HEAVY GALE AND RAINFALL IN WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7784, 17 May 1886, Page 2

HEAVY GALE AND RAINFALL IN WELLINGTON.

The sinister forecasts of the weather-pro-phets, to which we referred on Saturday, have been unpleasantly fulfilled. Yesterday, this city was visited with the severest storm that has been experienced for some years past, a terrific southerly gale being accompanied by incessant torrents of rain. On Saturday mornfog, it seemed as if the predictions of bad weather were to be utterly falsißed, for the d *y was lovely—warm, bright, and springlike. But the barometer remained steady at a very low point (29*14), and the telegrams from other places reported heavy gales and floods, so it was evident that the threatened tempest bad not yet passed away. Shortly after midday the sky became rapidly overcast, and at about 4 o’clock in the afternoou a drizzling rain again set in steadily. At Bp.m, a fresh breeze sprung up from the southward, bringing the rain down in large quantities. The wind gained in force as the night advanced, occasional gusts shaking wooden tenements in a manner decidedly disquieting to occupants. Soon after midnight the gale became exceedingly violent, and between 3 a.m. and noon yesterday its fury was so great that fears were entertained of some serious casualties resulting, but up to the time of going to press nothing of a very severe nature has been reported. In various parts of the town trees hare been uprooted, gates and fences blown down, and a chimney-pot here and there dislodged, but in many instances these mishaps were due to the Insecure condition of the property damaged. The gale continued all the afternoon and evening, with scarcely abated violence, the rain which had fallen incessantly for 30 hours still pouring down. There was a heavy sea in the harbor all yesterday, but no damage to the shipping has been reported. There was little sign of the gale or rain abating at an early hour this morning, beyond a slight rise in the barometer, which stood at 29.51. The gale is the worst we have had here for some years, and this second rainstorm coming so quickly after the exceptional one of last Thursday is a very remarkable meteorological phenomenon.

GHBAT FLOODS IN CANTERBURY. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Christchurch, May 16. Yesterday's flood was the most severe ever experienced in Christchurch, not excepting the great flood of 1868, for that was confined to localities affected by the river, whereas this was general. The rainfall for the 24 hoars ending 9 a.m. was 6‘9Bin Is unprecedented. Since that was taken l'l2in have fallen, making, with Thursday's fall, a total of B*B7in daring the gale. The Avon rose about 4(t in town and lßin from the floor of some of the bridges, It was at Its highest half an hour past noon. Then the rain ceased, and the water began to abate. By dusk it had fallen 18in, and this morning the river was but a little above the usual level. Showers fell during yesterday afternoon and night; also this morning, and the weather is still gloomy with south-west wind and showers. The principal mischief done by the river was in the north eastern part of the city, where a large number of families bad to be removed from their bouses, some of which were flooded three feet deep. Carts sent by the City Council and boats were busy all morning In rescuing these people. The adjacent suburb In a portion of Avoneide suffered similarly, and Oxford and Cambridge terraces were also flooded wherever the river bank is low, many people being driven from their houses. The low-lying country between Christchurch and New Brighton was covered with water from the river, which, near New Brighton School, was over half a mile wide. In the south-eastern part of the city, round the Catholic Church, the raiu water formed a lake several acres in extent. Traffic on the Ferry-road was entirely stopped, the fires of the tramway engines being put out by the water. Many residents of Woolstoa had to leave their houses, one man named Cord being rescued after be had passed the night on the roof of hi* house. At 8 in the morning the water extinguished the fires of the engines at the drainage pumping works. No serious damage to the aewers, however, has be u reported. The South Belt was under water in several places, one of the worst being near the railway station. The railway lines were not ioterrnptei, except at Little River, where the main bridge on the Akaroa road was swept away. The Akaroa, Earaucbelle's Bay, and Sumner telegraph lines were the only ones interrupted, but they arc now restored. At Governor’s Bay a bouse belonging to Mr William Cowlin was shifted by a land slip, and completely wrecked The Sumnerroad was blocked by a landslip. The main stream of the Waitnakariri was only eligbtly in fresh, but the north branch was much flooded, though there was no appearance of danger from the overflow.