FLOOD DRAMA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22449, 19 June 1936, Page 8

FLOOD DRAMA

VIGIL BY SETTLERS MANAWATU OVERFLOWS LEVIN HIGHWAY IMPASSABLE I BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] PALMERSTON NORTH, Thursday A flood drama was enacted in Lower Makerua last night when a gang of men, including neighbouring settlers whose farm lands were threatened, toiled unceasingly in an endeavour to prevent the 15-foot torrent that was sweeping down the Manawatu River from breaking through a weak portion of the stopbank at Coley's Bend. Their efforts were successful in that, whilo they did not prevent the bank from giving way, the water was held in check sufficiently long that when it finally flowed through, the peak of the flood had passed and the loop stopbank, recently built around the weak outer portion, was able to hold the deluge. It was an anxious moment when the weakened outer stopbank save way about midnight and the hollow between it and the temporary loop bank rapidly filled. Higher and higher rose the flood until it was within a foot of the top of the new bank. Then the safety margin dwindled to inches, and at one point, a little lower than the rest, the water began to trickle over. Bags filled with earth were rushed to the spot and the flow was checked. Kxpressions of relief came when it was. realised that the river had fallen just sufficiently for the new banl; to stem the flood. It had been touch and go. The sand-bagging efforts of the afternoon and evening, when tho river was at its height, undoubtedly saved thousands of acres from inundation and hundreds of pounds in damage. In the Whirokino area the river topped the stopbank and flowed over like a waterfall on a bend about half-a-mile below the main highway bridge. Although for a time the road remained open to traffic water poured into the low-lying land south of Foxton, and at nine o'clock this morning the LevinFoxton highway was impassable, being covered to a depth of fully 4ft. Water continues to pour in at the main point of overflow, while the river has also risen above the bank level just above the bridge and it is expected that the highway will be flooded by at least 7ft. of water. It may be a fortnight before it will again be open to traffic. The Shannon-Foxton Road, by which all traffic between Levin and Foxton must proceed, is easily passable, although it carries water a foot deep.