RAINS IN AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 30 December 1926, Page 8

RAINS IN AUSTRALIA.

CAUSE FLOODS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. SYDNEY, Dec. 29. Torrential rains benehtted the whola. State, but caused heavy floods in many parts. The town of Cessnock and the suburbs of Newcastle suffered severely and Scores of people were rendered homeless. There were many . thrilling rescues. . • Itaiu, falling without cessation for 48 hours, submerged all the low lying parts of Newcastle and district, causing damage estimated at many thousands sterling. Belmont, a holiday resort on Lake Mncquarrie, is cut off from Newcastle both by rail and by road, owing to sections of the line and road submerging.

So rapidly did the flood waters rise that the safety of the inhabitants was jeopardised. As the local municipal authorities had made no prevision for rescue work in the event of floods, the work had to be taken over by the Newcastle police. The water .police manned skiffs, and rowing 'up and down the flooded streets rescued householders. As the rain continues it is anticipated that the position will become more acute.

Reports from all parts of the country state that communications are grestlv interrupted. There are many washaways on . the railways, disorganising traffic.

Cessnock was flooded without warning, tile waters Vising so rapidly that the residents barely bad time to escape from their submerged homes In one ease the police hwd to swim 100 yards to rescue a family, whom they pulled into boats by ropes. Many miners, with families encamped in the garden suburb of North Stockton for the holidays, had to evacuate, as their tents were, torn down by a cyclone, which accompanied xixs floods.

So far only on e fatality is reported. An old irfan living in a tent at the foot of the Liverpool- Range, near Murrundi, was drowned in attempting to cross a flooded gully..

Further floods and heavy gales are anticipated, and flood warnings have been issued in all parts of the country.