STARTLING OCCURRENCE IN DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9321, 16 June 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

STARTLING OCCURRENCE IN DUNEDIN.

THE SEA BREAKS THROUGH THE SAND HILLS. PART OF ST KILDA FLOODED. PROPERTY HOLDERS ALARMED. Dunedin, June 8. Considerable alarm was caused on tbe flat to-day by the extraordinary high tide and heavy sea on at Ocean Beach,, and in tbe afternoon it became evident that a breach would be made in tbe sand bills at St Kilda road, close to tho Central Battery, At 4.30 p.m. the sea had cut a channel through, and there was a strong stream flowing up tbe St Kilda road for about SCO yards, which spread on to the low-lying ground. This being the first experience of the kind, many of tho inhabitants prepared to leave their houses ; bat as the channel was cut through within a short time of high water, nothing serious happened. Steps were at once taken to dam back tho water for the next tide by filling up the channel and placing bags full of sand as a protection. At St. Clair the remaining portion of the sea wall has disappeared, and most of the Esplanade has been washed away. The next high tide will probably see several sections of land swallowed up as there is nothing but the line of sandhills, now rapidly being eaten away, between the ocean and St Kilda, South Dunedin, and part of Caversham. The residents and property owners are very considerably alarmed. Later. The work of filling up the channel out by the sea at Ocean Beach was finished about 7 o’clock, but nothing will be known of tbe result till 4 am. The wind, which had died away, is freshening up again. Tho damage done by tho breach Is practically confined to gardens.

June 9. The tides to-day caused but little damage at Ocean Beach. At St. Clair the whole of tbe broad esplanade right np to the building line has been washed away.