Floods in Hawke’s Bay

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 132, 7 June 1935, Page 6

Floods in Hawke’s Bay

Yery Heavy Rain Falling

A SERIOUS OUTLOOK Per Press Association. HASTINGS, Last Niglit. Almost continuous heavy raiu since early last night, and i'or longer in some parts of the district, has caused flooding which gives indications of increasing unless the weather breaks. The intensity of the rain in both town and country districts is such as to register an averago of about six or seven inches in hours, The two rivers most seriously affected arc tho Tutackuri and the Ngaruroro. Tho latter is running high and showed a rise this morning up to midday of about nine feet. The Tutackuri is nine feet above the normal level, very near danger point. lteports from the back country indicate that rain is still falling heavily, with no prospect of cessation, and this, togothcr with tho fact that the joint mouth of the rivers is not in good condition, gives a serious outlook to the situation.

Local flooding is particularly serious in the small settlement areas and townships such as Tarudale and Greenmeadows, where the drainage systems are unable to cope with the large amount of surface water. In Taradale eight to ten inches of water cover the residential sections. Two feet of water covers the Napicr-Hastings main road, and traffic is impeded. No reports have been received of slips on the Napier-Wairoa and Napicr-Taupo roads.

Roads Blocked SIX INCHES OF RAIN Per Press Association. HASTINGS, Last Night. Continuous rain since early last night, following intermittent heavy showers during yesterday, has resulted in the rivers and streams throughout the district bciug many feet above normal and threatening to Hood seriously. Reports received from outlying districts this evening, however, indicate that the rain is showing signs of decreasing while the river board official's have a more hopeful outlook. The Ngaruroro river was nine feet above normal throughout the afternoon but showed signs of increasing 1 further. Although an immense volume of water was coming down the channel at nightfall it had fallen slightly. This river rose at a phenomenal rate in the morning, at one stage increasing its level by six inches in 20 minutes. The Tutaekuri river, the other danger point in the district, is not giving rise to so much concern, although it, too, is considerably above normal to the extent of as much as seven feet. Road communication between Napier and Hastings on the main road is severed due to the Waitangi dip, a lowlying portion, being covered to a depth of from two to three feet by water from the Tutaekuri overflow.

Ordinary motor traffic was unable to negotiate this Stretch of road during the late morning, and until 4 o’clock only the high Government railway buses were able to use the road. Tnc water then became too deep even to permit these vehicles to run, and passengers between the two towns were transported by train. Of the two remaining alternative routes only one is now open, and tins is satisfactorily carrying the traffic. The Napicr-Wairoa road is closed on account of a major slip on the Moluika hill, while there are also other minor slips on other parts of the road, it is not anticipated that the road will be cleared until late to-morrow afternoon. The Napier-Taupo route was still open this evening, although the road is suffering from small slips and surface water.

Although tho rivers board officials were more hopeful this evening as to the prospect of the rivers not causing a great deal of trouble, they foci that a change may possibly conic over the situation at a late hour to-night when it is high tide, which will havo the effect of the water in the river banking up from the mouth. Farmers throughout the district have been warned adequately and stock have been removed from the danger areas to the higher country, this precaution having been taken by most of tho country people this .morning. Extensive areas of surface water are to be seen between Napier and Hastings, which provide an indication of the waterlogged condition of the land. Approximately six inches of rain have fallen since the rain first set in.

Floods Feared in Poverty Bay ROAD TRAFFIC INTERRUPTED Per Press Association. GISBORNE, Last Night. Heavy raiu fell iu Poverty Bay today and did much damage to tho roads. On the eoast road from Tokomaru Bay northwards the portion near Tc Puia subsided and traffic was held up for some hours, but it is expected to be resumed to-day. The most serious inconvenience was caused by damago to the road south to Napier. A slip occurred in Matahoura gorge near Waikare and for a time cars used tho viaduct erected for the railway. Later a big slip occurred on tho WairOa side of the Mohaka and the road va3 impassible, the service trips being cancelled. No southern mails for Giihorne left Napier to-night. The mails from Gisborne which usually go over the south road were sent north via Opotiki and Taneatua.

Advice to-night was to tho effect that the Waipaoa river between Gisborne and Te Karaka was 11 feet above normal and heavy rain was still falling leading to the possibility of floods. The water from the Waikohu river was up to the decking of a low-level bridge on the main north road and if it should

risu muck further road communication with the north will bo cut oil'. At 10.30 p.m. heavy rain was stil) falling. Effect on Car Traffic The effects of the rainy weather are already apparent in damage to East Coast highways, and motor traffic has been blocked in two places. “The main road between Hastings and Napier is impassable; HastingsNapier road traffic is at present forced to deviate through Fcrnhili',” said the secretary of the Automobile Association (Manawatu), in response to the inquiry of a “Times” reporter last evening. lie also stated that there was a slip in the Matakoura gorge, which is on the highway from Wairoa to Napier. In this locality the quantity of spoil, etc., dislodged was of sufficient dimensions to prevent the passage of motor vehicles. Rise Recorded at Fitzherbert Bridge Following heavy rain in the upper watershed of the Manawatu river, a steady rise was observable in the readings on tho Fitzherbert bridge gauge yesterday. At noon the figure was .“ft.; at 3 p.m., 4ft. Gin.; at G p.m., sft. 9in.; at 9 p.m., 6ft. 9in.; at 10 p.m., Gin.; at midnight, 7ft. 9in. At 1.45 this morning tho river had not shown any great increase in depth since mid night.