THE FLAT SUBMERGED

Evening Star, Issue 18257, 23 April 1923, Page 4

THE FLAT SUBMERGED

INUNDATED FROM GREEN ISLAND. WATER POURS THROUGH TUNNEL. HUNDREDS DRIVEN FROM HOMES. With the exception of the low-lying land in tho north end, no part of the city and its environs suffered more than the Flat. Viewed from the Caversham rise this morning, it. was one sea of water from the hill to the foreshore and from Kensington to tho beach. The level of the water may bo gauged from the fact that the while fence round the Garisbrook Ground was lost to view. No more desolate scene coul'l he imagined than the forlorn housetops and chimney shit-hs showing up stark against tho background oi the noocl. t Tho flood came from an unexpected quarter. It would have been bad enough for the Flat had it had only the accumulation of storm water to deal with, for events of the hist two days have shown the hopeless inadequacy of the plant at the pumping station in an emergency, fly 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon the water had beaten the pumps, and the residents around what arc usually the drier streets of Musselburgh began to get alarmed when they found l the water backing into the traps of tho house drains at a time when the. pipes from the houses had as much as they could carry from tho roofs.

Bari the citizens known what was coming they would not have wondered at the rising water. The stream at Burnside, swollen to a flood, poured through the Caversham tunnel in a torrent and out to the Flat hy way of the Caversham overhead bFdge and Wilkie road. The flood struck Cargill road and Kensnigton early on Sunday afternoon, and soon the residents were fleeing from their homes. The water started to rise as early as 11 a.m. By 2 o’clock Grosvenor street and Park terrace were under water, carta and lorries were commandeered to evacuate the people, and the Drill Hall was thrown open for their reception. At 5 o’c'oik the people in Cargill road, Burns. Law, Bradshaw, Helena, and Baker streets ftuaed iy j’e ivs their Homes ami pourecr into tlio hotels, the fire station, and churches and the Macandrcw Hoad School. Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. the water rose Ift. It was then waist deep at Cargill’s Corner, at tho corner of Burns and Neviii streets, and at other places, and every house round 0 out was empty. The water rose again uuont midnight, but began to recede’along Cargill road about 4.30 this morning. Cargill's Corner was still 2ft under water at 11 o’clock. Not a street in tho Fiat escaped, except the higher ground at the fSt. Kilda car terminus and part of Victoria road. The Anderson Bay trams were running this forenoon, but tho other cars only got as far as the junction of the Caversham and southern lines. There were slips and washouts at various places, oven on the higher level of Forbury and Main South roads, and it was reported that tho Burnside end of the tunnel was blocked by several big slips. At the siding for the freezing works the rails and sleepers were loft suspended 6ft in the air. As far as can be ascertained at present, no serious damage was done to the gasworks, but the inflow of the water slopped the production of gas, and the manager stated at 11.30 that the water would have to fall another foot before ho could begin. Ho especially asks people to be as sparing as they can in their use of gas for the rest of the day; otherwise they may find the supply cut off. The dtslteasing feature of the- position if that it is tho people of small means who have been hit by the flooding of the Flat. There were many pitiful pictures on Sunday, when women might be seen struggling along with babies and infants, trailing a rug or a shawl to keep out the driving rain and the cold. To these people their home is their all, and the loss of their humble furnishings means as much to them as a much greater loss would mean to others in more fortunate circumstances. It is to -bo feared that the events of the last forty-eight hours spell distress for many a "family in the south end of the city.