Cloudburst In Coastal Area

Northern Advocate, 27 July 1938, Page 8

Cloudburst In Coastal Area

An unprecedented’downpour, short in its duration, resulted in considerable damage to roads in the coastal areas of the Matapouri and Manaia ridings of the Whangarei County. The road north of Ngunguru .received another severe buffeting, and in quite impassable to traffic today. Heavy slips have occurred in the gorge near Woolley’s Bay, Matapouri, whole trees having being disgorged across the metal. The section of the road lying over the steep country between Ngunguru and Tutukaka is also affected by slipping, hillsides having moved" bodily forward. Flood Cascades To Sea. Shortly after 4 p.m yesterday, flood waters swept across the road in front of the store and post office at Ngunguru, cascading over the bank and into the sea. Speaking from 50 years’ experience of the locality. Mr. Shoebrodge says that he has never seen flooding at this point previously. Peculiarly enough little rain fell at Kiripaka only a few miles away and the service car was able to run from there this morning. Whangarei' Heads Road. The Whangarei Heads road was clear as far as McLeod's Bay, where light flooding had occurred, however. On Wright’s Hill, just above the Taurikura lime works, a slip li chains long by 4 feet deep blocks the road, but the service car driver was able to make arrangements this morning to run from north of this spot. There is also a slip at Wharf Point, Urquhart’s Bay. A 12-foot bridge on Ody’s Road was swept bodily away holding up all traffic.