SERIOUS FLOODS IN WESTLAND

Southland Times, Issue 23988, 1 December 1939, Page 8

SERIOUS FLOODS IN WESTLAND

HOKITIKA STREETS INUNDATED LIVESTOCK LOSSES REPORTED I HARIHARI VALLEY LIKE A LAKE (United Press Association) GREYMOUTH, November 30. Heavy rain for two days brought exceptional flooding today 'in Westland rivers, particularly the Hokitika and the Little Wanganui and also in the la Fontaine river in the Harihari district. Some Hokitika streets on Wednesday were inundated and today at 1 p.m. the river was 14 inches . higher and the street flooding was more extensive. The protective works on the south side of the Hokitika river mouth were washed seawards and a large sandbank at the entrance also disappeared. The Kokatahi Valley, farming area was extensively flooded while a flood in the Arahura river was prevented by the recently constructed protective works from inundating farms. South Westland rivers in several instances today broke their banks, while at Harihari the Little Wanganui river cut through a protective bank and joined the la Fontaine river. A wide pastoral area in the Poerua settlement was flooded, causing loss of live stock. The road to the settlement is under nearly five feet of water, which rose four feet in the residence of one settler. J " The Harihari Valley;;/ resembled a lake. .... . Steady rain made the Grey l , district rivers swollen, but no damage is reported except a slip on the Otira road at Jackson’s. The total rainfall ■ in: 24 hours was two inches. HOUSES INVADED BY WATER WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN NELSON (United Press Association) NELSON, November 30. Many parts of the Nelson district are experiencing floods as high as any in their history. The evening train was unable to proceed beyond Hope and ’access by road to the South End Bay districts was completely blocked at Brightwater. Water entered a number of houses and premises including the Waimea dairy factory. The Golden Bay area was also heavily flooded. Takaka was completely isolated north and south and serious floods have taken place. A number of large slips have occurred on the Takaka hills and it is probable the road will be closed for three days. Heavy seas damaged the seafront road between Nelson and Tahunanui. The Nelson-Blenheim road is also blocked at several points. In the city, the Maitai stream has been running bank high but no serious damage is reported. The Motueka river has not been in high flood but heavy rain has fallen. Strawberry pickers have been working continuously to clear fruit for the factory to enable the next picking to come on. Cherry growers are suffering through fruit cracking. WASH-OUT ON RAILWAY LINE (United Press Association) WESTPORT, November 30. While fairly heavy rain has fallen it is mostly up country. The Buller river is in flood, holding up shipping movements. The air services did not run today. A wash-out occurred in railway on the 14 miles between Waimangoroa and Birchfield. There is some surface flooding in various places but no serious damage has been done so far.