HEAVY RAIN FALLS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 70, 22 February 1932, Page 8

HEAVY RAIN FALLS

DOWNPOUR IN MANAWATU. RIVERS RISE RAPIDLY. Following conditions in the nature of a drought which, have prevailed in the Manawatu district for over two months, a change came early on Saturday evening after light and intermittent showers during the preceding 48 hours. Palmerston North, lending and other places received the full benefit of a copious rainfall. Both rural and city communities welcomed the soaking downpour, although tnany people were caught unprepared for the heavy rain on Saturday evening. Heavy rain has been general throughout the Dominion, according to reports from other centres, and floods have been experienced in the South Island. There have Seen remarkable downpours in some places after conditions or drought, and arid pastures are taking on a very welcome green tinge. The rainfall in the Manawatu will do an immense amount ot good to tne dairying industry, though it is most belated. Two weeks ago it was stated that the pastures in this district were in the driest state they had been seen in for a considerable period, and tanners were being forced to utilise winter feed. Stock were in good condition, but milk supplies were diminishing. The benefits accruing from the rainiail should arrest these conditions and allay the anxiety of farmers. It will renew pasture growth and do a wo derful amount of good. . , During January only 1.10 inches o rainfall were recorded at Palmerston North by Mr T. R. Moore, of Waimarama,” Terrace End, this being t lowest fall during any January tor nineteen years, with the exception of January, 1928. The present month bade fair to constitute a recoid for dryness, only 37 points of ram having fallen prior to 9 p.m. on Saturday. Then came a continuous which did not ease until 5 a.m. on Sunday morning, during which fe w houis a rainfal of 2.40 inches was recorded by Mr Moore. For the 24 hours-up t° 9 a.m. to-day there was a further fall of J36in There were indications that relief would be afforded from the prolonged dry weather when a shaip shower or two of rain fell on Thursday evening, this being followed by a Lght drizzle. There were similar conditions late on Friday. The rain was not appreciable, but had a licsnemng • Light rain fell at intervals on Satui da| but it was of little consequence though the outlook was ominous for heavy rain. Almost exactly at 9 p.m. it began to fall and increased s in’ intensity until there was a soaking downpour. Shoppers returning home late encountered unexpectedly heay, driving rain and were forced to seek shelter as best they could. There ivm no cessation and the rain became most torrential at midnight, water channels flooding and sheets of water extending across the ‘footways. , Dry beds of streams and rivers filled rapidly with a swollen flow and the Manawatu River made a sharp rise from a level of one foot at noon on Saturday to 8 feet at noon yesterday. It was racing swiftly at flood volume at midnight last night, when it had reached a level of nine feet, but later subsided and was running at a height oi eight feet at 9 a.m. to-day. . With the advent of the ram there was a sharp change in the temperatur , the weather becoming cold. Picnics arranged for the week-end by the Bast and Telegraph Department and by the brewers’ and cordial . manufacturers employees had to be postponed. All outdor activities were checked. There were leaden skies this morning, witn the threat of further heavy ram. HEAVY RAIN AT FEILDING. OROUA RIVER’S* RAPID RISE. Following on the light and intermittent showers of the past few days, the protracted spell of dry weather experienced in the Feilding district was definitely broken on Saturday night, when 'heavy rain fell. Commencing between 8.30 and » p.m., the fall continued all night, the downpour between 11 p.m. and midnight being in the nature of a deluge. Up to about 9 a.m. on Sunday momig the gauge of Mr F. Mason, Sandon Road, registered 2.15 inches, and further showers fell during the day. The downpour will, remove all danger in regard to the growth of winter crops and pastures, while water supplies for both country homesteads and stock purposes, which were becoming seriously depleted, will be fully replenished: However, while conditions in regard to the rainfall in Feilding were of an orderly nature and were most welcome, those obtaining in the upper reaches of the Oroua River must have been akin to a cloudburst. Up to about mid-day the Oroua, although abovesummer level, did not show any undue sign of what was portending, although the ominous blue-black sky on the horizon in the direction of the head waters of the river gave every indication that heavy rain was falling there. Early in the afternoon the first waves of the impending flood arrived. The shallow banks of the Oroua River south of the Kiwitea Bridge give the waters, which the here swelled by the confluence of the Kiwitea River, full scope to spread and, urged on by the enormous thrust of water from behind, the spread took place rapidly and with effect. The siltladen and rapidly moving torrent made an inspiring, albeit unwelcome, sight as it tore along the main channel of the river, bearing on its turbulent flood tree trunks, eroded willows and lupins, and all the other debris common to flooded rivers. At the point where the Fairfield Thompson property is suffering heavy erosion from the action of the stream the flood swirled with great force and the subsidence of the water will undoubtedly reveal further damage in this locality. Just beyond this point the river-bed is of great width and the water spread itself harmlessly, but at Johnston _ Park it again encroached on farming and private domains. A party of campers at the motorists’ camping site at the Park were obliged to move their belongings hurriedly, but so rapid was the rush of the water that before they could move their car the visitors found it surrounded with water, and they were obliged to wade through the flood to higher ground. On this level the unemployed relief vegetable garden is situated and it was subjected to the full visitation of the swollen river, being completely blotted from sight. It is not expected that any damage will be done here, however, as practically only the potatoes remained whilst, the silt' that will be left will provide its compensation with the next crop of vegetables put in. Above Aorangi Bridge the river divided into two streams, this proving a fortunate circumstance as far as the Feilding Golf Club’s property was concerned, for-had the full weight of the flood torn down the channel on the Kairanga side of the river the damage would not be hard to visualise. As it was, the club’s property was inundated and the sheep on tho golf links had to be hurriedly removed to a place of safety, those gathering the sheep having at times to wade through water waist high to get their charges to safety. For a while It looked as if

