FLOODED RIVERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 11, 13 July 1943, Page 4

FLOODED RIVERS

COUNTRY DISTRICTS

AREAS UNDER WATER

Rivers in the Manawatu-Oroua River Board's district have been in high flood and large areas have been inundated. The Makino Stream at Feilding was running bank high yesterday and many places bordering it were flooded, the level of the water being about equal to the record height registered in 1930. Some of the occupants of houses between Grey and Hobson Streets had to wade and swim to dry land during Sunday night. In low-lying parts of the Manawatu stock had to be removed to higher land, and the old highway between Feilding and Awahuri was several feet under water.

Because of the swollen state of the Oroua River, the bridge on the Rongo-tea-Longburn highway was closed as a measure, as the approaches were in danger of being washed away. The M&ngaone Stream overflowed near the Palmerston North railway deviation. With a cessation of the rain early yesterday afternoon the position in the Manawatu eased. The engineer to the Manawatu-Oroua River Board, Mr. H. R. Farquhar, advised during the afternoon that there was no danger of the Manawatu River affecting Palmerston North. Officials of the board deplored rumours of an alarming nature which were broadcast, undermining the accurate information which they were endeavouring to give the settlers.

A report from Masterton says that the rain ceased late yesterday afternoon and the night was calm and foggy. Rivers in the Wairarapa have been carrying a good fresh, but there has been no flooding.

In the Wanganui district rivers and streams were running high yesterday and there has been some flooding in the low levels and blocking of backcountry roads. The Wanganui River was 4ft above normal at the town wharf yesterday, and at Pipiriki, 20 miles away, where the river is very narrow, the water was 21ft above normal on Sunday night The rain ceased at Pipiriki yesterday morning. The Wangaehu River rose suddenly during the morning and was higher than at any other time this year. Stock was moved to higher levels.

Wellington experienced the worst of the southerly yesterday afternoon and last night, and the rainfall at Kelburn for the 24 hours to 9 a.m. today was 1.95 in. The maximum gust recorded at Kelburn was 53 miles an hour at 11 pjn.

The Hutt River was high this morning, but not to any threatening extent.