SOUTHERN STORM

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 205, 31 July 1939, Page 11

SOUTHERN STORM

RECURRENCE OF SNOW. SERIOUS FLOOD DANGERS. Per Press Association. . CHRISTCHURCH, July 30. A. severe storm with heavy falls of snow, rain and hail swept Canterbury again to-day, Banks Peninsula once more bearing the brunt of the storm. AVitli stoppage of roads, flooding, and further stock losses threatened, this second fall of snow, together with rain, lias increased the danger of flooding on the lower levels from the thaw of the first fall, and it also threatens to make very difficult the clearing of the road over the hills to Akaroa, on which only a one-way track has been made. At Little River, Lake Forsyth had risen considerably to-day, and at one stretch of the road from Christchurch the water was lying a foot deep at 4 p.m. A continuance of the thaw, accentuated by the additional falls of snow and rain, makes the danger from Lake Forsyth and Lake Ellesmere very great. Transport Department officers have taken control of the traffic between Little River and Akaroa, and only essential traffic is being allowed through, so as to avoid delays on the one-way track, which near Hilltop is cut through snow banks eight feet deep. Stock losses have occurred all over Banks Peninsula, but not in other parts of the province. , The part most affected is Pigeon Bay, where a resident said lie had lost 100 ewes. Another farmer had lost some 200. TJio.se sheep had been on what was considered some of the warmest land. In some places there are drifts 30ft. deep. A resident said ho could not recall anything like it before in Pigeon Bay, both in the coldness of the weather and the depth of the snow. Ho considered rattle would also he seriously affected. Other parts also reported losses, though not so severe. The settlements at Peraki and Oka in’s Bay cut off since the beginning of last week, arc still isolated. The only way to get provisions to Peraki was for the residents to walk over to Little River. This was impossible on the roads, which were too deeply covered in snow, and they had to go along the spurs. Telephone communication, which was cut off for four days, has now been restored. Okain’s Bay is completely cut off by road. Provisions are' being taken over by the small steamer John Anderson, but till a track to the wharf is cleared it will be impossible to take them to the settlement except on foot. The residents have now cleared the five-mile road to the top of the hill for a distance of three miles, but snow is said to be lying 30ft deep on the other two miles. Serious losses of sheep, and possibly cattle, are also reported from this district. The settlement was without electric power till midday on Saturday. On the plains the area most seriously affected is Ashburton County, where heavy drifts are lying. Though no losses have occurred, difficulty lias been found in getting the earliest lambs to shelter.

Tn the city two inches of snow had fallen this morning but it quickly began to thaw. Further rain and snowcaused the streets to >be covered with a slippery slush. There was an exceedingly heavy fall at Arthur’s Pass, where six inches fell in two hours. 1