RIVER BREAKS ITS BANKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 19 August 1939, Page 4

RIVER BREAKS ITS BANKS

FARMLANDS INUNDATED WORST FLOODING IN HISTORY OF LEVIN DISTRICT SWOLLEN MANAWATU LUnited Pres* Association] LEVIN, 18th August. The worst floods in the history of thit district occurred in consequence of the heavy rain this week. Thousands cf acres of farmland in Buckley area, near Shannon, have been inundated. The waters of the Manawatu river yesterday poured through a breach m the banking system, estimated at a chain and a half wide. So rapidly did the river rise that what was a mere trickle in the morning became a roaring torrent at leart five feet deep by afternoon. The situation is serious for farmer# whose land lies feet deep under water. At 7 o'clock there was only a trickla over the bank of the river, but with the water 35 feet deep exerting tremendous force and the bank crumbling away with every rise in the level of the water, the river broke its banks proI perly two hours later. About two thousand head of dairy I cows had to be taken to higher ground before many hours passed and the properties of a number of settlers were lost to view beneath a sea of muddy water, while those of others were partially submerged. In all. some 25 were affected. Four families were compelled to vacate their homes and in one house the water was three feet deep. The locality where the break occurred is about a mile from the Auckland-Wcl-lington railway. In between is a sea of water from the swollen Manawatu. Rail communication was not affected | yesterday, but to-day the line is covered to a depth of over two feet, making ;it quite impassable. Train passenger* are being taken from Levin to Shannon in railway buses or vice versa. Thai schedule is greatly disorganised as a result. The flood waters are still rising and the whole situation is complicated by the fact that heavy local flooding coincided with the rise of the river and overflowing into the lower lands. It is feared that the worst ha* not been reached and that when iLe water higher up reaches the area the position will be greatly accentuated. REMOVING SUP ON MAIN TRUNK LINE TAIHAPE. 18th August. The Main Trunk line was blocked by a big slip which came down shorUy after the Limited express passed tide morning and it is unlikely that ft.-* slip will be cleared to-day. A ao.Jc train with a large gang of men was despatched to the scene of the block ice early this morning and they are verging in heavy rain. About nine hunch*-.?d yards of spoil have fallen and the « orkmen are faced with a Herculean :a*k. The Limited arrived at Taihape at l 5.10 o’clock this morning after crawling through that section of line where the slip subsequently occurred. A passenger service has been inaugurated between Taihape and Hi hitahi and mails for the north arc being despatched by this service. ASHBURTON. 18th August. The higher level* of Ashburton county experienced a heavy fall of snow last night. Methven recorded five inches, ! with ten in Ashburton Gorge, and 18 near Lake Heron. Ashburton borough had only heavy rain, an inch and a half falling during the night. Some power lines are down in the open di»- , trict. and telephones are also interrupted.