FLOOD CRISIS PASSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27112, 21 June 1949, Page 5

FLOOD CRISIS PASSED

CENTRAL NEW SOUTH WALES HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE STILL HOMELESS NZPA—Copyright Rec. 11 p.m. SYDNEY, June 20. It is believed that the flood crisis in Central New South Wales has passed but that hundreds of homeless people have no chance of returning to their ruined dwellings still feet under water. It will be days before the damage is fully assessed and the roads and railways can be used again. People isolated for two days on a high section of the roadway, near Maitland could see the hoods of 15 singledecker buses protruding like rafts above the water. Many of 60 people stranded with their cars and two buses on 300 yards of bitumen road lacked food and blankets. One woman milked a stranded cow to feed her six-month-old baby Some men built a raft from oil drums and set off to obtain food from abandonecUhomes nearby, but the raft overturned when being loaded and five men had to swim to. safety. Surf boats belonging to surf lifesaving clubs cruised over flooded farmlands and found people on rooftops who had not eaten since Saturday.

The township of Singleton has dried out but is still surrounded by miles of water. The streets are covered with a veneer of mud in which are lying tree trunks, animal carcasses, thousands .of pumpkins and other produce The flood casualty list is now at seven drowned, but the police and other searchers are endeavouring to trace many other missing people. Three soldiers, believed to have been drowned yesterday, have been reported safe. Meat Shortage in Sydney Fresh meat will be short in Sydney all this week because of a strike at Homebush Abattoirs and a flood at the Riverstone meatworks. There is already a serious shortage of vegetables due to the heavy rains, and this shortage will be intensified by the flood damage. The general secretary of the Chamber of Fruit! and Vegetable Industries. Mr P. S. iMacDermott, said that the scarcity was likely to continue for several weeks. It was possible that peas and beans would be flown from Coff’s Harbour, north of the flooded area, to help to meet the shortage. Supplies of fruif»are unaffected.