FLOODS IN THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19474, 2 November 1926, Page 8

FLOODS IN THE SOUTH.

DAMAGE ON WEST COAST. RIVERS AT HIGH LEVEL, ROADS AND BRIDGES SUFFER. " | BULLER GORGE ROUTE BLOCKED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] . WESTPORT. Monday. One of the heaviest floods in the history of Westport occurred last night* Much damage was done to the Buller Gorge Road, where several big landslips have taken place. A temporary bridge at Hawkes Crag and some smaller bridges have been carried away. It is also reported that two spans of the Larey's Creek Road and railway bridge, near Rotokohu, have been swept away by the flood. A large tree fell on the telegraph lines, cutting all connection with Westport until poles were raised again and lines linked up to-day. It is expected to be folly three days before traffic can be restored. A big tree or boom has caught across two spans of the Buller Bridge, at the entrance to Westport, and the rush of the flood waters is causing portion of the bridge to sway dangerously. Attempts to break the boom with dynamite have failed., As the flood waters are falling all danger is lessening. Great inroads have been made on McPadden's paddock and fears are entertained that if protective works are not speedily provided the Buller River will break its banks. At one spot workmen who were to do protective work with willows placed their tools under a big rata some distance back from the river, only t-o find when they later went to the ficene that the rata tree and tools had disappeared in the flood waters. REPORT FROM GREYMOUTH. WARNING TO RESIDENTS. HEAVY WEEK-END RAIN. [by telegraph.—press association.] GREYMOUTH, Monday. Following upon rainy weather all along the West Coast last week, streams on Saturday became flooded, and yesterday there was a marked increase in the volume of water in the Buller, Grey, Teremakau, Arahwa. and other Southern rivers. The Buller rosfi sr bigh that more than one bridge is reported awiiusly damaged. West port, last evening, was isolated as far as telegraphic communication was concerned. The Grey River rose so high between eight and nine o'clock, that the firebell was tolled as a warning of the danger of the river overflowing its banks. The rainfall has been exceptionally heavy up country, and later reports are expected to reveal considerable damage. The rainfall at Greymouth, during the last 48 hours was 2in., and to-day, heavy showers are falling. In the river a 10 knot current is running and there is a heavy sea on the bar, which is unworkable. The steamer Kaiwarra, from Westport, communicated to the Awarua (Southland) wireless station, the following news": " All the lines are down in the Buller The river is heavily in flood, and bridges have been washed away. It is still raining heavily." The bridges damaged at the Westport side of Icangahua Junction were not indicated in the wireless message from Westport, but the Greymouth telegraph office, maintaining telephonic communica tion with Reefton, learned that the road and railway bridge between Cronadun and Rotokoku, at Larry's Creek, had been damaged by two spans being washed away. The bridge is about six miles from Reefton. Telegraph linesmen reported 4ft. of water upon the road in hat locality. There is a serious washout between Cronadun and Rotokohu. \ll lines between Reefton and Rotokohu re down. The department is sending out gangs to effect repains. A message from Reefton states that the Mangahua River reached a second ood level yesterday. WAIMAKARIRI RUNS HIGH. VALUE OF STOP BANKS. STOCK REMOVED TO SAFETY. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCZTURCH, Monday The Waimakariri Ru'cr is in high flood but there is no danger. This is due to the fact that the stop-banks erected by the River Trust have proved sufficient to hold the volume of water that is coming down and have prevented it from flowing over the roads. The flood was at its height at about 6.30 o'clock this morning, when it reached 15ft. 6in. at White's Bridge. At 7.30 the water began to recede slowly and at 12.30 it Mad gone down about a foot. At its greatest volume the flood was about 9ft. 6in. above its normal level at White's Bridge. At Kairaki the flood has taken heavy toll of the banks.. Since 6 o'clock this morning 15ft. of the banks had been eaten away. Coutts' Island growers will lose quantities of both potatoes and cereals as the result of the flood rising almost to the level of the last May flood. The waters covered a considerable acreage of crops and stock had to be removed to places of safety. It will be impossible until the flood has subsided to estimate the amount of the damage.