estimated, but the district appears to have come through the visitation exceptionally well. , ■■ All roads, except the . main south road, which before the control scheme was completed was the first affi?cted, are completely closed to all traffic.