TORRENTIAL RAIN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20296, 4 May 1934, Page 7

TORRENTIAL RAIN.

Deluge Experienced Over Canterbury. BRIDGE WASHED AWAY. Torrential rain fell over the whole of Canterbury last night. Exceptionally heavy falls were reported from south of Timaru and as far north as Kailcoura. Many rain-fed creeks and rivers, in the northern districts particularly, are in a swollen state. Compara tively small damage has been done however, and so far there have been no reports of property or stock losses North of Kaikoura the countryside was deluged. Driven before a northeast wind the rain fell in sheets at the Blue Duck Valley, where, between eight o’clock last night and eight o’clock this morning the gauge recorded a fall of four inches. The Black Miller Creek rose rapidly, and the great volume of water, sweeping down the creek bed, carried away the traffic bridge, causing a dislocation to traffic on the Main North Road Cars travelling north had to stop at the southern bank of the river while their passengers were transported through the swollen creek in a cart drawn by a team of horses. When safely over this difficulty, the passengers were picked up by an emergency bus that had been brought down fro mthe north. South-bound pas sengers also crossed the creek by means of the cart. Gale in Some Parts. It is also reported that the road through the Lindis Pass is in a bad state as a result of the rain. The fall commenced about 8 o’clock and continued steadily throughout the night. It was at its hardest about midnight. A north-east wind accompanied the rain. It was blowing a gale in some parts, but in others it was not more than a breeze. To-day the wind changed to the south-west and conditions became colder. Timaru and Ashburton experienced a night of heavy rain, and this morning j there was a good deal of surplus water j lying on the surface of the streets but there was no serious flooding. Boisterous Night. A boisterous night with the wind driving the rain before it sent the people of Akaroa to their beds early. To stay out of doors for more than a few’ minutes was to court a soaking. This morning the wind dropped but the rain continued fairly heavily. At the Hill Top on the Akaroa road there was less wind, but the rain was exceptionally heavy. The road was in a fairly greasy state this morning, but not of a nature to cause any great difficulty to traffic. The rainfall on the Peninsula will be of great benefit to the farmers for it will bring on the feed for the cattle and other stock. Northern Districts. Nearly two inches of rain were recorded at Amberley during the night. The Kow’ai River was somewhat swollen this morning, but did not interfere with traffic. There was also unusually heavy rain at Rangiora. Kaikoura was under a deluge all night and this morning the fall had abated only very little. Darfield and Springfield and the intervening districts also shared the experience of unusually heavy rain. Downpour in City. The city experienced the greater volume of rain at midnight. The fall commenced a few minutes before 9 o'clock, coming from the north-east w’ith a light breeze, and continued throughout the night and the greater part of to-day. Between 9 o’clock last night and 9 o’clock this morning 1.40 in of rain was recorded by the gauge at the Magnetic Observatory. By noon the total had been increased by another third of an inch. This is the heaviest fall recorded in Christchurch for three years. The total to date is 8.57 in, compared with 3.54 in for the corresponding period last year. Flooding was general in the streets but not serious. Farmers, home gardeners and greenkeepers expressed delight in the rainfall. Autumn sown crops and lawns which have already been given a good start by earlier falls of rain this season have made a vigorous growth and with the added moisture from last night’s downpour should make further progress. HIGHWAY BLOCKED. Flood Damage North of Kaikoura. (Special to the “ Star.”) KAIKOURA, May 4. The heavy rain which has been falling in Kaikoura since last night has washed away the approaches of a new bridge under construction at Black Miller, fourteen miles north of Kaikoura, blocking the road. Passengers and mails are crossing the bridge on foot to join waiting cars on the other side. The main road south of Kaikoura is clear, but if the present driving rain from the south-west continues, slips are to be expected. All low-lying ground about Kaikoura is under water. Heavy Rain Experienced in Blenheim. Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, May 4. Heavy rain—about an inch in twelve hours—fell all over the district throughout the night and continues to-day. The Main South Road was blocked between the Clarence Bridge and Kaikoura. The Black Miller Bridge, a temporarv structure, has been washed away. Workmen and materials have been sent from Kaikoura and Hope to erect a temporary bridge during the day.