TAUMARUNUI DANGER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25346, 30 October 1945, Page 4

TAUMARUNUI DANGER

FTJKTHER HEAVY HA IN BREACH IN RETAINING WALL fO.C.) TAFMAPrxri. Monday _ Following further heavy rain this evening and notification of very heavy rain at National Park, which always affects the Wanganui River, some concern is felt over the possibility of the river flooding low-lying areas of Taumarumii. There will be no danger if the river stays at its present level of 10ft above normal, but if it rises another 2ft Gin it is expected that it will flow through the breach already made in the retaining wall at Matapuna, in which case it will sweep over the low-lying areas of the town.

RIVERS OVERFLOW WAIRARAPA VISITATION ROAD AND RAIL BLOCKS (P.A.) MASTERTON, Monday The heaviest floods for some years were experienced in the Wairarapa over the week-end. Bivers overflowed their banks and flooded much low-lying country. Some roads were blocked by slips, and motor traffic was held up north and south of Masterton by flood waters. The Waiohine River broke across the road near Greytown and traffic was unable to get through for some hours. Bail services northward were temporarily interrupted. A heavy gale north-east of Masterton caused considerable damage to plantations and outhouses. Some loss of stock wps reported. Part of Greytown Borough was flooded for the first time for 60 years. SETTLERS LEAVE HOMES BACK COUNTRY ISOLATED (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday Widespread flooding in north and east Tarauaki and the King Country today disrupted rail and road services, isolated homesteads, caused slips and washed away bridges. All traffic through Awakino was delayed by flooding on the New Plymouth-Auckland main road until a late hour this afternoon In some areas homesteads are isolated and in others houses have been abandoned for neighbours' homes situated on higher levels. The Awakino, Mokau and Tongaporutu Bivers were all in high flood tonight. Back country .settlers in Waitotara Valley are isolated as a result of heavy slips on the road about 20 miles north of Waitotara. It is estimated that, the road will not be cleared for three days. Many slips have occurred on back country roads in the Patea County and rivers have risen considerably. PAHIATUA CUT OFF HIGHEST FLOOD FOR 50 YEARS (P.A.) PAHIATUA, Monday A fall of 3.4 in of rain in less than 24 hours caused serious flooding in the North Wairarapa yesterday afternoon and Pahiatua was cut off from the main highway both north and south. The north route was accessible this morning, but four miles south at Konini the road was blocked, as a wash-out at a bridge will not be repaired until tomorrow.

Late yesterday afternoon the flood was higher than at any time for 50 years, the Mangatainoka River and many streams breaking: their banks, Business premises in Pahiatua wer» threatened, water lapping to the doorways. The Pahiatua Borough Council staff, however, had taken the precaution of sandbagging doorwars. Better drainage than in the 1942 flood eased the position in the town. At the Napurua Bridge, three miles; north of the town, at ten o'clock last night, the occupants of a car, two women and a man, had to be rescued. A woman in the water was saved by police and helpers. Stock losses arc not known, but are expected to be fairly heavy. Several bridge contractors are heavy losers.

TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR MANAWATII A R EAS INUNDATED (P.A.J PALMERSTON NORTH, Monday Torrential rain on the eastern side of the ranges from mid-morning yesterday to last evening brought about flooding in that area. The Manawatu River showed a steady rise throughout last night to reach its peak level on she automatic gauge at Palmerston North of ltfft ■tin above the summer level before it began to recede this morning. Flooding lias occurred on large areas of farm land along the hanks of the Manawatu, but the volume of water is not nearly so great as in the heavy flood in May, 1911, when the suburb of Hokowhitu was inundated, (he river gauge reading then being 19ft,. Neap tides and the absence of the very strong westerly wind which lashed the district over the week-end are conditions which aro expected to favour landholders in the area from Shannon south to Moutoa, and the fact that the river cut at Whirokino has now developed strongly may cause the savage flow of the water through this to widen it still further. The two railcar services between Palmerston North and Woodville had to ho cancelled yesterday because of a light slip in the Manawatu Gorge. Trains today were using the Longburn Bridge over the Manawatu River at dead slew speed in case the structure had been damaged by the flood. All main roads on this side of the ranges are reported open.