CLOUDBURST IN CENTRAL

Evening Star, Issue 20980, 19 December 1931, Page 14

CLOUDBURST IN CENTRAL

CLYDE-ALEXANDRA AREA DELUGED WASH-OUTS ON RAIL AND ROADS [Special to the ‘ Sta*.’] CLYDE, December 19. After several days of intensely hoS weather, with abundant indications in' the shape of great, white, billowy clouds assembling, the Clyde-Alexandra dis-r trict experienced a thunderstorm, followed by torrential rain, on Wednesday last. Conditions were similar yesterday* About 5 o’clock continuous thunder was' followed by something in the nature of i a cloudburst, the area affected being’ confined to the " Clyde-Alexandra district. In one hour 132 points of rain weroi recorded at Clyde. The Fruitgrowers’ road opposite ,the| town was badly washed out in several places, and it will take all available men at least two days to allow fruit to be railed. There was no rain a mile above, Clyde, the Cromwell Gorge not being damaged. Between Alexandra.* aqd Cbatto Creek, three bad washouts occurred on the railway, and this morning the down train cquld hot proceed further than Alexandra, passengers,, mails, etc., being taken on to Chattd Creek, where a. special train left fori > Dunedin. County roads suffered little damage*, and motor traffic will suffer no iu« ivenience. THE RAILWAYS. Passengers, mails, and. only perishable freights were transported; to and from’ the district above Alexandra by the railways to-day. Passengers by the up and down, expresses‘.were ' transported be-, tween. Alexandra and Chatto Creek by,.' road and motor - transport was utilised for carrying perishable goods between the rail points.' All other goods traffic was suspended to-day. Tho department hopes to have normal services running on Monday. v The secretary of the Otago Motor, Club (Mr W.- F. Sutton) advises that the Lindis Pass road will be clear tomorrow - morning. There .has been d slight wash-out between Omakau and Alexandra, but tho road is passable.