HEAVY FLOODS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 April 1918, Page 2

HEAVY FLOODS.

THE BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT. HEAVY LOSSES OF STOCK. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, April IU. Telegrams received by the Post Office from Whakatane, state thai there is an extraordinarily heavy flood at Opotiki. There is six feet of water on the highest parts of the business area. No loss of life is reported so far. The flood was caused by a heavy rainfall and a flooded river. All traffic is suspended. The water is over the counters in tlie shops and has reached the ground floor of the Post Office.. The roads are blocked and traffic is suspended. Telegraphic communication is interrupted. Whakatane. can only get Opotiki over a faulty telephone circuit. Onotiki town has been inundated since the early morning with three or four feet of water. There have been many narrow escapes. Rescue parties were working all day with horses and boats. There is enormous damage to business premises and streets, "" and heavy losses of liv e stock. At Whakatane 6.7 inches of rain fell in the 24 hours ending at 9 a.m. Nearly all the night the rivers were running bank high, and the lower areas adjacent to the river banks were flooded. No damage is reported. Road communication to Tamatua, Waimanu and Opotiki is interrupted. WATERS SUBSIDE. GREAT DAMAGE DONE. (Per Press Association.) OPOTIKI, This Day. The flood subsided last night and the streets of the town are now dry. The town presents a scene of great devastation. * Most of the business premises and many residences contain about a foot of slimy silt on the floors, and this morning the business people and residents were busily, engaged clearing the rubbish away and cleaning up. Several plate glass windows . were broken and a small house collapsed. Fences were broken, asphalt footpaths town and road surfaces swept away; tlie roadways now appearing like riverbeds.

The losses of businesses stocks of various.kinds and live stocks, in addition to the. damage to public property, amounts to ma.nv thousands of pounds. A small bridge in the town was swept away. The flood was the worst ever known here. The electric supply is interrupted and'the town was in darkness last night. It will probably be several days before light and power an> available. aeßa