HEAVY RAINFALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 June 1934, Page 7

HEAVY RAINFALL

1 FOUR INCHES AT GREYMOUTH 1 COAST ROAD BLOCKED A quick change from the line weather ruling lately, was experienced at Greymouth last night. Heavy rain, with a north-west wind, set in, and the fall for the 24 hours ended at nine o’clock this morning amounted to 3.90 inches, this being recorded in about twelve hours. Rain continued to fall to-day, but the downpour was not. so heavy as that experienced during the night. The rain brought with it a rise in the temperature, the reading at 9 a.m. being 54 degrees. There was a. considerable sea on the bar this morning, but only a slight run in the river. The latter will probably show the real effect of the rainfall later, when the waler from upcountry makes its way down the stream. There was no work on the Greymouth wharf, to-day, owing to the rain. The luck of the watersiders was out, as a. considerable number of men would have been employed on the two vessels in port, the Kartigi and the Gabriella. Work will commence at 6 p.m„ if the conditions have sufficiently improved. As usual, when such heavy rain falls, the sewers in the borough proved : unequal to the task of coping with all , the water, and flooding was caused in ; the lower parts of the town. This was j particularly noticeable in the vicinity .

of Leonard Street and Victoria Park, where the water was over the road to a considerable depth. Flooding was also experienced in the Town Belt locality, causing much inconvenience to some residents. The water was also over the footpaths near the Post Office, and Revington’s Hotel received another unwelcome inundation. A slip occurred on the road from

Whall Street to Alexander Terrace, at the rear of Messrs. Stratford, Blair’s factory, blocking traffic. Slips also occurred at Omoto Road, but were not largo enough to stop traffic getting through. The Borough Engineer (Mr. A. J. Fairmaid) stated that the borough did not suffer damage to any great extent. The Railways Department reported several washouts on the line between Greymouth and Omoto, and a culvert washed out on the other side of Omoto. In consequence of the damage, no goods are being railed north from Greymouth to-day, mails being taken to Kaiata by motor to be loaded on to the trains. The 7.35 goods train to Christchurch this evening, will not run, and mails which would have gone by that train will be taken to Kaiata, and there placed on the 4.30 afternoon train for Otira. Motors will take passengers and mails from Greymouth to Kaiata for both the 3.40 Reefton and the Otira trains, which are being made up there. It is expected that the line will be clear for traffic by daylight tomorrow.

The Liverpool mine' at Rewanui was die to-day, about 300 men being af-

fected. The trouble originated at Greymouth, where, owing to the heavy rain washing a quantity of material on to the line at the Tainui Street crossing, the miners’ train was unable to leave until 40 minutes after schedule time. After waiting for some time at Runanga, for the train to take them to Rewanui, the miners returned to their homes. The James mine was working as usual. The heavy rain flooded all the creeks and culverts in Cobden, the culverts being unequal to the task of carrying the water. The main road, Bright. Street, was scoured out between Richmond and Sturge Streets. The watei’ flowed out of the cave at

the quarry, right across the road. The Convent School ground and the major portion of the State School ground were under water this morning. The State School was closed, owing to the dangerous state of the creek. A fairly large slip came down behind Ward Street south, but no residences were endangered. The Domain was under water, almost to the tops of the fence posts. No damage in its district has been reported to the Grey County Council. The Telegraph Department reported that two telephone lines to Christchurch failed at 7.30 a.m., on this side of Otira. Substitutes were brought into action, and no delay was caused 'o traffic. The trouble was caused by a tree falling at Wainihinihi.

OTIRA GORGE BLOCKED. The Greymouth—Westport Coast road is impassable for traffic, owing to the collapse of the 40ft. bridge over Dirty Mary’s Creek, near Addison’s, about six miles from Westport. The Buller County Engineer (Mr. C. Schadick) estimated that the road would probably be closed to traffic for a week. It is understood that the bridge was an old structure, and that it was the intention of the authorities to _rerflaco it at an early date. The service car left Greymouth for Westport at eight o’clock this morning, but, unless some means can be found of transferring passengers at the creek, the service will have to bo maintained by way of Reefton and the Buller Gorge. " in contrast with the heavy fall at Greymouth, that recorded at Rewanui was" 2.41 inches. Overcast conditions were general throughout the Dominion, this mornin" the only centres reporting blue skv being Bluff and Puysegur Point. At" Arthur’s Pass, 4.47 inches of ram fell during the 24 hours ended at 9 n m There was a fall of 1.96 inches at Westport, 24 points at Farewell Sy.it, 15 points at Wellington, and lo nt Cane Egmont. Advice received by the Public Works Department stated that the Otira Gor <r e road will lie blocked for a week, a bad slip having occurred at Candy’s Bend.

DISASTER IN ASSAM

(Received June 27, 1 p.m.) CALCUTTA, June 26.

Assam is cut off from the rest of India by floods, which have broken bridges and swollen rivers. It is officially stated that a hundred people are missing. Immense damage was done. All telegraphic and railway communications are suspended. It is reported that a big rivet steamer sank near Dhubri. Heavy loss of life is feared. People are' living in trees and on house tops. Thousands of starving refugees are flocking into the towns. The floods are the severest in living memory, due to fifteen days’ uninterrupted monsoon rainfall in the Himalayan foothills.