FLOODS IN CHRISTCHURCH

Hawera Star, Volume L, 6 August 1930, Page 9

FLOODS IN CHRISTCHURCH

SUBURBS SUFFER

SEQUEL TO CONTINUOUS RAIN

FAMILIES REMOVED IN LORRY. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 6. Three days’ continuous ram has caused serious flooding in many suburbs of Christchurch, especially in Western Terrace, Beckenham, where nine families had to be removed from their homes in a lorry last night. Owing to the Heatheotq. Rliver overflowing, part of Lower Colombo- Street was under water this morning. The flood waters this morning stood three feet deep in the back yards of a dozen houses fronting on to Heatlieote and along Western Terrace, Beckenham. Further on along Eastern Terrace the scour from the swirling waters made the road impassable foi half-a-mile. Hugo logs up to- 15 feet in length and over two feet in diameter were brought down by the flooded! stream. They crashed against frail footbridges, which had for years been strong enough to carry pedestrian traffic from the "two terraces across the small stream to the Port Hills Road, but smart work by the City Council .staff in clearing away tho logs prevented the wreckage of 'the bridges, the. ends of which were in some cases a chain from dry land. With the male members of their households away at work, women and children became greatly perturbed last night at being cut off from dry land, and with the river steadily rising, the occupants- of nine small bungalows gathered l together a few personal effects and! were carried out through a loot of water to a. waiting City Council lorry. There were elderly_ women, young women and women with small babies, all of whom showed pluck in their plight. The Main North Road is flooded in the vicinity of Amberlev and hundreds of acres of farm lands in North Canterbury are under water. The Wairakei, Selwyn and Hawkiri Rivers are un fordable.

In addition to the houses- evacuated in Western Terrace. Beckenham, six families were evacuated this morning from Richardson, Terrace in Opawa, where the Heathcote River is still rising. In these houses the water was oozing in the doors and bursting up the floors.

Many streets in Linwood, Redcliffs', Woolston, Beckenham, Fendalton, Opawa, and' Radley are under water and scores of residents are using boats to do their shopping and get to business.

Rain was .still falling at noon, when the water was up to the windowsills in parts of Beckenham.

The water lies a foot deep in parts of tho Addington trotting track and it is very unlikely that races will be held there on Saturday.