FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA

Evening Star, Issue 19795, 20 February 1928, Page 4

FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE REPORTED SEVERAL LIVES LOST MANY TOWNSHIPS INUNDATED. SYDNEY, February 18. With continuous copious rains over a great part of the Commonwealth floods and consequent damage to crops and property are reported in all directions. Several lives have been reported, lost at Grafton, whore the Clarence River invaded the town. The water was 18in deep in parts of the main street, and in the lower portions of the town it is deeper still. Residents spent a feverish night removing goods belonging to the business places and the houses. The water brigades were busily engaged in watching the rising of the waters, and they had to remove marooned inhabitants from some of the houses along the river valley.

Large areas of crops and much stock have been destroyed, and many residents are being driven from their homes.

The electric supply is threatened, and the town will probably be plunged in darkness. The river last night slightly receded, but as further rain has fallen and much flood water is still to come down from the upper reaches worse conditions »re expected. The river is a mile wide at Grafton, and the wharves are submerged. Over 100 families along the valley have been driven from their homes, and at Murwillumbah many people also had to evacuate their homes. An unconfirmed report states that besides Constable Alpin two other men were drowned. Another man named Barnes was drowned. Farmers on the island of Forbes report that a man named Stephenson, in attempting to swim the flooded Macquarie River, lost his life. Passengers by the express train which left Melbourne on Thursday reached Sydney last night. They were marooned at Cootamundra owing to washaways on the line. Numerous washaways and consequent dislocation of traffic have occurred, and road traffic generally is at standstill. In the Ardletban district the township of Beckon is completely inundated. The inhabitants are marooned, the only partially dry place being the hotel, which is a two-storied building. Here the residents crowded and camped on tables and other points of vantage. Big floods are swelling down the Hun-