DUNEDIN’S DISASTROUS FLOODS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6865, 21 March 1929, Page 7

DUNEDIN’S DISASTROUS FLOODS

Scenes of Havoc and Desolation Locomotive’s Tragic Plunge; Fireman Killed Exciting Experiences of Rescue Workers Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Last Night. T’HE flood which - swept Dunedin and environs yesterday was sudden as it was disastrous. Up to 3 p.m. though the rain was persistent and heavy there was no threat of a flood, but by 5 o’clock the Leith had leapt its banks upon the northern area, while Concord creek was pouring down the Caversham tunnel into the southern suburb and there was every indication of a repetition of the floods of 1923. So far as the northern area is concerned, it has proved probably even more damaging. Between 9 o’clock and 2 a.m. a big band of workers—police, naval' men from H.M.S. Dunedin, social workers and firemen—were hard at it removing people from their homes in Woodhaugh, Northeast Valley and Harbour Terrace, where in places there were 4ft. to sft. of water. Some of the work was highly dangerous, the flood waters moving like a river current In one instance it took six men to carry one woman clear and then one of the rescuers was carried off his feet and swept many yards. Towards 11 o’clock the Leith waters, marching via Cumberland and Castle streets, were as far citywards as St. Andrew street, and later from Castle street they invaded Lower High street as far as Queen’s gardens. This morning there were still 3 feet of water and debris in St. Andrew street. The southern suburbs escaped more lightly than in 1923, but here, too many houses were flooded and there is much damage reported. Train services were badly hit. The south express last evening had to return from Mosgiel owing to breaks further south, but a special got away this morning carrying the Premier and his party to the complimentary banquet at Invercargill. The north line is still blocked by a big break at Mihiwaka. The morning revealed a scene of hayoc and desolation in the eastern and northern ends of the city. From the outlet of the Leith at Boat Harbour to Leith Valley bridge the flood has wrought its damage. Premises both residential and commercial visited bv the flood waters have their floors covered with a loathsome coating of slime. Roads are torn and bridges are down, while huge pieces of the banks have disappeared. Many houses are still surrounded by water. One house is ruined and a big slice of the Leith Valley road has gone with the flood waters. Although not so extended in duration the flood last night was more serious for the northern and eastern parts of the city than the flood of April, 1923. A greater area was covered with water and on low-lying land near Logan park the residents spent a terrifying night. The inmates of every house in the lower part of Harbour terrace were forced to vacate their homes as the water rose 4ft early in the evening. At high tide (11 p.m,) the flood was at its worst and within an hour a fall of sft. was recorded at Forth street bridge. Meanwhile, rescuers were paying greater attention to Harbour Terrace and Harbour street. The collapsing of the structural part of the suspension bridge across Harrow street owing to the fearful battering from logs crashing their way to the harbour and the forceful passage of the water was really the start of the flooding of that district. Men in all manner of attire threw themselves into the rescue work and it was with relief that the announcement was made that everybody was safe. One old man in a tenement near Forth street would not leave his premises and he had to he forcibly removed. It, was just in time as a little later his home was flooded out and marooned in an ocean of muddy water. Across Union street the waters raced to Harbour Terrace and then across to Logan park. Lake Logan of old was once again a lake and in a shorter time than anybody would have prophesied the dip in Unifrn street extending as far east as the last slip was a big basin -Mirough which wading was impossible. A rowboat was used here early in the evening to rescue people.

Serious Railway Damage. All traffic on the Central Otago line was cancelled to-day between Wingatui and Ranfurly on account of a serious subsidence between Taioma and Salisbury and a small slip near Hindon. The Hindon slip has isolated forty wagons loaded with livestock and gangs of men were this morning endeavouring to so far clear the line as to enable the stock to be returned to the owners. The Salisbury subsidence is serious in every way, the more so as a man is missing. The line collapsed leaving the rails in the air for about a chain and on to these unsupported luils in the pilch dark somewhere about 10 o’clock last night an engine ran and plunged into a hole 25 feet deep with rushing water below. „ , .„ „ , , . It was a goods train that left Ranfurly at 1.5, a heavy train with two engines, these being separated by three wagons. As the foremost of the two engines got on to the rail it became detached and went to the bottom. Driver Pullar and Guard Chave went down with the engine, hut in some fortunate way fell clear, escaping with minor injuries which gave these men a shock but did not incapacitate them. Fireman C Tuck disappeared and though the keenest seaicli was at once instituted and was continued by relief parties sent to the scene, lie has not yet been found. The train was going very slowly at. the time of the mishap. With the experience of previous floods the Taien farmers in most instances removed their stock to high land, but some stock losses are reported. Relief measures are being instituted in Dunedin and the local papers are opening lists. LATERi Fireman Charles' Tuck was killed by being buried underneath the engine and to recover the body it was found necessary to despatch an oxy-acetylene plant to the spot to cut away a portion of the tender. Oamaru’s Experience. OAMARU, Last Night. Following the deluge of rain yesterday the fire brigade engine was engaged up to 2.30 this morning and again all day to-day in pumping water out of the cellars and basements of a number of Oamaru business premises, and from the inundated parts of the town. Stocks of merchandise suffered considerable damage and also it is feared grain stored in Harbour street. A number of houses in the low-lying portions of the town were flooded to the window sills and damage to roads and footpaths is extensive

SUICIDE OF THE WORLD EVEN LLOYD GEORGE CAN’T STOP IT, FINANCIER’S GLOOM. United Press Association—By Elcctri* Telegraph—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, March 20. Commenting on the speech of Sir George Paish, the noted financial authority, at Manchester describing protection and safeguarding as "the suicide of the world’’ and predicting the greatest financial crisis the world has ever seen, even fixing the date as this spring, the Morning Post humourously says: "Nothing can now he done about it. Even Mr. Lloyd George cannot avert world suicide.