PERIL OF FLOODS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20185, 1 March 1940, Page 4

PERIL OF FLOODS

DELUGE IN HILLS BIG RIVERS SWOLLEN SURGE IN CANTERBURY STOPBANKS TESTED HOMESTEADS EVACUATED (Por Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Carrying the greatest volume of water in its history, the Waimakariri River yesterday afternoon burst through a stopbank at Coutts Island. From the island down to Stewart’s Gully the land was flooded and 26 families were forced to vacate their homes with only a few personal belongings. The main highway was blocked, the water being 3ft. deep at 8 p.m. at the junction of the Stewart Gully road. Backed up by the tide the Kaiapoi River caused a back seepage in the drains and flooding of streets and important sections of the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company’s mill and the North Canterbury Freezing Company’s works. Two homes of farmers on the banks of the Cam River were flooded and two baches and the signal hut at Kairaki were swept out to sea. After nine weeks of continuous flooding and freshes the Waimakariri, fed by many big branches from a mountainous watershed where exceptional rainfalls have been recorded recently, yesterday became a river of terrifying force. Bank to bank it swirled under the highway bridge on the main north road at a velocity of 15ft. a second. Designed to carry a flood of 150,000 cusecs with a 2ft. freeboard, the tops of the stopbanks were only 2in. above the peak of the flood at 9 p.m. Christchurch Saved The unprecedentedly high flood fully tested many miles of protective works built by the Waimakariri River Trust. The works, trust officials said, had saved Christchurch from a grave menace of flooding. By-9 p.m. the danger of the river cutting into the channel that leads to the back of Fendalton was passed, recent strengthening of the banks in that vicinity keeping the flood waters confined. For days the flooding in the Waimakariri had caused anxiety and a continuous watch was kept by the trust’s engineer, Mr. W. H. Harris, who had not had sleep except in brief snatches, since last Saturday night, and was on duty again all last night. Warnings of exceptional rainfall in the mountains and the rapid rising of the level of the river in tVie Waimakariri Gorge prepared the trust officials and all settlers in the lowlying areas were given an hour’s notice to remove themselves and their stock to safety.

City Weather Fair Other Canterbury rivers are also in high flood as a result of heavy rain in the ranges and melting snow. The weather in the city has been fine and warm for the last few days except for a fairly heavy shower on Wednesday night. The flood in the Rakaia River is described by old residents as the biggest for 50 years. Early last evening the water was lapping the girders of the new railway bridge, but the express crawled cautiously over and arrived in Christchurch only a few minutes late. Water was across the road south of the traffic bridge, but was not deep enough to stop cars. The Hurunui River broke its banks half a mile on the Culverden side of the main road bridge and was over the road. The Waiau River is 16ft. to 20ft. above normal in the gorge and broke its banks behind Rotherham and flowed over the road at Rotherham. The Bluff road was still passable last night. Slips over a stretch of between 30 and 40 miles have occurred on the Lewis Pass road from the Waiau ferry onwards and seven creeks with concrete bottoms have been wastied out.