the relief given by the other stream on the Feilding side of the river would not prove suffiient to save the river cutting its way back to its old course through the golf links, but fortunately “the pressure subsided and this morning the stream is removed from tho danger point. In the meantime, however, property on the Feilding side had received its share of the excitement, Mr Benge’s fowl-run and farmyard being caught in the path of the onrushlng wafer with the result that a piece ot fencing was carried away while stock had to be rescued where possible and others left to the precarious safety of mounds and knolls, these being dotted with stock which could not be moved owing to the depth of the water. The low _ lying areas in the path of the. river to Awahuri also suffered, but a warning had been received of the rise of the water and stock had been moved. A survey of the river-bank at various places this morning reveals that, although still high, the stream is rapidly falling and no great amount of damage appears to have been done. Silt is lying in large deposits at every place the swollen waters reached, bur the flood was fortunately of a temporary nature. ' HEAVY RAIN AT WANGANUI. WANGANUI, Feb. 21. Heavy rain last evening and all through the night changed a drought in the Wanganui district to a flood. Light showers on Friday and on Saturday morning heralded the heavy rain, which commenced to fall just after 6 p.m. For an hour or so the ground was so hard and dry that ohly the surface could absorb tho constant stream of water, and gutters - and drains were soon overflowing, sports grounds being submerged inches deep. Pipinki House reported that heavy rain had fallen during the night and was still falling to-day. The river at Pipiriki had risen from its lowest level this year to three feet below the wharf, and was still rising slowly at mid-day to-day. Heavy rain fell throughout Taranaki during the night, and there had been showers this morning. The weather had cleared at mid-day, but there was a prospect of further rain. New Plymouth reported that the same conditions ruled there. The rain was urgently needed in Taranaki and Wanganui, where farmers had. been using winter hay to keep herds in milk. HAWKE’S BAY RIVERS RISE. Per Press Association. NAPIER, Feb. 21. Further heavy rain, particularly in the back country, caused the rivers of Hawke’s Bay again to rise over the week-end, the bank in one locality breaking in three places and flooding the surrounding country to a depth in places of about five feet. No stock is reported lost, and the rivers to-night have fallen considerably. In the early hours of this morning the Tutaekuri River rose to a greater height than at any time during the previous wet spell, and at about five o’clock in the morning, on the Papakura .side, broke through in four places, the water flowing over the adjoining farm lands. The settlers had had plenty of opportunities to remove stock, but a number of small farmers’ homesteads were isolated. At six o’clock this evening both the Tutaekuri and Ngaruroro rivers had fallen several feet, and with a cessation of rain they will continue- to do so. SOUTH CANTERBURY RIVER. EXTENSIVE FLOODING. Per Press Association. TIMARU, Feb. 21. After two or three months of drought conditions heavy rain fell throughout the South Canterbury district during the latter part of’the week, and in the southern end of the province flood conditions now prevail. Not for the past 40 years has the Pareo'ra River carried tne quantity of water it carried yesterday, and there is hardly a bridge spanning the river that has not been damaged or swept away. On Thursday the Pareora was practically dry, but inside 24 hours it was a raging torrent. It broke through protective works in several places, flooding adjacent land to a considerable depth and over a wide area. At one or two places sheep ~nd cattle were washed away, and even wheat crops were completely ruined. The railway bridge on the main line at Pareora lost seven piles at the northern end, the bridge sagging over two. spans for a depth of two feet*. The express from the south was held at Oamaru, and southern passengers were unable to get through, as the road is badly scoured. On the south side of the Pareora road bridge, where a great number of cars are held up, a special train service was run from Timaru to Christchurch, to connect with the ferry, which was held back. It was from Cave southwards that the fall of rain was experienced, the fall at Nimrod Downs, .behind Cave, being 17 inches for five days. Over seven inches fell in 24 hours.

