SERIOUS FLOODING

Evening Star, Issue 20555, 6 August 1930, Page 8

SERIOUS FLOODING

HOUSES ISOLATED IN CHRISTCHURCH SUBURBS FAMILIES REMOVED IH LORRIES j LT.r Ukitkc Press Assocutiox.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 6. Three days’ continuous rain has caused serious flooding in many suburbs of Christchurch, especially in Western terrace, Beckenham, where seven families had to be removed from their homes in a lorry last night owing to the Heathcote River overflowing. Part of Lower Colombo street was under water this morning. THREE FEET DEEP IN BACKYARDS, The flood waters this morning stood 3fb deep in the backyards of a dozen houses fronting on to the Heathcote along Western terrace, Beckenham. Further on, along Eastern terrace, the scour from tho swirling waters made the road impassable for half a mile. Huge logs, up to 15ft in length and over 2ft in diameter, were brought down by the flooded stream. They crashed against the frail footbridges, which had for years been strong enough to carry pedestrian traffic from the two terraces across the small stream to the Port Hills road. Smart work by the City Council staff in clearing away the logs prevented the wrecking of the bridges, the ends of which were in some cases a chain from dry land. With the male members of households away at work, women and children became greatly perturbed last night at being cut off from dry land, and with the river steadily rising the occupants of nine small bungalows gathered together a few personal effects and were carried out through a foot of water to a waiting City Council lorry. They were elderly women, young women, and women with small babies, all of whom showed pluck in their plight, LARGE AREA AFFECTEB MANY STREETS UNDER WATER [Per United Press Association'.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 6. The Main North road is flooded in. the vicinity of Amberley, and hundreds of acres of farm lands in North, Canterbury are under water. Tho Waireka, Sehvyn, and Hawkins Rivers are not fordable. In addition to the houses evacuated in Western terrace, Beckenham, six families were evacuated this morning from Richardson terrace, in Opawa, where the Heathcote" is still rising. In these houses the water was oozing in at the doors and bursting up the floors. Many streets in Linwood, Redcliffs, Wools ton, Beckenham, Fendalton, and Opawa are under water, and scores of residents are using boats to do their shopping and get to business. Rain was still falling at noon. The water was up to the windowsills in parts of Beckenham. OPAWA RESIDENTS’ PLIGHT. In Opawa about twenty people, making up six families, were shifted from their houses in Richardson terrace, between Sylvester and Wildberry streets, to houses on higher land, where the neighbours had opened their homes to the refugees. Several of the men who assisted put on bathing suits, and waded about waist high in the floods carrying out the women and children on their backs. Tho experience of Mr and Mrs J. Archer was typical of what all the residents in the affected area went through. At a late hour last night ther© was no sign of dangerous flooding, but about daylight the water was up to the level of th® floors, and soon began to com© through tho cracks. Seeing what was coming, the people had taken up all the floor coverings and furniture likely to bo damaged, and piled it on top of tables and beds. Tho pressure of the flood water underneath tho houses was considerable, and the bulging floors showed that more damage would probably result as the water rose. Families whoso homes are flooded include a number of children and several young babies, but they seemed little the worse for their experience. AT LITTLE RIVER. Water is lying a foot deep around tho railway station and in parts of tho township at Little River. The water at tho railway station was only 2in from the top of the platform, and the electric train from Christchurch was not able to approach further than