PATEA FLOOD SCENES

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1935, Page 9

PATEA FLOOD SCENES

MANY WATCH FROM THE BRIDGE. ■MUCH DEBRIS SWEPT DOWN. Swollen waters swirling about, the cylinders that support the town bridge at Patea attracted a number of sightseers during the height of the flbod. . Some spent hours fascinated by the unending procession of debris that hurried down to the sea. Although confident that the bridge was not endangered most Onlookers preferred to stand near the end. Fortunately, any misgivings regarding the ability of the old bridge to stand against the flood were groundless. The river just above the bridge describes, an S bend which does much to. protect the bridge from damage in times of flood; otherwise the increased strain upon the structure might have had a disastrous result. Strangely enough, the only damage at. Patea occurred at the town end' of the bridge, where the torrent of rainwater that coursed‘ down Bedford Street cut away a portion of the roadway at the entrance to the bridge. Traffic was held up while the hole was bridged with timber. At the wharf the motor-vessels Hawera and Kapuni put out additional lines, each vessel having about eight ! lines forward and an anchor cable, in addition to several breast and stem lines. It was considered unsafe for the motorvessel Inaha to attempt to enter the-river and she was signalled not to cross the ' bar. She berthed at Patea yesterday. At the point where the.river-met the/■ sea at high water the scene was spectacular, the river, laden with tree trunks and debris of all kinds; being forced higher by the relentless pressure of the flood behind and the sea in front. The confusion of waves and debris made ascene that will long be remembered.. Many of the spectators returned to town' for cameras to obtain photographs of the, maelstrom. The sea to the south and east was discoloured over a wide area.