GALE AND RAIN

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 May 1925, Page 5

GALE AND RAIN

IN OTHER PLACES.

MAIN TRUNK LINE, BLOCKED BY SLIPS (BY TKJLKGUAPH.—PJtBSS ASSOCIATION.) ' TAUMARUNUI, May 22. Heavy rain commenced to fall again last evening, ,ahd continued all to-day, though the rain was easing off this evening. Both the Wanganui land the Ongarue rivers rose rapidly, the Wanganui river being nearly five feet ahove normal.

Tnere are slips on the railway line at Porootarao, Taringamotu and Piriaka, « and an extensive wash-out at Manunui. The lane will probably be blocked for twelve hours. The train due at Taumarunui .from the north, at 2.53 p.m. is not expected to'arrive till 8 p.m. The , Department sent motor-cars to the Taringamotu slip to convey passengers to Taumarunui.

As a result of last week’s floods, the Taringamotu Timber Company has been compered toi close down for two months at least, al l , bridges being carried away and the tramline badly scoured. , WELLLINGTON, May 22. The departure of the “limited” from Wellington was to-night delayed from 7.15 to 9. It is expected the “limited” will get through to Taihape. It is expected the fine will be cleared some time 1 to-morrow morning. FIERCE GALE AT AUCKLAND CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE. HEAVY RAIN FALLS. AUCKLAND, May 22. A heavy gale swept over the city and suburbs to-day, doing extensive damage to partly-erected dwellings. Seaside cottages in some areas were also razed to the ground. The gale was accompanied by heavy rain, which has now eased off. Several launches in the harbour were driven ashore. Many houses in the city were shaken to their foundations, and many windows were blown in. Gardens fared badly, plants in many cases being levelled to the ground. Wireless aerials in various parts of the city we re badly damaged. The full fury of the gale struck the city at daybreak after six hours’ pouring rain. The collapse of the temporary structure which housed the London Mechanical Exhibition was one of the most spectacular events of the storm, the building collapsing like a pack of cards. * : ;•

The Main Trunk expresses were delayed. Locally, at Surfdale, Waiheke, three cottages" were blown away and another at Howick. Rough seas in the harbour made things lively for the ferry boats, which, however, were able to keep to time-tables. Considerable inconvenience will he caused to shipping in the port, as delay is universal in view of the cessation of cargo operations throughout jthe day.

UNDER WATER

FLOODS AT TE KUITI

AWAKING ROAD BLOCKED

TE KUITI, May 22. A downpour of rain during Thursday night and Friday morning has caused the worst floods in Te Kuiti for. five years. The water ‘ rose with startling suddenness, reaching to a depth of a foot in an hour in the low-lying por- 1 * tions of the town. In some places the water was three . feet deep. On the business side of part of Rora street the water is up to the doors of shops, and owners are" having an anxious time. If 1 it rises a few more inches it will flood the shops. The rain at 5.30 was not so heavy, but was very threatening. The borough staff are busy making drainage outlets to help to ta'ke the water away. There will be no damage if the weather clears. In the Piopio district floods are reported all round. Road traffic is at a standstill. There is a heavy washout on the road to Kapalri, five miles from ’ Te, ; Kuiti. Service cars left Awakino at mid-, day, but were held up six miles on the journey owing to slips on both sides of the i road. Slips' are continually occurring three miles from Awakino. The .river is rising rapidly. At 5.30 p.m. at the nine-mile peg from Te Kuiti, there was four feet of water on the road, and a big slip at the sevenmile peg. . Traffic is blocked between Awakino and Mahoenui owing .to heavy slips. Settlers are isolated. The district between Te Kuiti and the coast was practically cleared yesterday. hut it was worse than ever today.

It is reported that three chains of the line are washed away at Waimiha, and it is not likely the expresses will get through to-night. ______

strong gale. Heavy rain continued throughout yesterday. The Paten river had risen several feet, and where it passed under Victoria bridge it had become a seething yellow torrent. Many branches of trees and pieces of dead wood yvere carried down on . the waters, hut the flood was not sufficiently large toido any damage. Many houses in Stratford were invaded by water during the night', the strong wind driving the rain under doors and through the cracks on the weather side of the buildings.—Po6t. The storm was also felt at "Whangamomona, where heavy rain fell. Some slips ha\ T e occurred on the Whangamomona road.

A resident, describing the scene at Opunake after the heavy rain had.' ceased, savs that Onuuake was idle for • a time ' while people went; round inspecting the damage created by, the flood waters. Opposite the nost office s e-mail hut on i the. hank of a creek was washed off its foundations and. brought up against a nearby garage. Many articles out on the section in i , the same locality were carried down ■•'Tream and deposited down the paddocks. 1

The Taungatara temporary bridge on , the Main South Road luid the earth foundations «o vseouned out that it di’opped several feet and looked likely to collapse. Prompt work, however, saved the structure, and the Egmout* County men have been having a very . strenuous time, and will he ivorking right through the week-end effecting repairs and strengthening bridge's. On two trips the Main ffouth. < Onunake-Hawera motor coach had to make a detour round by the YVaiteikai Road, and .yesterday the Opunake people expressed, surprise that- tjie driver. wa» able to get through. Damage to a greater or les9 extent, is reported to a number of the smaller' bridges in the Opunake-Pihama> district.