UNDER WATER

Southland Times, Issue 21361, 6 April 1931, Page 7

UNDER WATER

KARAMEA DISTRICT

SWOLLEN RIVER FLOODS OPARARA DAMAGE TO ROADS AND STOCK (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, April 4. The following message has been received from the postmaster at Karamea: “Blowing 24 hours steady north-west wind. Karamea River flooded district, floods high from Thursday night until Friday night, water entered most of the residences around Market Cross and some in Karamea. Considerable damage to roads and private property and loss of stock. Telephone lines broken, poles washed out in places. No reports from Oparara since 3.15 a.m. on 3rd, when water then entering residences and people making for higher country. Weather now clear.” RIVER BACK TO NORMAL STATE OF THE ROADS. V Westport, April 5. The road is open to Reefton and also the coastal road to Greymouth, the slips having been cleared, but the roads to Murchison via Leyell and also via Maruia aer blocked with slips. Travellers changed over at the slip on Maruia Road and came on to Westport. The weather is fine to-day and the river back to normal. The Nelson oarsmen who were held up by slips are expected to-day and the races for the Gothard, Harley and Jones Cup will probably take place tomorrow. Karamea suffered temporarily by the flood, but the people are back in their homes. The same applies to those at Seddonville and Tiroroa who were temporarily driven out by the flood waters. WAIRARAPA AFFECTED RACECOURSE INUNDATED. Carterton, April 4. The exceptionally wet Easter has caused all the rivers to rise rapidly, and floods have been experienced everywhere. Slips came down on the Rimutaka Hill, blocking all traffic with the south. The Waingawa and Waiohine Rivers are over the road, blocking the road. North of Tauherenikau the river burst its banks and flooded a portion of the Tauherenikau racecourse, particularly the section containing the looseboxes and the accommodation house. Jockeys, owners and trainers and a number of racehorses had to be removed to drier quarters through the looseboxes being flooded to a low depth. A meeting of the stewards of the Wairarapa Racing Club decided that as access to the north and south was blocked and the weather was still continuing wet, the races should be postponed until Monday and Tuesday. CAR MAROONED OCCUPANTS RESCUED WITH ROPES. Wellington, April 4. After a bus at Silverstream had been rescued from the Hutt River flood waters, a smart roadster with two occupants came from the direction of the Lower Hutt and tried to get through but it stuck. A breakdown van went to its assistance, but it was a case of the pitcher going too often to the water, as the rescuers were themselves involved. They anchored the van with the roadster in tow to a fence, and made a way out by clinging to the fence wires, but the occupants of the roadster, for some reason, did not follow. As the water kept rising they were shouted to to come out, but stuck to the car. After darkness fell the police were informed, and a rescue party was arranged, but could do nothing. The men eventually took to the branches of the willow trees, and there they were marooned until rescued with ropes at five o’clock this morning. They were in an exhausted condition, but did not require medi cal attention. Both are carpenters, Frederick Potts, of Upper Hutt, and Frederick Stevenson, of Trentham. Their car was swept into the willows and capsizedThe Manor Park suspension bridge, which received the full force of the flood, broke away about nine o’clock last night, and, with the exception of the pilons on one side, the whole structure was swept downstream. HOUSES EVACUATED RIVER OVERFLOWS BANKS. Otaki, April 4. The floods are subsiding. The Otaki racecourse was damaged. The rainfall was over two inches. The Waitohu Stream last night overflowed its banks and entered the town, the residents on Mill road being compelled to evacuate their houses. LITTLE DAMAGE DONE Wellington, April 5. The body of Mrs Ann Falder, who was on the suspension bridge at Otaki when it collapsed in the flood on Friday night, was recovered entangled in some fencing wire. A boat had to be obtained to reach it. , The flood waters in the Hutt Valley have now entirely receded. The river in places has scoured out a new course but has not encroached on farm or suburban land. At one point in the Taita Gorge, the river has w'ashed away part of the road, making a short strip passable for one way traffic only. Little real damage has been done by the flood beyond the destruction of Manor Park bridge, which was washed away some time in the storm on Friday night.