SEVERE WEATHER IN THE NORTH.

Evening Star, Issue 12867, 17 July 1906, Page 4

SEVERE WEATHER IN THE NORTH.

HOtfSEg ISOLATED lY I*Lobt)S AND STOCKD&OWNED. gIsBORNE, jal/17. A heavy easterly gale and rain continue. The Waipawa. River . overflowed its banks last night, and the Poverty Bat flats t are inundated with" one of the heaviest floods ever known here. The lands at Waerengahika and Makttai at* iOft under water.. Fences have been destroyed and many stock drowned. Boat* are being sent out from Gisborne to res« cue settlers in several houses that have been isolated by flood waters. Three boats have been Gent from Gisborne to tbe assistance of settlers on the flats, many of whom have vacated their bouses. About drowned, and in Maknri 1,200 others. No. human lives have been lost, but several settlers were for a time in a precarious position. Ormond is out off from communication by road with Qfeborne, the river having broken through there, and "running lijie a mill race towards GiHborn*,* The bridge twm the river at T&ruheru, at Nelson Bros.' works, was swept away with tbe sand pump'dredger attacked to it, crashing through tibe footbridge at Carnarvon street. Fortunately, ft was bete suspended*, otherwise- it would assuredly have done damage to other town bridges. It is impossible at thie time to give an accurate estimate of tbo damage done, but many settaem will lose heavily. The flood is over the tops of fences for miles between Waerengafthika and Mokaraka. Mr and Mrs T. King, of Makauri, were rescued from tho roof of their bVeteng, from which they were firing gun» to attract attention. There was Bft of waiter in their house. -» Some of tbo settlers have lost he»v3y among their milking stock. Horses and entile ore to be seen swimming about in oil directions, and drayu sent to tbe rescue of them aro btrmping about amongst the bodies of drowned sheep. Seven or eight boats have been sent out from town. Some of them are unetritabte for good work, tireir in wire fences. At Ormond a settles 1 named Bolland is isolated on a email island, and the settlers are making a raft to resotre him. AH tbe settlers whose houses were surrounded aire now believed to be safe.

The train was only able to proceed three miles out of town to-day, the fine v for several miles being under water, with manr washouts.

At two o'clock the water was reported to be receding slightly, and as the rain is decreasing it ia thought tlte worst is over. '■There aro fgrty refugee settlers huddled in the Makauri schoolroom, several being in delicate health. The condition of Some of the women and children, who had to ike from their houses in scanty attire, and in some cases to wade through water, is pitiable, but everywhere they are meeting with generous hospitality and assistance. The rainfall since Saturday has totalled 9.17 in..

NAPIER, July 17. Exceptionally heavy rain has fallen throughout the district since Saturday night, but fortunately the ground was in a very dry condition and readily absorbed the surface water. The rivers are running very high, but as the* rain a easing off no serious trouble is anticipated. Reports from Tarawera, on tie Taupo road. state that the most severe snowstorm ever experienced there occurred on Satarday and Sunday. The depth on the main road varies from 2ft to 7ft. The weather now shows signs of modetatiOß. The Tarawera, which has been standing out of the bay, weathering the storm, is now coming up, and efforts will be made to get the passengers ashore. There is no sign of the Moura from the South. The latest reports from the country show that the situation is less dangerous. Over 6in of rain has fallen in Napier during the past seventy-two hours, and yesterday 3.10 in fell. . HASTINGS, July 17. Heavy rain still continues. The lowlying portions of the country are under water. The rivers are all in high flood, but tio immediate danger is anticipated. Stock has been removed from danger. No losses aro reported. Over sin of rain lias fallen smee Saturday at noon, and it is still raining heavily. WGODVH,LE, July 17.' The weather for the past week has been boisterous. Owing to continued rain thfl Manawatu River is in. high flood, and is still rising. There was a small slip in the gorge this morning, but it woe not sufficient to cause delay to the train for Napier. flw outlook at present is not at all promising. l