N. S. WALES FLOODS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1929, Page 5

N. S. WALES FLOODS

ENORMOUS DAMAGE CAUSED LIFE AND PROPERTY LOSSES (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, February 11. . Floods in the North Coast districts are the worst for years. Several towns are inundated. Torrential rains on the north coast caused heavy floods over the weekend in Manning, MacLeay, Nambucca, and Bellinger rivers. The two firstnamed overflowed the banks and caused enormous damage to farm lands and maize crops. The water rose so rapidly in some towns that hundreds of people were trapped, and some on isolated farms had to be rescued by the police. Two men were drowned at Gloucester, in attempting to rescue other people, when they were swept away. The railway services between Gloucester are completely disorganised. Practically every shop and office in Gloucester is inundated. The damage is estimated at forty thousand sterling.

Great damage was done to roads in the Newcastle district. It is estimated that a hundred thousand sterling wiil be required to restore them to the former condition. The bad state of the roads was responsible for a fatal accident to John Parsons, aged twenty, who was killed when a lorry overturned at Cook’s Hill. Four others were injured. The Hunter River is rising rapidly, and there is a possibility of floods in Newcastle. Many farms in the Taree district are covered to. a depth of 12 feet.

The forecast is more rain and heavy falls, aggravating flood conditions.