HEAVY RAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 December 1944, Page 4

HEAVY RAIN

GREY DISTRICT FLOODING.

Following heavy rain overnight, a slip at the bottom of the hoist to the Liverpool Mine at Rewanui, came down this morning, and as a consequence the mine did not work. Spark and Party’s mine suffered serious damage, debris from the slip ing boilers, mine trucks etc., and covering other equipment. The mine which has been troubled on several occasions in the past with slips in the vicinity is not likely to work for a few days. The precipitation at Rewanui during the 24 hours up to 9 a.m., this morning was particularly heavy, 8.40 inches 'being recorded. This brings the year’s total to 193.97 inches All other State mines Jn the district are working though co-operative mines in the Ten Mile district did not work. Greymouth’s rainfall also has been heavy 2.33 inches having fallen up to this morning, and street flooding, is general. The total rainfall for the year is now 117.64 inches. The river which is fairly high, is running at 9 knots, and as a result, extra hawsers have been put out by vessels in port, and steam has been raised. Besides the run in the river, the rough seas on the bar prevent any vessel from working the port. Rain also interfered with the loading of ships berthed here, no work being done yesterday afternoon or this morning. No trouble has been reported from Aickens, and the Midland line this morning was open to all traffic. A small slip was reported from Tiroroa, between Westport and Inangahua where a hold-up was experienced not long ago, but trains were able to negotiate the area. Water covers the road and inilway line at Camp to a considerable depth and in the meantime, neither cars nor trains are able to travel between Runanga and Greymouth. Heavy flooding has been reported from Coal Creek and Boddytown where the roads are well covered. No damage has been reported from the Grey County, though a minor subsidence reputedly occurred at Ten Mile, the blockage at Camp preventing investigation. The Ten Mile creek overflowed its banks and washed out the Briandale Mine’s tramline. Owing to the weather conditions, the Hokitika-Nelson air service was cancelled. Indicative of the widespread fall was a statement by a passenger cn the Reefton train this morning, who said that the amount of water lying along the line and in fields and paddocks between Greymouth and Reefton was the most he had ever seen during the several years he had trav 7 elled along that line. The water on the Omoto racecourse is the highest for some time and early this morning had entered the old grandstand. All stock was shifted to a safer position. RIVER RISING. With an unusual amount of snow on the mountains adding to the already rain-swollen streams, an immense amount of water was being carried by the Grey River early this afternoon, and a ten knot run was reported. As a Spring tide will take place shortly after 10 o’clock this evening, there is a prospect of the river overflowing its banks. In the case of an imminent flood, the Harbourmaster, Captain H. Moar, will give instructions for a long continuous blast by the Fire Board’s siren, and warnings will be broadcast from 3ZR. Late reports from various country districts received by the local E.P.S. Organiser, Mr. W. H. Parfitt, indicate that there has been no abatement of the rain in the back country. At Ikamatua, Ahaura, Crooked River and Kamaka it was raining heavily this afternoon and the river was still rising. Lake Brunner is rising and at Rough River it is raining particularly hard and the sawmills were unable to be worked.