A DAM BURSTS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1938, Page 4

A DAM BURSTS

CAUSED BY FLOOD WATERS. AUCKLAND, February 16. Boulders, trees, and debris were swept down a hillside, small streams were swollen beyond all proportion, streams were inundated, road and rail traffic was seriously dislocated, and at least two houses were threatened by flood waters after a cloudburst at Matata to-day. The township, which lies at the foot of a strip of hilly country on the Bay of Plenty coast, suffered severely, although the actual structural damage'from several hours of torrential rain is reported to be slight. In the middle of the afternoon the township was almost surrounded by , deep lagoons and swift-flowing torrents of water. Crocks rose with amazing rapidity, and the main street was very soon a turbulent river, charged wth boulders and debris The township ~wa« robbed of its water supply when the dam, which was situated in a gully in the hills, burst under the- weight of an cnor- / minis volume of flood water. Numeious slips on the main Taneatua road suspended motor traffic between To Puke and Matata, and a fairly serious slip and a subsidence on the railway lino hold up the railway service this afternoon. Because of lack of communication, only meagre details are available of the extent of the damage, hut it is expected that full repairs will not bo made for several days.