ALONG THE COAST.

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19623, 3 February 1936, Page 3

ALONG THE COAST.

SLIPS AND WASHOUTS. Surging Torrent At Puru. CAMPEh'K' WILD XKiHT. SCENES OF DESOLATION. Puru, YVaiomo and Tapu were each seriously Hooded early yesterday morning, and extensive damage was done to (he Coast Road at many nlaees where swollen streams rushed across the highways, and it was not till late yesterday afternoon that traffic could proceed from Thames to Puru. Between Thames and Thornton's Bay there were several slips ami washouts, the most serious being at the northern end of the latter bay, where hundreds of tons of rocks, gravel and wood were carried down from the nearby hills. Between Thornton's Bay and Puru there were one or two minor slips, while just south of the Puru Bridge the road was completely washed away for a distance of about halt' a chain.

At Waiomo one of the approaches to the bridge was cut out and there were also several sljps. The Tapu Hats were awash and the bridge to the" north of the settlement was badly damaged, part of it caving in and being impassable for traffic.

McMahon's service bus arrived at Thames this morning, after having to ford the Waiomo Creek.

With alarming rapidity floodwatei's swept across the Puru Hats from Hill's store to the Cabaret, inundating practically the whole of that area on the eastern side of the main highway. Campers in tents and baches were caught unawares, and in the short space of an hour the waters had risen in some localities to the height of six feet. A Raging Torrent. Shortly after midnight the Puru Creek broke through its banks and by two o'clock the Hats and Aputu Avenue were being swept by" a raging torrent. Hurried exits from their camps and houses were made by holi-day-makers, the Puru Store being the rendezvous of many. At 3.30 the Hood reached its height, when two or three feet of water were rushing through some of the baches. One parly, camped on the flat north of the bridge, were marooned between the creek and the road and were forced to spend the night on the back of their open lorry. Allot her parly camped on the of the creek had to make a hurried escape, ami by morning the tent was missing, having been buried beneath several lons of sand. For many of the residents the night was decidedly nerve-wracking, and it was not till well into the morning that some of the campers could venture forth with safety. 'Thousands of tons of wood were brought down by the Puru Creek and scattered in every direction, and at leas! two or three people narrowly escaped being injured when negotiating some of the swirling rushes of water.

I'uru was a scene of utter desolation when daylight came and the waters had receded considerably, and although many of the campers received a timely warning of the Hood from a native, Mr. D. Rawiri, who went from house to house at the height of the storm waking occupants, much personal property was damaged and lost. During the height of the storm yesterday morning a narrow escape was experienced by occupants of several baches at the northern entrance to Thornton's Buy, as the result of hundreds of tons of metal and logs being washed down by a swollen stream.

A water-course which runs down from the hills and under the road at this locality was a raging torrent shortly after midnight, and during the early hours of the morning washed down hugli logs which carried away the rear portion of one of the baches and piled up to a height of six feet against a neighbouring house. In one instance logs had been forced into the living room at the rear. Occupants of the houses in this area made a timely escape. The Thames County Council works supervisor, Mr. -J. 11. Adams, stated yesterday, after a brief inspection of the northern end of the area, Unit damage to the roads and bridges between Tapu and the County boundary at Waikawau, could be estimated at at least £3OO.

County workmen were engaged on clearing work yesterday, and it is hoped to have the road passable for through trallic from Thames to Coromaudel in a few days. Damage to the Tapu-Coroglcn highway is so extensive that the road will be almost impassable for traffic for some time, according to advice received from the Thames County works supervisor, .Mr. J. If. Adams, this morning.