AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21254, 7 February 1931, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

TORRENTIAL RAIN. SERIOUS FLOODS FEARED. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, February 5. Torrential rain has fallen on the north coast of New South Wales and the southern portions of Queensland for several days. Serious floods are feared, and the low-lying country is already submerged, while to-night’s messages from Brisbane say that the city is in grave danger of complete isolation if the Brisbane River overflows, as is expected. All vessels have been warned to move out into the river. Rail and tram traffic is disorganised. Hundreds of employees who were unable to reach their homes are sleeping in the city. CYCLONIC GALES RAGING. PEOPLE FLEEING FROM MENAGE. SYDNEY, February 6. Hundreds are fleeing before the menace of flood waters, which at Murwillumbah inundated portions of the town. The Tweed River is already above the record flood level of 1921. Cyclonic gales are raging and seas are causing havoc along the far north coast. The telephone girls at Murwillumbah continued on duty until the water rose two feet around their switchboards. The river rose at an alarming rate. Many were rescued in boats. The main street is navigable only by boat. The Richmond River at Lismore is rising two feet hourly, and low-lying homes have been vacated. Roads are impassable, and the rail service has been discontinued owing to the tracks being submerged. There have .been many landslides. Brisbane suburbs are inundated, and the biggest flood since 1908 is expected in the Southport district. Farm lands are covered to a depth of 10 feet. A house and a bridge were carried away by the swirling waters. A baby girl was washed from her mother’s arms when crossing a deep gully and was drowned. A train overturned near Dakabin, and a fireman’s arm was broken. BRISBANE INUNDATED. STREAMS OF REFUGEES. BRISBANE, February 6. (Received Feb. C, at 10 p.m.) The city is in the grip of the worst flood experienced for over 20 years. The peak point in the river level was expected about mid-day. Thousands of people are homeless, and the railway and tram services are disorganised. Many refugees were housed last night in public buildings. At Murrumba watershed this morning the Brisbane river flood level had reached 03 feet, or over five feet above the 1908 level. The record is 88 feet, which was in March, 1893. Twelve inches of rain were registered at the Exhibition Grounds in 24 hours. Confusion reigned in the city during the night and many narrow escapes have been recorded. Streams of refugees are hurrying (,o the higher portions of the city from low-lying suburbs, which are inundated. They are carrying whatever effects they have been able to salvage in their hurried flight. HUGE GOLD NUGGET. BOUGHT BY GOVERNMENT. PERTH, February 6. (Received Feb. 7, at 1.40 a.m.) The finder and owner of the “ Golden Eagle,” a huge gold nugget, has received a cheque for £5438 from the Western Australian Government, which has purchased it. The sum of £230 represents the Commonwealth’s new gold bounty.