WEEK-END FLOODS ON WEST COAST

Northern Advocate, 10 January 1938, Page 8

WEEK-END FLOODS ON WEST COAST

j [Special To “Northern Advocate ”] GREYMOUTH, This Day. Inundation of several areas on the West Coast resulted from a severe , deluge of rain during the week-end. Temporary blockages on the Grey- ' moulh-Reefton main highway, _ the Otira Gorge. Duller Gorge and the South Westland main highways were ’ caused by slips and washouts. | In one place, several hundred tons of rock and earth completely blocked the road yesterday morning, j Two large rocks, each weighing four or five tons, rolled on to | the railway track, which is directly i below the road. and the early j mornnig goods train from ChristI church struck one of these, the j engine being damaged. ! Fortunately, the train was travel--1 ling at a moderate speed and pulled \ up easily. For the 24 hours ended 9 o’clock 1 yesterday, a total rainfall of 2.03 inches fell, and, for the previous 24 hours, 102 inches. Sheets of water lay about i the Reeftcn main highway and several ; washouts occurred there. At other 'places washouts and slips were I negotiated by temporary structures. 1 In the Duller Gorge there was an | extensive slip, which held up all traf- | fic from Westport to Reefton and 1 Greymouth and also to Christchurch ! through the Lewis Pass, including the j Westport-Culveitien ’Bus Service. i This slip, however, was cleared yes- ■; lerday.

Like A Cloudburst At Kiripaka At 10.30 p.m. on Saturday a deluge was encountered by a motorist whilst passing through Kiripaka. It could only be likened to a cloudburst. Although of only short duration, the rain was so heavy that it was impossible to see the road from the driver’s seat, and the car had to be brought to a standstill. Although the engine was kept running at a good speed, the rain penetrated to the ignition system, causing the engine to misfire and for a time the motorist had visions of spending the night on the roadside. After about three minutes the deluge eased to a steady downpour, which was experienced for the remainder of the journey to Whangarei. Ships Held Up By Boisterous Weather [Special To “Northern Advocate ” 3 AUCKLAND, This Day. As a result of boisterous weather at sea, two ships have notified the authorities by wireless that their arrival in Auckland will be delayed. The two ships are the Canadian Australasian liner Aorangi, from Vancouver, and the Osaka Soysen Kaisya motor ship Melbourne Maru, which stated that it would arrive about six hours late.