FLOOD CONDITIONS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19915, 27 September 1934, Page 8

FLOOD CONDITIONS

RESULT OF EASTERLY RAIN ROADS BLOCKED The steady easterly rain which has been experienced in South Canterbury during the last two days has again brought about flood conditions. In Timaru, up till 9 o’clock yesterday morning, the total rainfall registered at the Timaru Park, was 1.10 inches, bringing the fall for the year up to 21 inches. The rain eased off about 9 o’clock, and when conditions lightened slightly, there was a hope that brighter weather would return. The rain held off until about 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon, when a fine drizzle again set in, later becoming very thick. At one period it was impossible to see the harbour or Benevenue Cliffs from the top of the Bay. Apparently the fall in the back country has been much heavier than nearer the sea, for all the rivers in the district are in high flood. Yesterday afternoon the Temuka and Opihi rivers were rising rapidly, while the Pareora v ✓ in high flood. At Holme Station the river was flowing across the paddocks on the Station side at the point where the old bridge was washed away in a previous flood. Reports from the south yesterday indicated that heavy flooding had been experienced at several points, and motor traffic was held up. A message received by the South Canterbury Automobile Association yesterday afternoon stated that the water near Morven was 31 inches deep, and there was also a fair amount of water on the roadway at Makikihi. A service bus which left Dunedin at 9 a.m. yesterday failed to get beyond Morven. Creeks at Maheno were also very high, and a deviation had to be made through Kakanui. The Palmerston South-Ran-furly road was impassable, and would not be open for two days. The main road south of Waimate was also blocked at the Waihao Bridge, where the water was reported to be four feet deep.

SLIPS GIVE TROUBLE

Bv Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, September 26. The main road to Akaroa is blocked by a slip near Barry’s Bay, caused by the rain which has been falling since Monday. No service cars were able to get through up till noon. A large gang is working. Other slips have blocked the AkaroaPigeon Bay Road, but the weather is clearing slightly. TRAFFIC DELAYED By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, September 26. The steady driving rain from the north for 24 hours, amounting to over three inches in the country, though only one inch in the city, has ceased. Some slips occurred, and a small one outside Caversham tunnel delayed the workers’ trains briefly. The Kaikorai stream is dangerously high at Green Island, causing fear of a repetition of the floods of three years ago. Several roads are reported blocked in Otago Central, necessitating some deviations.