NORTH BLAND FLOODS

Evening Star, Issue 11605, 16 June 1902, Page 3

NORTH BLAND FLOODS

V PINE WEATHER ONCE MORE. . Napier on Saturday was in a state of almost complete isolation from the rest of the world.- The. storm reached its highest that morning, when the downpour of rain, was torrential, and was accompanied by a gale which uprooted trees and destroyed the gaslamps in some parts of the town. Train communication was cut off owing to the railway line southwards being submerged, while from Taradale to Fernhill was one vast Sheet of water. The Ngaruroro and Tutakeure Rivers both overflowed their banks in a number of places, giving the country between Napier and Hastings the appearance of a large lake, and the Give settlers had to be removed in boats to the hotel, which is on high ground. The rain ceased yesterday, and the flood waters subsided rapidly. Portions of the permanent way wero found to be -washed away, but a gang of men were put on, and to-day railway traffic was restored, though mails and passengers had to be trolleyed over part of the line. A small wash-oufc on the Taradale road will prevent vehicle traffic in that direction for a dav or two. There has been very little loss of stock throughout Hawke s Bay. Both the temporarv bridges atWamgaeon, Wairarapa, where the famous big landslip is, have been carried away. The heavv rain which set in on Thursday night caused the M'anawatu River to bo in high flood, and all the low-lying levels of the Hon. Mr Ormond's and Messrs Nelson 3 and Bunny's properties are under water. The settlers are having an anxious time, though they were able to remove all the stock to hdgher ground before the river rose very high. The road through the gorge is blocked," the river being nearly level with the railway line. The whole tram service is disorganised. There is a big slip on the Matahiwi Hill.