DAMAGE AT TAUMARUNUI.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 2118, 23 May 1925, Page 5

DAMAGE AT TAUMARUNUI.

SLIPS AND FLOODS. PART OF TOWN INUNDATED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Taumarunui, this day.

The effect of yesterday’s heavy downfall was not felt until between seven and eight o’clock last night, when the Wanganui and Ongarue Rivers rose with remarkable rapidity. About seven o’clock it was apparent that the Wanganui River was going to break its banks in the lower portion of Taumarunui, and shortly after the water commenced to come lip the streets around the saleyards sections, half a mile from the railway station. The water rose until it was a foot deep on the flat area. The residents made a hasty escape, assisted by the police and others. At eight o’clock the river rose to the highest point.

The surging waters ate the bank away almost to the main bitumen road. It is estimated the river took 30 to 40 feet of the bank away for a distance of half a mile.

On part of the Taupo Road the electric light poles were in the river, but power was maintained with light breaks until seven o’clock this morning, when it was cut off.

Residents of the lower part of Taumarunui had an unenviable experience, when the water in places rose to the flooring. The river receded quickly after 8.30 p.m., and dropped three feet in an hour. The water rose a foot above the flood of last week.

On Winter’s Island, in the middle of the Wanganui River, Mrs F. Langstone had an unenviable experience. The water rose and flooded the house for the first time to the knowledge of the tenant. The Ongarue River also rose rapidly, and at eight o’clock was a ragingtorrent. The Taringamotu stream bridge, on the main highway, was completely washed away, and the Ongarue bridge on the road to the hospital was declared unsafe by the Public Works Department. Road communication is cut. off to the hospital by a big slip halfway up the HU.

The Ongarue River has also receded, but the damage is very heavy and can be estimated in thousands. At Manunui slight damage from the rain water was done to the township, which was flooded at noon yesterday by storm water. Slips on the road to Piriaka cut off communication with the hydro-electric works. Numerous slips are reported in the outlying districts. The river at Matiere rose to the bridge, the boardinghouse being partly under water. A slip is reported in Binns’ tunnel, on the railway line about two miles from Matiere. The weather is fine at present.