DISASTROUS CLOUD BURST.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 31 October 1912, Page 5

DISASTROUS CLOUD BURST.

SENSATIONAL OCCURRENCE NEAR ASHBURTON.

MUCH DAMAGE DONE

RAILWAY SERVICE BLOCKED

(Per Press Association.) ASHBURTON, October 30

A cloudburst occurred at Ealing, on the Ashburton banks of the Rangitata, and 20 miles south of Ashburton, at about 3-30 this afternon. As a resuult, tho whole countryside for a, radius of about two miles was flooded with water, which rose in many paddocks and on roads to a depth of from three to five feet. The deluge lasted about half an hour, and the damage to land and crops must bo considerable, while standing timber, etc., was carried away. From the general public's point of view, however, tho worst feature of the phenomenal autburst is its effect on the railway system. The water soon ran in torrents over the banks of the railway cutting, where the line descends to tho Rangitatn railway bridge. It played havoc with the 'banks, corrugating and tearing them badly for fully a hundred yards, and soon submerged the rails. The flood waters converged at tho foot of the cutting in the two chain open embankment between tho banks and the beginning of tho bridge proper. The force of th© heavy volume destroyed tho embankment totally for five or six yards, and, for all practical purposes, for the whole of the two chains. In tho central part tho rails and sleepers Avers left hanging over a gap seven feet deep. —"

Tho second ex-nress from tho south was stooppd at Rangitata, and a goods train from the north at Ealing. A local maintenance jranec immediately set to work to clear the lino.

A relief train from Ashburton reached the sceno at 9-30, and passengers, mails and brurenrro wore transhipped fmm ono train to another, Ashburton Iv-.ipo- reached oil tho return journey at 10-20. y

A corn! staff of men are now on the scene, and renn.ir work will proceed oonti^n''''^ 1"'. Iv?t "~ n-n-,] 1 >«s ; been received vet n«i to when traffic can bo resumed.