HEAVY RAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, 29 May 1916, Page 6

HEAVY RAIN

OVER 5£ INCHES IN THREE DAYS.

FLOOD IN WASHINGTON VALLEY.

WATER ALMOST REACHES THE

HOUSES.

Rain set in about midnighton Thursday, and continued almost without intermission till early this morning. During the three days the rainfall recorded by Mr A. E. Hedges "was 5.61 inches. Though at times there were particularly heavy showers, and especially last evening, when there was a brief thunderstorm, the fall was steady. A great quantity of storm-water entered the drainage sewers, and the water was shot out of the manhole at the intersection of Hardy and Vanguard-streets to a great height. The area of low-lying land at the foot of Washington Valley is covered with water, and residents in- this locality have suffered a great deal of inconvenience, and some loss. The water reached outhouses, resulting in a number of fowls toeing -drowned. Mr Hunter at 10.30 last night went to see how his horses were faring, andi found nearly three feet of water in the stables. _ The horses were removed. The residents • complain that nothing has yet been done by tie Council to cope with this low-lying area, which/ on previous occasions has been covered with several feet of water 1 and caused great to householders in the immediate neighbourhood. Anyone viewing the scene presented to-day, of a vast sheet of water, reaching almost to the > back doors of the houses, couTH readily -nnderstand the residents' anxiety, i. In some of the outlying parts of the citv the ditches, owing to blockages, were -unable to carry off the water, which ran down the footpaths and road-f-ways, doing some scouring. The Maitai was not in heavy flood, though* the water was from bank to 'bank..

There were several slips on the Rocks Road, but onlv on© of sufficient magnitude to block "traffic. The debris was quickly cleared away. "The rain has been general throughout the province, and all the country rivers .were in- high flood l yesterday Cars from Motueka to-day came via Brightwater, . owing to the quantity of water on the eastern approach to the Apoleby Bridge. The weather conditions to-day were still, -unsettled and threatening. There has been a liea-vy fall of snow in' the •back country, it observed, duringa temoorary lifting of the clouds to-dav, that Mount ATthur was heavily coated.