SEVERE WEATHER

Otago Witness, Issue 3418, 19 September 1919, Page 9

SEVERE WEATHER

FLOODS IN THE NORTH, HEAVY LOSSES OF SHEEP. NAPIER, September 12. The rain continues. The rivers are in high flood, and the reports from the surrounding districts state that the sheep losses are bsavy. BLENHEIM PARTLY FLOODED. EARLY* SUBSIDENCE EXPECTED. BLENHEIM, September 11. A rain storm from the south-east set in yesterday evening, and rain poured incessantly throughout the night. It continued to-day, and there is every appearance that it will .keep on. The Taylor River is bank high, and residents in the vicinity of th 9 flood area are very anxious. It is hoped that the banks will stand. The Omaka and Opawa Rivers ar3 also holding large bodies of water. There are some extensive local overflows in soma directions. The Fairhall and adjacent districts are inundated, and a number of farms are affected. The crops between! Blenheim 1 and Riverlands are flooded. Picton experienced a deluge, water pouring from every fissure and cavity in the hills adjoining the town. The road at Tuamarina is under water. BLENHELM,- September 12. Heavy rain continued last night. The Omaka River topped its banks, and as a result some overflow water came into the tewn, the low-lying northern side being flooded. .The railway line between Blenheim and Picton in many places is under water. The substantial banking works of the River Board are holding wonderfully, and it is not anticipated that there will te any serious break in the river. The rain has now abated somewhat, and the indications point to a subsidence of the waters. 4 NORTH CANTERBURY SUFFERS. LARGE LOSSES OF STOCK. CHRISTCHURCH, September 11. _ Advice front Kaikoura statas that six inches of rain have fallen in the last 24 hours, and that there is every indication of a flood. Road l traffic north and south is blocked by slips. ' CHRISTCHURCH, September 12 ; The heavy rains and cold weather which est in on Wednesday throughout North Canterbury have rather definitely belied the previous promise of a mild and early spring, and lambs will suffer considerably through the cold conditions on the flats, where the sheep are exposed to the storm, and where water is lying in the paddocks. The biggest troublo will occur thus at Amberley. The fanners on the hills have suffered lesa severely than those on thfo flats. At Waipara, Waiau, and Cheviot the losses are fairly general. At the Banks Peninsula there is considerable anxiety for stock, particularly on high and exposed levels, and large losses are reported at Methven and Sheffield. NEW BRIGHTON PROTECTIVE WORKS DAMAGED. CHRISTCHURCH, September 13. Enormous seas swept along the eastern coast of the South Island during last night, incidentally causing extensive damage to the protective works on the foreshore at New Brighton. The storm reached its full violence at New Brighton at 6 o'clock this morning, when the beach on both sides of the pier was a swirling waste of frothing waters extending as high as the tops of the outer sandhills. SNOW AT ALEXANDRA. • (From Our Own Correspondent.) . ALEXANDRA, September 12. The tops of the high country continue to be well covered with snow, resulting in heavy frosts night and morning. The sun is very warm throughout the day, and spraying operations are well in hand.