HEAVY DOWNPOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 37, 13 February 1941, Page 10

HEAVY DOWNPOUR

[WESTERN HUTT ROAD

BLOCKED BY SLIPS

The heavy rain last night tested the culverts under the recently formed Western Hutt Road. Several cases ol blockage occurred causing the road to be flooded this morning in places to a depth of fifteen inches. Dozens oi

miniature waterfalls poured their contents down the hill and on to the road, but in most cases the culverts under the road were able to carry sthe water off. Here and there, however, through the culverts being partially or completely blocked, the water, poured over the road, causing traffic to slow down. A few hurjdred yards north of Bei-

Mont railway station a hillside road completely slipped away, bringing down many tons of debris and effectively blocking traffic. About half a mile further north, another slip came away, but not in sufficient quantity to block traffic.

By 11 a.m. the river had risen to 7ft 6in above normal, but. though it looked very angry, and brought down large quantities of debris, it was far from danger level, which is in the neighbourhood'of 15ft above normal.

At noon the river was still rising. but with the change to southerly winds it was not anticipated that a dangerous level would be reached. In no case had the river floodwaters interfered with road traffic. „ The City Engineer reports that in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. today just under 7 inches of rain fell in the Orongorongos and an inch and a quarter at. Karori, This will probably affect the colour of the city water supply for a wjjile.

DETOUR NECESSARY

By making'a 'detour along a parallel road at Belmont traffic along the Western Hutt Road is still possible.