WILD WEATHER

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 July 1925, Page 5

WILD WEATHER

FLOODS IN OTAGO. ALSO IN OTHER DISTRICTS. RAILWAY LINE DA3MAGED. (by TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) DUNEDIN, July 2. Rain fell steadily all to-day, increasing in intensity as the afternoon wore on. The goods train from Ilanfurly to Dunedin, which ran into fallen rock last evening, has not yet been removed, but the line is expected to be clear by noon to-morrow. The two engines on this train were badly damaged, and eight trucks, including a waggon load of sheep, were derailed. An engine and breakdown gang left to-day for the the scene of the accident. Advice was received this afternoon that a wash-out had occurred near Outram and that about half a mile of line was scoured out, the water being nine inches deep on the track. Consequently one train inwards from Outran! and one outwards from Mosgiel were cut out. The position on the Taieri is fairly serious, and if the river rises two or three feet more there will be real clanger. The embankment is. being patrolled, and telegraph communication is being kept open all night. The river is at the 15ft 3in mark. The low-lying country in the vicinity of Merton is flooded, and creeks in the Shag Valley have broken their hanks, making the Otago Central road impas- h sable. Heavy rain fell all night at Naseby, following a fall of nine inches of snow. The creeks and rivers are in flood The Swindburn bridge, on the Dun-back-Ivyeburn portion of the main Palmerston-Clyde road, was swept away. The weather has been at Cromwell, but it is now improving, though it is not settled. In the Wakatipu district the temperature rode suddenly, and consequently a great thaw set in. Yesterday it was a white world, but in the morning every bit of snow had disappeared, the weather being like spring.

IN CANTERBURY

.FLOODING FEARED

CHRISTCHURCH, 'July 2. In consequence of to-day’s warm rains melting the snow there are fears of heavy floods in the Canterbury rivers. Already the Eyre river has overflowed its banks, and th© country round about Oxford and- Cust is flooded.

A telegram from Kaikoura states the approach to the Hapuku river bridge was washed away to-day. The Stony creek is in flood, and traffic south was blocked this morning. Th© Lyell creek nas been rising rapidly, but so far has not entered the town. A very heavy sea is running on the coast, which has the effect of backing up the rivers The town of Little River was under water to-day, and road communication with Akaroa is cut off. The Ashley river, Vvhich previously was in half flood, rose 16 inches this morning, and residents in the Coldstream district ar© apprehensive of a serious overflow over their farms. Bealey reports that the Waimakariri river is rising rapidly. Farmers have been warned to remove stock from lowlying lands. The main road at Little River is under two feet of water.

THE MANAWATU RISING,

LOW-LYING COUNTRY FLOODED

PALMERSTON N., July 2. The Manawatu river is rising rapidly, and th© flood gauge at Palmerston North showed a rise of four feet between 2 o’clock and 8.30 p.m. It is still advancing, and read late to-night it showed a rise of 15 feet. Th© main road north of Shannon was three feet under, water at 8 o’clock tonight. A good deal of low-lying country is inundated, hut it is not ascertainable if any material damage has been done. *

A heavy slip occurred this morning in the Manawatu Gorge, at the entrance to which, on the Woodville side, the river rose; eight feet in two and a half hours, flooding out the public works camp. There have been more 'lips in the gorge during the past six weeks, than at any similar period for the last 10 years.

IN THE WAIKATO. MERCER SURROUNDED. AUCKLAND, July 2. The latest advices from Mercer tonight states that the Waikato river is still rising, and the township is now almost surrounded by water, with six inches over the railway line. Numerous houses in the vicinity of the township have been vacated. The sawmills are flooded. Trains are still running, but shunting' operations may cease if a further rise occurs. .Maoris have abandoned a flooded pa on the river banks, and are now camping in the scrub. Even when the flood subsides it will be some considerable time before the sawmill can restart work. WASH-OUT ON MIDLAND LINE. CHRISTCHURCH, Jnly 3. Owing to a wash-out the Midland express from Greymouth did not get past Springfield yesterday. A length of *2OO yards of line had given way. The passengers were transferred by ’bus to Ann at. where they caught an emergency train, arriving at Christhurch five hours behind schedule time.