TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 December 1927, Page 9

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

FINE WEATHER INTERLUDE. THOROUGHFARES FLOODED. Commencing shortly after 11 o’clock to-duv. a. brief thunderstorm was followed by a torrential downpour of almost tropical intensity which, drenched Hawera, causing floods in many of the streets. During a space of about two hours almost two inches of rain was recorded at the Hawera Post Office, and from the state of the streets during the period-of the heaviest- rain, it is considered to 1 be the worst experienced in Hawera for many years. Between Wilson and Victoria Streets. High Street was completely flooded oyer both road and footpath, and only the generosity of passing motorists allowed workers to return to work after lunch. Oars splashed merrily through, nineinches of water in the middle of the roadway, while- the running boards of those which, approached the sides of the thoroughfare were awash and even in the inside edge of the footways the water reached above the boot cops of pedestrians. The junction of Princes and Furlong Streets presented a similar scene, and during the height of the flood a car was driven on to the footpath to allow one of the staff of a business office to gain access to- the building. At the junction of Princes and High Streets the foot-path on one corner was almost completely covered. Along various portions of Union Street pedestrians -had to pick a- careful passagethrough the water close to- the shop frontages, and visitors to one large establishment on the corner of Nelson Street could not enter dry shod. The vicinity of the railway station was another portion where the street was completely inundated, and "when the storm waters were easing the gutters presented the appearance of miniature torrents. The sky began to clear shortly after two o’clock, when the rain ceased, and there were indications that the downpour would not- greatly affect the holiday period.