FLOODS IN POVERTY BAY

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1935, Page 7

FLOODS IN POVERTY BAY

SOME HIGHWAYS BLOCKED

SERVICE CAR SLIDES OVER BANK.

WATER RUNS INTO NUHAKA SHOPS

SLIPS QUICKLY CLEARED AWAY.

By Telegraph--Press Association.

Gisborne, Last Night.

■ Exceptionally, heavy rains on Friday and Saturday morning caused several slips on the Wairoa-Gisborne road, in one section alone the road being blocked' for three miles. At Nuhaka on the same road a culvert was Washed out. As a result Gisborne was isolated on Saturday so far as passengers, goods traffic and mails was concerned. The rain eased somewhat on Saturday and strenuous efforts on the part of the Public Works Department gangs saw the main road completely reopened to-day, a number of cars including service cars coming through during the afternoon. The Tiniroto service car was pushed over a 100 feet drop by a passing truck bn a slippery road. Two of the five passengers were injured and were brought to hospital at Gisborne. Mrs. R. E. Barton, Ruaituri, suffered a badly crushed leg and Raki Mauku, head injuries. An ambulance travelled 140 miles through a storm and torrential rain taking a circuitous route via Wairoa, to avoid a road rendered impassable by rain, and traversed flooded roads. It also went through slips over the hill route. The main highway between Gisborne and 1 Napier, via Morere, was badly damaged as a result of heavy rains overnight. A culvert near Nuhaka was washed away and small slips on JoblinS Hill also held up traffic.

The other main route between Gisborne and Wairoa, via Tiniroto, has been out of commission for some weeks owing to an extensive repair programme. Nuhaka reports the worst storm since 1910. The township suffered severely, the water pouring through the shops and houses. The Nuhaka River in one part changed its course eating away some acres of flat land. Other streams are in high flood and the main road at Whakaki is under water. The rainfall at Gisborne for the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. was the heaviest recorded in years. The Public Works Department is despatching all available men from Bartletts and Morere to clear the slips.