ROAR OF THE FLOOD

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 7

ROAR OF THE FLOOD

AWE-INSPIRING SIGHT WAIWAKAIHO A TORRENT DAMAGE IN ITS VALLEY TE HENUI OYER THE BANKS The facing torrent of dirty yellow water coining down the WaiWakbiho River presented an awe-inspiring sight yesterday. The tremendous roar Of the waters attracted the attention Of the residents and therfe Werfe many 6h thfe bridge viewing the sight. The railway bridge bore the full brunt of the swift current and the weir underneath the rbad bridge was submerged by many feet. The flood was easily the biggest in the memory of even the oldest residents. The residences on the Fertiliser Works side escaped flooding but the water surged over the paddocks lower tlowh and over the showgrounds. The mouth of the river presented another fine sight. The river was pouring into the sea by two channels, the usual one and through the old bed which enters the sea 400 yards further north. At present it is problematical whether the two outlets Will continue to exist, but there Was a considerable amount of water going through both. Settlers between Junction Rbad and the mountain yesterday morning reported a terrific clap of thunder shortly after eleven o’clock, followed by a fierce dbwhpbur._ One small stream which joins the Waiwakaiho just above the Chain Bridge is reported to have risen 30 feet in a few hours. At one stage‘thfe water was rushing over the deck of the Chain Bridge, but the structure withstood the test and was in use during the day. Torrent sweeps farms. The flood waters Swept over the flat oh Mr. it. Matthews’ .property oh Mangorei Road, causing considerable damage to plantations and carrying away a motor truck and other machhiety. Mr. Matthews’ loss toby prove tb be seVera. The electric power poles oh Mr, g. M. Bennett’s property were down and one was carried away in the torrent. Though, no definite information was available last night there has certainly been some loss of stock, one farmer having a dozen heifers missing. Evei-ything remained intact at Mahgaihhhbe Lake. Just beyond the entrance to the dbih at Kent Road a rtnall creek empties itself into the lake. It is led acfbss the ftiaih rbad by a concrete culvert Which has always Coped with storm water previously without trouble, but yesterday morning it was inadequate to cope with the volume of water. Although the stream is only a small cne and is fully 20 feet below'the road filling, at 6 a.m. the wafer was running ovbr the rbad. and at 7.30 the whble filling suddenly washed away into Lake Mangamahoe and liberated a huge volume of water which had banked up the stream for a Considerable distance. Considerable damage has been done at the Meeting of the Waters. The swihg bridge across the Waiwakaiho River Ms been washed away and one or two small brides used by emplbyfefes of the borough Council at thfe power house have disappeared. The flood waters wore all arouhd but fortuhately did hot reach the Power house itself. It is stated that one or two leaks were seen in the pipe lifie Which comes down over tile hill to the Bdwfer hbbsfe. The gardens of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Burgess on the banks of the WaiWakalhb and Mangorei , Rivers have suffered severely. The flood waters entered the tefe hpusfe to a depth, of sevePal feet fefid thfe futftitUre Was floating around ths walls at the height'of thfe flood. . UNDERMINING OF ROAD. The road near the factory has been undermined and the small store nearby was surrounded with water, but wafer did not actually enter the premises. t‘ A fiuffiber 6f plahtatiohs along the Waiwakaiho River have been washed away fend in seV&ral' places the river seems to have changed its course. At the ihtake for the borough water stipply fend hydro electric works ; the river rose 24 feet, covering the platrorm Where the valves are. and the building Which housed the telephones was carried . away. The flood has been disastrous to fish in the Waiwakaiho River at the Meeting of tH'e Waters, and bn several flats large rainbbw and brown trbUt were left Strahded aS the Waters receded. As a result of the wash-out on the main Pbad near the junction of Rent ROad, tfaflte is beifig diverted to Inglewood Via Lower Egmont Road or Lfepperton. The wash-out offered a problem ffi ths transport Of cream from the fafms of suppliers • to the Mangbrei Dairy Company situated on the other side, but Mr. Noel Ross, manager of the company, finally made arrangements whereby the cream could all be collected and then brought to the factory via Egmont Road. ; The Henui River staffed rising soon after midnight and by 3 o’clock had completely overflown its banks below the . old railway bridge. All the flat just below that bridge was completely submerged and 'the properties of Messrs. Robbins and Tynam suffered considerable damage. The wafer entered MT. Robbins’ house. Lower down Ebrington Terracfe was under water, the flood reaching to the doorsteps of some of the residences. The footbridge just below the croquet ground was completely carried away. Considerable debris was carried, dofeni to the sea and littered the East End beach. .■’< • . Though mlndr repairs had to be effected in a few instances the New Plymouth telephone system came through yesterday’s Ordeal most creditably. The repair gangs were at work early, repairing some wet cables, but this difficulty was soon remedied. . At Inglewood, Waitara ahd Okato the position was much more serious and it may be some days before the complete service is restored. Considerable dam- • age was done at the Oxford Road factory, where several poles were down. Telegraph communication from New Plymouth to the rest of the Dominion suffered no damage and was in full- 1 working order all day.