TORRENTIAL RAIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 139, 16 May 1925, Page 5

TORRENTIAL RAIN

DAMAGE IN KING COUNTRY.

FOUR FEET OF WATER ON ROADS. Per Press Association. TE KUITI. May 15. Torrential rainfall has been reported in all parts of the Northern, King Country. On the mail route to Towaitere, over a distance of two miles, four feet of water covers tho road, and smaller floods have occurred in various parts of the route between Alarokopa and Te Kuiti. Tho Alarokopa river is still rising and the concrete bridge over tho Keretehere river, about 27 miles from Te Kuiti, has been partly wrecked, being sunk four feet below tho road level. Several bridges on the same route havo been badly damaged. At a spot 39 miles from Te Kuiti, 30 feet of road has been washed away. Tho Keretehero stream was falling this morning, but heavy rain to-day will make it rise again. These are the worst floods in the Koretehero district for 20 years. On the Now Plymouth road, halfway to Piopio passengers were transferred over a flooded rotid by dray to a car on the opposite side. A bad slip is reported from Mount Messenger and a washout between Awakino and Alahoenui. The water lying in tho racecourse receded this morning, but was rising again this evening. Residents state they have never known the Alangaokewa river to rise so quickly. The Awakino and Mokau rivers have both burst their banks and slips continue to fall faster than they can bo cleared.

TAUMARUNUI’S EXPERIENCE. »

TAUAIARUNUI Alay 15. During the last forty-eight hours, Taumarunui and the surrounding districts have experienced an exceptionally heavy rainfall and for a while this morning it was feared the town waa about to experience a repetition of the disastrous April flood of last year. A sudden cessation of the rainfall at 1.0 this afternoon, however, just when tho situation was becoming menacing, averted the danger. At one stage, the Wanganui river was six feet above the normal level, and tho Ongarue river, which joins the Wanganui below tho steamer landing, readied tho highest level yet recorded—thirteen feet. Much debris has been washed down by the rivers and huge tree trunks crashed into the bridges, which fortunately withstood the shock. Tho recreation ground is partially submerged, but the recently-erected protective groynes saved the lower-lying portions of the town from a repetition of last year’s damaging flood,. No serious damage has been done. A few settlers lost some sheep and several swing bridges were washed away. Alany washouts and slips on the country roads have been reported and tho river boats were unable to leave this morning owing to . the flooded nature of the Ongarue, which is more than bank high. The rainfall since nine o’clock on Wednesday morning was nearly eight inches. There has been no further rain since 1.30 and all danger is now past. SLIPS ON MAIN NORTH ROAD. NEW PLYMOUTH, May 15. Traffio on tho Alain North Road between New Plymouth and To Kuiti was blocked to-day, heavy rain bringing down slips on the south side of Alount Alessenger. The Alokau river is impassable and further slips have fallen on the Awakino Valley road. All mail cars were blocked to-day and a service connection with Te Kuiti is not expected before Alonday.