TERRIFIC STORM AND FLOODS AT WELLINGTON

Grey River Argus, 28 June 1947, Page 4

TERRIFIC STORM AND FLOODS AT WELLINGTON

Traffic Heid Up and Harbour Damaged P.A. WELLINGTON, June 27. Throughout last night, to-day and to-night, Wellington stood the blast of the worst southerly storm experienced this winter. Heavy seas, showing much discolouration from flood waters of the Hutt River and from streams, pounded against the harbour walls. Flood of a minor nature occurred all over’ parts of Wellington, Petone. Hutt and Upper Hutt. Gutters on many roads overflowed, and particularly on Hutt Road, motorists after dark found themselves running into heavy sheets of water, which sent up spray, obscuring their vision, and in some cases causing mechanical defects, which resulted in cars being abandoned. The main force of the gale, which blew in gusts up to 96 miles an hour, at Rongotai, and wa- recorded at 76 m.p.h. at the meteorological office, Keiburn, was felt at Eastbourne and the bays, where waves broke over the sea wall, spilling on the roadway and sending showers of spray over passing vehicles. It was here that the main damage was done when the sea wall was breached in several places. Heavy seas which battered the. sea wall betwen Kaiwarra and Petone, caused undermining of the railway line, and it became necessary in the afternoon to divert all traffic to the inside line. At times, on a portion of the track between Ngahauranga and Petone, both sets of rails were awash, and the outer set was continually smothered in foam. In most places throughout to-night only one' track could be used to Hutt Valley and there were some delays. It is expected that if the weather improves sufficiently that six or seven hours’ work will suffice to carry out repairs to bring the other line back into service.

Slips on the Johnsonville line, between Wadestown and Ngaio, interrupted the rail service to-night. It was not possible to attend to the slips during the darkness, but it is expected that they .will be cleared by mid-day to-morrow.

Trains on the Main Trunk line between Wellington and were also delayed as a result of damaged electrical equipment along the route. The . 3 p.m. express to Auckland was an hour late in reaching Palmerston North and the departure of the Limited was delayed about an hour.

There was water over the tracks at Porirua, but traffic is getting through. Rongotia was totally unserviceable all day.. Gusts of wind up to 95 m.p.h. being recorded. Paraparaumu, however, was in much better condition, and all planes were able to leave from there at regular times in the morning. The Auck-land-Paraparaumu-Christchurch Dakota service was interrupted at Paraparaumu at 3 p.m. Weather permitting, the Dakota will leave the aerodrome for Christchurch at 8 a.m. to-morrow.

Hutt River was rising steadily late to-night, but was still two feet below to-day’s maximum. Nine houses in the vicinity of Moonshine Road were in danger of flooding, and it may be necessary to evacuate if the river rises further during the night. Petone felt the full force of the gale, with seas pounding the esplanade. The roads throughout Hutt Valley suffered flooding through the inability of the drains to cope with the surface water.