DANGER PAST

Southland Times, Issue 25306, 8 June 1935, Page 6

DANGER PAST

RIVERS RAPIDLY FALLING. HAWKES BAY DISTRICT. (Per United Press Association.) Hastings, June 7. With the cessation of rain last night the threatening flood danger of yesterday in the Napier-Hastings district has passed and the rivers are now falling rapidly. Late yesterday afternoon backcountry districts experienced a lessening downpour in the afternoon, while more coastal areas received the same benefit during the night. The NapierHastings main road was re-opened for traffic during the morning but the Napier-Wairoa road is still closed on account of slips which are expected to be cleared this afternoon.

Haumoana, a small seaside township about eight miles from Hastings, suffered severely during the night on account of the Tukituki River unexpectedly overflowing at a small bank and invading houses in low-lying areas. About midnight it became necessary to remove all the women and children from the affected places and in doing so the rescuers had to wade as deep as their armpits to accomplish their work. No losses of stock have been reported owing to settlers having taken precautions before the situation became serious. Extensive areas are still affected with surface water. It is understood the damage done as a result of flooding will not be at all considerable as the rivers have not broken their banks to any great extent. RIVERS'GOING DOWN GISBORNE DISTRICT. (Per United Press Association.) Gisborne, June 7. The drenching and continuous rains of Wednesday and Thursday ceased in the early hours this morning and the rivers are now going down. At seven o’clock this morning the north main road was impassable, but an hour later the water had gone down sufficiently for service cars to proceed. Settlers on the Poverty Bay flats spent an anxious night and many removed stock to higher levels. At) three a.m. the water in Waipaoa ceased to rise and since then has gone down considerably and fears of a flood are now past. The south road is blocked by a slip on to Devil’s Elbow between Wairoa and Napier, but vehicles are hoping to get through to-night.