TORRENTIAL RAIN CAUSES FLOODS IN DUNEDIN SUBURBS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6864, 20 March 1929, Page 7

TORRENTIAL RAIN CAUSES FLOODS IN DUNEDIN SUBURBS

Five Feet of Water in Streets TRAINS AND TRAMS HELD UP FLOODS STILL RISING AT MIDNIGHT. Per Press Association. DUNDIN, Last Night. The heaviest rain experienced here since 1923 fell to-day with the result that several localities in the lower levels of the city were inundated and many families had to vacate their homes. Until mid-day the rain was steady though not heavy, but from then on it came down in torrents and at a late hour was still falling. The south end of the. city was particularly' unfortunate. The bursting of the largo main sower was responsible for a rushing torrent of water which flowed through several of the narrower streets to a depth of four to five feet and flooded a number of residences in Caversham suburb.

In the western side of tho city the conditions were equally bad in certain localities. Since it lies at the foot of tho hills pierced by the railway tunnel it received a-heavy volume of water from tho creek on tho other side of tho hills which overflowed its ordinary channel and ran through the tunnel. In addition the volume of water was swelled by numerous tributaries from the hills and as in the ease of South Dunedin many residents of the suburb were flooded out. Eventually the Railway department blocked the tunnel and stopped the flow of water to some extent. A slip fell on tho railway line near the southern end of the _ Caversham tunnel and tho express which left for Invercargill shortly before 5 o clock was held up. Later tho block was removed and the train proceeded as iar as Mosgicl about eight miles south, where it was agnin held up on account of a flooded creek. On board this tram were the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, and Hons. T. K. Sidey W. B. Taverner and de la Parcllc as’ well as several members of Parliament who were traveling south to attend a complimentary banquet to be tendered to Sir Joseph. Ward at Invercargill to-morrow night. When it was found impossible to proceed further south than Mosgicl it was decided to bring the tram back to Dunedin. This was easier said than done, for in tho mcantuaeiho slip which had fallen on tho line on south side of Caversham tunnel had again come down preventing tne re turn of the train to Dunedin. . Another hour or so -passed in ‘faring this slip and the tram together with the ordinary express from Invercargill due at C. 23, arrived back in Dunedin shnrtlv after H o’clock. The water of Leith which traverses the north end of the city was banks in many places and tho foo bridge near tho mouth was washed away. Most of the houses oni and near tho bank have water m them to a depth of three or four feet and many of the residents were forced to Stoppages occurred on several ox the tramway routes. The express from InvercaTgill .«« unable to get further than Baldutha and the north line is blocked by a heavy fall of stone about a quarter of a mile north of Port Chalmers. It is expected, howover, to have thm clear ed away in time for the night train the night advanced the floods in tho north end grow worse and at prosent almost tho whole of tho north end of the citv below King Street and the whole of the North-east valley almost to Ndrmanbv is under water. In the vicinity of the river of Leith near the exhibition ground tho water was flowing in the windows of the houses' and boats were being«™P lo y°“ to remove the women and children, tho rescuers being up to their wais s. Tram services were stopped in north end and few motor cars are getting through to Normanby. It is expected the worst has yd to come as it will be high tide at 11 o’clock. Tho total rainfall in Dunedin for seventeen hours from 10 -p.m. on Monday was over two and three quarter inches. It is still raining heavily.