FLOODING AT HOME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 303, 20 November 1935, Page 7

FLOODING AT HOME.

ABNORMAL RAINS,

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Nov. 18. As the result of a week-end of almost continuous rain, extensive Hoods have occurred in many parts of Britain, and the levels of several rivers were still rising to-day. Important roads in 14 counties were under water last night, but the situation improved today when the rain ceased, although further showers are forecast.

The most serious occurrence due to the heavy rams was the dislodgment i of thousands ol tons of earth from a I bank of a Southern Railway cutting '■ 100 feet deep near Wineiifield, m Hampshire. In consequence of the landslide a section of tne line was disturbed and an engine and 16 vans of an empty nnlk train travelling from London to Salisbury at 50 m.p.h. were derailed. The cricket ground at Bath is under four feet of water. The Thames is rising and is causing anxiety to tiie Conservancy .Hoard. The how is 1,000,000 gallons per day higher than the volume which the board regards as safe. The position is due to abnormal recent rains which, over the last ten weeks, have reached nearly 13 inches, quite an exceptional figure. Over four inches have already fallen during the present month, the present flow must be compared, however with the volume reached in 1933, which was 3,500,000 gallons per day The chairman of the board, Lord Desborough, does not anticipate a dangerous rise in the level ot the Thames unless the weather continues bad for long. At a meeting ot the board to-day he stated that the beneficial effects of the improvement schemes carried out in recent years in the reaches above Teddingtou could be clearly seen’ in the behaviour ot the river in the present circumstances.