HEAVY RAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 9 April 1930, Page 5

HEAVY RAIN

FLOODS IN THE COUNTRY S*POONER*S RANGE TUNNEL BLOCKED BY SLIP NELSON-MOTUEKA ROAD SERVICES SUSPENDED

Last night there was extremely heavy rain in the country on the Motueka side and as far back as Tapawera, causing floods over the road in the Montere and slips on the railway line near Spooner's Range. ■ . Road traffic was suspended this morning between Nelson and Motueka. There was a downpour all night on Spooner's Range area, a large slip coining out of a gully on the Tapawera side of the tunnel, under Spooner's Range into the cutting immediately at the entrance, blocking the tunnel. The rain has continued heavily and the water has backed up into the tunnel. The Nelson-Kawatiri train which left . Nelson this morning at 7.45 o'clock is still at Belgrove waiting for the line to be cleared. Large gangs are working on the slip. There are also other smaller slips on the line from the far end of the tunnel to Kohatu.

Service cars between Nelson and Motueka returned to their starting ports this morning after going to the vicinity of Jubilee bridge, where there was eight feet of water over the road. Heavy rain fell -in this district -last night and has abated little to-day. All the, countryside in the Lower Montere is flooded. A number of houses are surrounded, but so far no families have had occasion to leave their homes. ; There are two slips across the road between Upper Moutere and Jubilee bridge, and. service car drivers had to move some of the debris before being able to ■ get past. The water is running through the shop at Upper Moutere. When cars went pass Appleby this morning there; was only a fresh in the. river, but when they returned •t midday the river was in flood, although not across the road; The Mariri-Tasman road is blocked by a slip, ' BCfrH ENDS OP TUNNEL

Advice has been received that the Belgrove end of the tunnel also has been completely blocked by a large slip that came down this afternoon. A relief gang train has been sent out to work on the slip, but at present the extent of the slip is not known. The road is flooded and blocked by slips at the foot of Spooner's Range and in Belgrove and no traffic is expected through.from the Murchison end to-day. • '.;,',- v'... The passengers on the through train from Nelson to Kawatiri, which is held lip at Belgrove, include Mr J. Corkill, a grandson of Sir William Hale, England. There'is ope other man on the

train whose name is not known and two women passengers who have been accommodated at a neighbouring farm ■yhouse. •'•'

: APPLEBY RIVER RISING

The Appleby river was still rising late this afternoon and a resident in the vicinity thought it would eventually flow over the road. ,

•'-.'■ RAIN IN THE CITY

During the night there were heavy showers in, tn- city, 1.60 inches failing up to 9 o'clock this morning. During '..'' the-morning there were several showers and this afternoon it has rained steadily;: No flooding is reported, although there is a fresh in the Maitai river and Brook stream.