FLOOD DISASTER

Southland Times, Issue 22217, 9 January 1934, Page 5

FLOOD DISASTER

SEVEN DROWNED

DELUGE IN AUSTRALIA

PLIGHT OF A TOWN

SURROUNDED BY WATER

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.)

Sydney, January 8.

During the week-end seven persons perished through drowning. Fighting heroically to rescue a man and a girl in the flooded Nymboida river near Grafton, William McCarthy, aged 13, was drowned, while the man and the girl were rescued. Caught in a heavy storm while rowing across the Hunter river, two members of a party of six were drowned when the boat capsized in a sudden squall. The victims were Mrs Florence Germyne, aged 34, and Bernice Ellis, aged 7. The four male members of the party reached shore. Leslie Abel, aged 10, was drowned in the swollen Wolli Creek at Undercliffe.

Slipping into the flooded Wollondilly river, Billy Clarke, aged 12, was swept away and drowned. Terrific storms over the Darling Dawns in Queensland caused the streams to become flooded. A halfcaste travelling with cattle was drowned in the Condamine river. Drowned in Creek.

William Dennett and his 11-year-old son were crossing a creek in a cart when the flood waters overturned the vehicle. Both were swept downstream. The boy was carried against a tree and scrambled to safety on the bank. The father’s body was found wedged between the rocks. When three dams burst at Lockhart the business houses and many private dwellings were flooded. Serious floods are feared . in the Riverina, where torrential rains have fallen. Water is lying five feet deep in some of the paddocks. The water is four feet high in the houses at Boree Creek.

As the result of a deluge on the South Coast, Moruya is isolated and is surrounded by swirling flood waters. The Goulburn police stated: “We should not be surprised if many people have lost their lives, so terrible must the conditions be at Moruya.” All the wires are down and the roads are impassable. SHIPPING DISORGANIZED GALES AND ROUGH SEAS. (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) Melbourne, January 8. Strong easterly gales and rough seas pound the coast of Victoria and New South Wales and in Bass Strait they disorganized all shipping during the week-end, small vessels being forced to seek shelter. The Loongana was nine hours late in arriving from Tasmania, while a collier was reported on Saturday afternoon to be sheltering in Oberon Bay, since when the owners have received no word. Small craft in the harbour were swamped. RIVER FALLING POSITION AT MORUYA. (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 7.55 p.m.) Sydney. January 8. Telegraphic communication has been restored with the South Coast. Moruya reports that the river overflowed and surrounded a number of houses. The occupants were rescued and removed to safety. Scores of men to-day were removing debris and driftwood. The river is now falling. One person was drowned and there were many narrow escapes.

The rainfall on the South Coast since Thursday has been from 10 to 18 inches.