FLOOD DANGER PASSES

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 7 June 1935, Page 8

FLOOD DANGER PASSES

Rain Ceases and Rivers Subside Rapidly SEASIDE TOWN INUNDATED RESCUES AT MIDNIGHT (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS, To-day. With the cessation of rain last night the threatening flood danger of yesterday in the Napier and Hastings district has passed and rivers are now falling rapidly. Late yesterday afternoon the back country districts experienced a lessening downpour, while the more coastal areas received the same benefit during the night. The Napier-Hastings main road, which was closed yesterday afternoon and last night on account of flood water, was reopened for traffic during this morning, .but the Napier-Wairoa road is still closed on account of slips, which are expected to be cleared this afternoon.

Haumoana, a small seaside township about eight miles from Hastings, suffered severely during the night on account of the Tukituki River unexpectedly overflowing at a small bank and invading houses in low-lying areas. About midnight it became necessary to remove all women and children from the affected places and in doing so rescuers had to wade as deep as their armpits to accomplish their work. No losses of stock have been reported owing to settlers having taken precautions before the situation became serious. Extensive areas are still affected with surface water. It is understood the damage done as the result of flooding will not be at all considerable as the rivers have not broken their banks to any great extent. The water lying about is largely backed up water, which carried little silt, and has not had any force behind it to wash out fences and scour pastures.