FLOODS IN QUEENSLAND

Otago Witness, Issue 2978, 12 April 1911, Page 27

FLOODS IN QUEENSLAND

BRISBANE, April 4. The floods in the Ingham district ara the highest for years. The river has encroached on the main street, where one store was overturned. Considerable damage was done to property, and tho cane crops suffered severely. Vehicular traffic is cut off, but the water is receding. Halifax reports that 75 per cent, of the cane is damaged or destroyed. There axe reports of serious damage from other districts. Railway and telegraphic communication is disorganised, and several bridges have been washed away. The flood waters are subsiding. A large quantity of timber has been deposited in the canefields. The details are meagre. April 5. During Saturday's flood the waters afc Cairns covered a large part of the township. Boats were plying in the streets, and the esplanade was badly damaged. In the Kanerungera district houses wero swept away. At Kuranda there was 25in of rain in the 24 hours ended Saturday. Railway traffic is suspended in the flooded districts. Tho rain has • now ceased, and the outlook is brighter. The rainfall at Cairns for four days was 48in, and at Karundah the fall was 52in in 48 hours. There were many washaways and land slips at Cairns. Railway bridges and the cane crops were badly damaged. Since the beginning of the year the rainfall at Cairns has been 147£in. April 6. The damage at Cairns to the H-eburton railway in consequence of the flood is estimated at £50,000. April 8. A area at the back of Cairne is submerged to a depth of several feet. The flood waters are, however, steadily receding. The damage to the .railway is so serious that it will be two months before the regular traffic is restored. Meantime the back country, being unable to get its food Giippll'Ze , is threatened with famine. April 10. All the flooded centres ura short of food, and the problem how. to supply them is serious. There are 1200 people in the Chillagoe dist Z-ct, where they have a fortnight's supplies. It -is not thought that railway reatnunication. will be restored for two months. The Government ia urgently pushing on the work, and is instructing the engineers to disregard ex- !. £ense.