FLOODS IN SOUTH

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 19 July 1929, Page 5

FLOODS IN SOUTH

WORST FOR YEARS. SETTLERS MAROONED. ROADS AND LINE BLOCKED. (By ’ Telegraph—Press Association.) TIMARU, Julv IS. j The coastal districts of Canterbury and the Taicri plains, Otago, lare in the grip of the worst flood experienced for years. The full force of the long storm has been felt in the MacKenzie country, where roads are damaged and settlers marooned. Snow is deep there. Damage generally is not severe. Steady rain set in on Monday in South .Canterbury and continued,almost without a break until early last evening. In some parts of the district the fall was exceptionally heavy and as a result all the rivers are in high flood. The fact that a heavy southerly sea has boon running all the week has prevented the flood waters from getting away and in many places rivers and creeks have overflowed their banks, submerging the surrounding country, in cases to a depth of four feet and more.

While a fair amount of damage has been done to roads and property on the low country near the coast the full effect q.f the storm has been made apparent in the MacKenzie Country where bridges and approaches have been washed a Way and run-holders are marooned.

Temuka is cut off by road both north and south and Timaru is in a similar position, communication from the south being blocked toy flood water on the south side of the Pareroa bridge. There was three feet of snow in some parts of the MacKenzie Country yesterday morning and snow fell at'intervals throughout the day at Tekapo. In Timaru the rainfall till five this evening wa s four inches, but there has been little since that hour and indications are that the worst is over.

DUNEDIN, July 18. Heavy rain 'and the melting 0 f snow in the back country have resulted in tlie most serious flood experienced on the Taieri plain since 1923, when Dunedin too was inundated.

From a short distance south of Allanton to Henley is ( a huge expanse of water, covering the railway line to a depth of over three feet and the main South Road is in one portion covered to a depth of six feet. The flooded area consists almost solely of farm land, but serious damage is not anticipated. The 'farmerls had ample warning of the Tising of the river and stock was removed to higher land. As far as is known no losses of stock have been experienced. One of the most seriously affected portions of the plain .is at Berwick, where homes have been inundated.

As a result of the flooding of the railway line traffic south of Mosgiel was suspended to-day and it is thought unlikely that the train services will bo resumed to-morrow. The difficulties have been added to by the fact that a washout has occurred near Otokia hut its full extent will not be known until the flood waters have subsided.

HVTails were 'carried 'by- lorry .between Dunedin and Milton to-day but one of the vehicles is still held up at Henley owing to the rising of the river. The service on the Ou'tram branch line is likely to be suspended for some davs. ASHBURTON, July 18. The Main South Road at Hinds is blocked, Ashburton reports, and the access roads to' Methven are also impassable. No extensive damage is reported, though a few sheep are reported to have been drowned in the Methven district. The fall at Ashburton yesterday Was 220 points, the heaviest* for some years. The total since Sunday is 332 points.