Rivers north of Timaru are carrying a fair quantity of water, but nowhere near the danger mark. There were washouts at Hook and Makikihi, some miles south of Timaru, and it is not known how long it will be before road and rail communication with the south will be re-established. HEAVY FLOODING NEAR WAIMATE. DAMAGE TcTrOADS AND BRIDGES. - Per Preaa Association. WAIMATE, Feb. 20. ' Following an exterided drought, with stock in various parts ot the district at starvation point, almost unprecedentedly heavy rain, totalling from two to fiv© inches, fell in four days. A record was established in the town with 345 points for twentyfour hours. , „ r . Bone dry last night, the Waimate creek bed was a raging torrent this morning, and several residents in the vicinity were removed with the aid of a spring dray, as the waters were menacing their houses. Two cars struck trouble in this creek during the night, and one is there now, wheels upward. Road and bridge damage is general in the northern end of the county, many-bridges on back roads being down already, and others are threatened. . . ~ , , The Hook River is at its highest level for thirty years, and the .Makikihi River' threatens to flood the township. RAIN IN CANTERBURY, Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 21. . Rain in Canterbury has been bountiful during the past three days. Begining, with a light, misty drizzle and continuing in increasing intensity for so long, and with: such warm air temperatures, it has done the greatest possible good. , ■ . . , It has penetrated the parched ground thoroughly, and already there is startling evidence of p fresh, growth of gravj. It will also make ploughing possible. - . , • ■ The total fall in Christchurch was 2.74 inches. Northward, the fall was about the same, but it decreased to

about an inch and a half toward the west. Methven, in the Rakaio basin, had a fall of 3.9 inches. CONDITIONS CLEARING. WEATHER IN T CANTERBURY.Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 22.. The weather is how clearing and the floods are subsiding. During the night hundreds of yards of the railway track at Gladstone pier, Lyttelton, were damaged by the weather. The tanker _Voco put to sea and has not yet returned. PHENOMENAL RAIN NEAR KAIKOURA. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 21. Phenomenal ’ rain of 10} inches fell at Hapuku, seven miles, north of Kaikoura; in the 24 hours ended at nine o’clock to-day. At Kaikoura the fall, was 2} inches, but in the back country, lying to the south-east, many heavy falls were recorded. A serious slip came down on the road ten miles south of Kaikoura. The Public Works overseer, who organised a gang of eighty men, hopes to have the road clear by to-morrow. Several minor washouts have oocurred. One small bridge has been washed away, and the Blue Duck bridge is not safe for traffic. TORRENTIAL RAIN IN NORTH. OTAGO. Per Press Association. OAMARU, Feb. 21. One of the severest droughts in the history of North Otago was terminated by a torrential downpour, which commenced on Thursday and still continues. The flood waters are rising throughout the district, and a considerable loss of stock and crops js feared. The main south road at Hanu>den is under seven feet of water, and the entire Kakanui Valley is flooded. The express from Dunedin yesterday was unable to proceed past Oamaru, and eventually returned to Dunedin. The foad to Timaru is impassable. A railway official stated this afternoon that the Otaio bridge is down for a distance of 80 feet, and it may be Tuesday before trains can get through. Three men were marooned at the mouth of the Kakanui last night, but were rescued by boat this morning. The rescuers showed heroic pluck in negotiating the swollen and rapidly flowing stream. One of the rescued men was sent to hospital in an exhausted condition. TRAFFIC DISORGANISATION. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Feb. 22. The Railways Traffio Department anticipates that the break on the main north line between Otaio and Pareora will not be completely restored until Friday. In the meantime the gap will be bridged by motor cars. DOWNPOUR AT FOXTON. (From Our Own Correspondent). FOXTON, Feb. 21. Torrential rain was experienced in Foxton and district on Saturday night which effectually brought a close to the drought experienced during the past few weeks. The rain was tho heaviest that has boen experienced for many years. Within a very short time Main Street and various thoroughfares were inundated, tanks filled to overflowing and lawns and gardens flooded. The Oroua River left its old course during last night and is running bank high to-day (Monday). Between Mangawhfrta and Rangiotu the - water inundated lowlying portions of farms and there was a slight triokle of water over the road. The Main Drain between Glen Oroua and Rangiotu, which had little water in it yesterday, is bank high to-day. The Oroua River was about three feet from the bridge decking at Rangiotu at 10.30 this morning.