FLOODS IN NELSON.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18540, 10 April 1930, Page 8

FLOODS IN NELSON.

SLIPS BLOCK RAILWAY TUNNEL. TRAFFIC SUSPENDED ON RAIL AND ROAD. By Telegraph—Press As*ociatlon. NELSON, April 9. Last night there was extremely heavy rain in the country on the Motueka side, and as far back as Tapawera, causing floods over the road in Moutere, and a slip on the railway line near Spooner’s range. There was a downpour all night on the Spooner’s range area, a large slip coming out of a gully on the Tapawera side of the tunnel under Spooner’s range into a cutting immediately at the entrance. This blocked the tunnel. Rain continued heavily and the water has backed up into the tunnel. The Nelson-Kawatiri train, which left Nelson this morning at 7.45, is still at Belgrave, waiting for the line to be cleared. Large gangs are working on the slip. There are also other smaller slips on the line from the far end of the tunnel to Kohatii. Service cars between Nelson and Motueka returned to their starting points this morning after going to the vicinity of the Jubilee Bridge, where there was eight feet of water over the road. Heavy rain fell in this district last night, and has abated little to-day. All the countryside in lower Moutere is flooded, and a number of houses are surrounded, but so far no families have had occasion to leave their homes. Advice has been received that the Belgrove end of the tunnel also has been completely blocked by a large slip that came down this afternoon. A relief gang has been sent out to work on the slip, but at present the extent of the slip is not known. The road is flooded and blocked by slips at the foot of Spooner’s range, and in Belgrove, and no traffic is expected through from the Murchison end today.