Floods Subsiding, Some Roads Still Blocked

Northern Advocate, 25 June 1946, Page 4

Floods Subsiding, Some Roads Still Blocked

With improved weather conditions yesterday afternoon and today, the floods that inundated vast areas of Northland’s countryside have subsided considerably. Many roads are still blocked by slips that have caused considerable damage. Some of them will require several days to clear. The main highway connecting Auckland and Whangarei was blocked late yesterday afternoon by a large slip on the Brynderwyn deviation. The alternative route through the Waipu Gorge was also rendered impassable by slips, but emergency gangs worked all last night to clear the debris and the gorge road was open to one-way traffic this morning. An Automobile Association official said this morning that the slip on the Erynderwyn deviation would probably be cleared by a late hour this afternoon.

The only road remaining open between Auckland and Whangarei last night was that on the east coast from the Dome Valley through the Mangawai Gorge to Waipu. At Pakaraka, where approaches to a new bridge were impassable yesterday. a quantity of metal was spread over the surface and cars can now proceed. MANGAKAIIIA ROUTE

Six feet of water covered parts of the road at Fraser's Flat yesterday, and the evening service car from Whangarei was unable to get through to Kaikohc. The Hood subsided considerably when the rain eased off. but it is doubtful whether this portion of the road will be usable today. To 8 a.m. this morning a further 1.27 in. of rain were recorded at Whangarei, bringing the total for the past five days to 9.48 in. The rainfall for June to date is Is.sßin.—more than double the average June figure of 7.55 in.

The Wairua power station recorded a further Ain. of rain to 9 a.m. this morning, bringing the total for the past four days to approximately five inches. The heaviest fall occurred on Sunday when 3.60 in. were registered. The river, which was in high flood yesterday, had receded considerably this morning. At Ruatangata a further 1.37 in. of rain were recorded to 9 a.m. this morning, bringing the total for the past four days to 7.78 in. Much water is still lying on flat ground and in swamps, but the level is receding. IN MIDDLE NORTH The main highway to Kaitaia was blocked at Rangiahua last night, when full tide backed flood waters up across the road. The north bound service car was held up until 8 p.m. but managed to reach Kaitaia three hours behind schedule. SLIPS IN WHANGAROA A huge slip, which covers the road, has practically cut off' Kaeo, county seat for Whangaroa. The slip came down from a cliff, skidded 40 yards across a swamp and came to rest on the highway. Small cars are able to negotiate a path cleared around the debris. Water which rose on Sunday night and partially flooded some business premises has subsided. The road to Whangaroa is closed by several large slips and the township is accessible only by sea. RUSSELL BUS RETURNS After being 11 hours on the road, the Whangarei-Russell bus had to return to Whangarei this morning, arriving at 2 a.m. Five lots of flood water were successfully negotiated, the worst place being at Kaimamaku, where the water was about three feet deep. By taking off' the vehicle's fan belt and draping a sack over the radiator to prevent water splashing on to the engine, this stretch was passed, but the bus was held up by a large slip at the top of the Helena Bay hill and could not get through to Russell. A further big slip is reported on the Russell side of the hill and this road will be impassable for several days. The Kaikohe and Dargaville buses reached Whangarei one hour behind schedule this morning. Both vehicles used the Houtu detour.

On the Dafgaville road, Fraser’s Flat, a notorious stretch during wet weather, is still under several feet of water in places. In the dip between the Tangiteroria bridge and the hotel, flood waters block the road, while at Kirikopuni the road is under water near the bridge.

Although damage by the week-end rains in the Bay of Islands and neighbouring counties must run into many thousands of pounds, the main difficulty was the presence of water across the roads. At one stage the north was completely isolated. Water was five feet, deep in places where the heaviest floods had previously produced only a trickle.

Heaviest falls seem to have occurred in the vicinity of Ohaeawai, Waimate North. Pakaraka and Te Ahuahu. No official figures are reported from these districts, but it was authoritatively thought that the total rainfall for the week-end will have been between 10 and 12 inches.

Both on Sunday and again yesterday there were veritable cloud bursts in the area. Motorists who used the roads relate many adventures. All were held by flood waters across the roads at various times and in dozens of places. Others were temporarily bogged and had to be pushed or hauled out. One light English car was mo-

mentarily in danger of being swept off the road by a swirling torrent at a point near the Waimate North turnoff from the State Highway, where serious flooding had never been known to occur before. Country roads and highways are still blocked by slips in many parts of the north. . Some blockages will take days to shift, even though it is likely that much of the damage is not vet visible, but will appear as the winter advances in the form of soft patches, scours and slipping banks. WHANGAREI PARKS Debris was cleared from the lawns at Central Park this morning. Council employees were busy shifting logs and drift wood which had been strewn across the lawns early on Sunday morning. The level of the creek rose to within nine inches of the top of the concrete walls of the swimming pool, after heavy rain yesterday afternoon. Mr.ir Park suffered heavy damage when flood waters overran the banks, carrying heavy logs, which flattened young trees and shrubs close to the river. At high tide yesterday afternoon the lawns were completely inundated. drift wood and debris being scattered all over the flat areas.

This morning the rain had ceased, and a heavy mist which had com' 1 down during the night persisted in places throughout the day.