HEAVY FLOODING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21183, 2 November 1938, Page 6

HEAVY FLOODING

Awakino District Suffers Slip Blocks Main Road By Telegrapn—Press AssoclttMa NEW PLYMOU TH. November 1. Heavy rain throughout the day in | the Awakino district resulted in floodi tog of flat country about Awakino and in the Uruti Valley. ' An extensive slip in the Awakino J Valley blocks the New PlymouthAuckland road, and it is not expected to be cleared before midday tomorrow-. The rain began throughout the North Taranaki district this morning, and continued without diminution, north of New Plymouth, water this afternoon coxcred the Main North Road in Uruti Valley to a depth of several feet, and only very high vehicles were able to go through. It was still raining heavily to-night, but stock had been moved to safety and no losses were feared. At Awakino. however, the position is worse. Flat land north of the township was under water, the Awakino river hating risen rapidly. The tide had been running out, but was about to turn and, with no cessation of the rain seeming likely, further flooding and serious stock losses were feared. A slip began to fall on the main highway in Awakino Valley, about seven miles north of Awakino, early in the day, continuing till at about 4 p.m. it had rendered the road impassable. The extent was such that a Public Works official estimated that it could not be cleared before midday tomorrow-. A service car bound from New Plymouth to Auckland, which had just negotiated the big slip before it completely blocked the road, was unable to proceed more than a mile and a half farther for several small slips blocked the road, and it was marooned for several hours. The driver hoped to continue the journey late to-night. There were no passengers aboard. v