Big Floods at Westport.
HEAVIEST FOR 19 YEARS. Westport, March 27. The phenomenal rainfall on Monday night, seven inches being recorded for the 24 hours-, brought down the heaviest flood seen in the Buller River during the last 19 years. Westport was completely isolated, being cut off from road, rail, sea and wire. The low lying parts of the town are flooded, aud there is a terrifio body of water in the Buller, but the bank protective works have so far stood the test well. The tug Mana was moored in an unsafe place, and had to run to sea at short notice and meagrely provisioned. The railway line between Westport and Mokihiuui is greatly damaged by slips. In one place hundreds of tons of earth came down on the line, and it will be over a week before repairs can be effected sufficiently to permit complete resumption of traffic. The roads ave severely damaged all over the district. Reefton, March 27. The floods are much more serious than at first supposed. The road above and below Lyeli has been washed away in a number of places, and it will be several weeks before the mail coach will be able to get through. The water rose 40 feet above its normal level.
In the Buller Valley a lot of stock was lost, and the road to Westport is probably much damaged.
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Bibliographic details
Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 182, 31 March 1896, Page 2
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231Big Floods at Westport. Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 182, 31 March 1896, Page 2
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