TROPICAL DELUGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19693, 27 July 1938, Page 5

TROPICAL DELUGE

SURGE IN CITY

WATERS RISE IN NIGHT

TORRENTS IN STREETS

FLOODING OF BUILDINGS

FEARS OF HOUSEHOLDERS

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day

. The heaviest rain that Auckland has experienced for many years, a deluge of tropical intensity, fell shortly after 8 o'clock last night in the latter stages of an electrical storm which began about 6 o'clock and continued for a'bout three hours.

When the downpour, which might almost be described as a cloudburst, was at its maximum the Auckland Herald's rain gauge registered one inch in 10 minutes. For a quarter of a«v hour and more Queen street was a rushing river, the usually efficient stormwater and sewer system being quite unable to cope with the flood.

' "Water entered a number of shops and some theatres, but the worst damage was done in buildings with rear entrance to Mills lane. Water from the latter covered the whole ground floor of the premises of Messrs. Milne and Choyce, Limited, to a depth of a couple of inches and rose about sin. in the basement. The lounge and bar of the Hotel Auckland were also inundated.

The failure of the drainage to carry off the tremendous volume of water in Durham lane resulted in severe flooding of the basement containing many of the artists' changing rooms of His Majesty's Theatre. Rushing through a window below the road level water swept through corridors and rooms in the basement like a river, covering floors to a depth of more than 4in.

Theatre Wardrobes

A performance of "Hello Popeye" had been in progress for some time and in spite of difficulties from the flooding, patrons had little knowledge that anything was amiss, the programme being continued without interruption. The performers, some of whom suffered considerable damage to their wardrobes, assisted in clearing the water from the basement. Wading deep they rescued floating trunks and carried costumes to the stage level. The fortunate presence of a large sump hole enabled the water to be swept away after about an hour's work, although the entire basement remained damp.

Torrents flowing down from Albert Park into Kitchener and Wellesley streets, near the Auckland. Public Library, rose alongside motor cars nearly to the tops of the wheels. Sewer manholes burst at several points in the city and suburbs and some houses below road level were flooded.

A goods train at Avondale was partly derailed at a level crossing through striking the cattle stops, which had been forced up by the flood water.

Large Stones Removed

. A great deal of. debris was carried down the West End road, Heme Bay, to the bridge over Cox's Creek, including large stones which were conveyed some hundreds of yards by the water.

The electrical storm, which appeared to follow a path west of the city, was unusually brilliant and provided an almost continuous play of vivid lightning for three hours.

It was accompanied by high winds on the harbour and the scene from the extremities of the city wharves was at times awe-inspiring.

Residents of several of the new State houses on the Casey estate in Richmond road had many anxious moments at the height of. the storm. In the lowest lying street of the estate four or five houses were completely surrounded 'by a surging mass of water over 2ft. deep. Water was lapping against the top step of one house built up nearly 3ft. and the occupants were preparing to lift carpets, linoleums and furniture when the flood showed signs of subsiding.

Tram Lines Inundated

Scenes similar to those witnessed in Queen street were also presented in parts of Dominion road, where" the tram lines were inundated and the water rose to within a foot or so of shopfronts. In the vicinity of Valley road, water entered a few very lowlysitua'ted shops in which slight damage was caused, in spite of the efforts of the shopkeepers to stem the water with brooms and mops.

One of the worst instances of flooding occurred at the intersection of Surrey and Crummer roads, where two streams of water converged. Within an astonishingly short time the water banked up ,to a height of about 4ft., sweeping through the lower portions of an apartment house from which the water was draining an hour after the deluge had ceased.

GALE IN HARBOUR

ROUGH CROSSINGS

SHIPPING DISLOCATED

{Par Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day.

Backed by a strong easterly wind, heavy seas swept up Auckland harbour yesterday, but in spite of the conditions, which were the roughest for some months, very little damage occurred.

The chief damage was to a doubleended launch of about 26ft. in length, which dragged from her anchorage in Orakei boat harbour in the early morning and was driven on to the railway embankment. Pleasure craft moored along the waterfront were severely buffeted and passengers by ferry steamers experienced rough crossings.

. Shipping movements were dislocated, work stopping for the day with the onset of rain in the early afternoon. Practically all the day's sailings were postponed. '