SERIOUS FLOODS IN SOUTH

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1043, 6 August 1930, Page 1

SERIOUS FLOODS IN SOUTH

CHRISTCHURCH ROADS UNDER WATER MAROONED FAMILIES RESCUED LARGE FARMING AREA INUNDATED r Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Today. rREE days of continuous rain has caused serious flooding in many suburbs of Christchurch, especially in Western Terrace, Beckenham, where seven families had to be removed from their homes in a lorry last evening owing to the Heathcote River overflowing. Part of Lower Colombo Street was under water this morning and the flood waters stood three feet deep in the back yards of a dozen houses fronting on to the Heathcote along Western Terrace, Beckenham. Farther on, along the Eastern Terrace, the scour from the swirling waters has made ■" the road impassable for half a mile.

Lrfgs VP to 15£t in length and more than 2ft in diameter were brought down by the flooded stream. They crashed against the frail foot-bridges which had for years been strong enough to carry pedestrian traffic from the two terraces across the small stream to the Port Hills Road. Smart work by the city council staff in clearing away the logs prevented the wrecking of the bridges, the ends of which were in some cases a chain from dry land. With the male members of their households away at work, women and children became greatly perturbed last evening at being cut offl from dry land, and with the river steadily rising the occupants of nine small bungalows gathered together their few personal effects and were carried out through a foot of water to a waiting city council lorry. There were elderly women, young women and women with small babies, all of whom showed pluck in their plight. FARM LANDS FLOODED The main North road is flooded in the vicinity of Amberley and hundreds of acres of farm lands in North Canterbury are under water. The Waireka, Selwyn and Hawkins Rivers are unfordable. In addition to the houses evacuated in Beckenham last evening, six families werfe evacuated this morniug irom Richardson Terrace in Opawa, where the Heathcote is still rising, la these houses the water was oozing in the doors and bursting up the locr3. Many streets in Unwood, Redcliffs, tVoolston. Beckenham, Fendalton, Opawa and Radley are under water and scores of residents are using boats

to do their shopping and get to business. Rain was still falling at noon and the water was up to the window-sills in parts of Beckenham. WATER STOPS TRAIN Water is lying a foot deep round the railway station and in parts of the township at Little River. The water at the station was only two Inches from the top of the platform and the electric train from Christchurch was not able to approach farther than within a quarter of a mile. Passengers were transferred to trollies from there ,and taken on to the township. The railway station itself is isolated. In Opawa about 20 people, making up six families, were shifted from houses in Richardson Terrace, between Sylvester and Wildberry Streets, to houses on higher land where neighbours had opened their homes to the refugees. Several of the men who assisted put on bathing suits and waded out waist-high in the floods, carrying out women and children on their backs. The experience of Mr. and Mrs. J. Archer was typical of what all the residents in the affected area went through. Late last night there was uo sign of dangerous flooding, but by about daylight the water was up to the level of the floors and soon began to come through the cracks. Seeing what was coming they had taken up all the floor coverings and furniture likely to be damaged and piled it on top of tables and beds. The pressure of the flood water underneath the houses was considerable and bulging floors showed that more damage would probably result as the water rose. The families whose homes are flooded include a number of children and several young babies, but they seemed little the worse for their experience. TROTS MAY BE POSTPONED / * TRACK UNDER WATER Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Today. The water lies a foot deep on parts of the Addingrton trotting track and it is very unlikely that the races will be held there on Saturday.