Serious Easter Storms and Floods

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 90, 18 April 1938, Page 8

Serious Easter Storms and Floods

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE CAUSED

CLOUDBURST IN THE SOUNDS TONS OF BOULDERS WASHED DOWN MOUNTAIN HOUSES WRECKED AS OCCUPANTS ESCAPE Severe storms irom Taranaki southwards as far as North Canterbury, during the last few days have caused widespread damage and losses of stock. In Admiralty Bay, near French Pass, a cloudburst on Mt. Turner caused landslides and torrents of water to rush down the slopes, carrying huge boulders which wrecked four houses. The owner of one homestead, Mr. Robert Sharron Turner, later died from the shock of the experience. His house was completely destroyed and the occupants, Mr. Turner, his wife, and two sons, escaped a moment or two before the' building was wrecked. Torrential rain in Taranaki, which has caused heavy Hooding and many slips, has isolated some districts. The railway line between Auckland and New Plymouth was blocked by landslides and an excursion train from Auckland had to make a long detour. Traffic was d’slocated on some of the highways in Marlborough through washouts and damage to bridges. In Canterbury the Rakaia River rose to an abnormal height and flooded the surrounding districts. Several workmen’s huts were flooded, the occupants having to seek shelter on higher ground. Although heavy and consistent rains were experienced throughout the Wanganui district on Friday and Saturday, ho great damage has been reported. A washout on the railway line at Rata on Saturday night delayed Mian Trunk passenger traffic for some hours, and slips on the Wanganui River Road, between Pipiriki and Raetihi, interfered with road traffic from the Chateau to Wanganui. Cars had to be diverted to the Wanga-nui-Raetihi (Parapara) Road. Conditions in the Wanganui district eased considerably yesterday, and reports from up country stated that the river, which was in fairly heavy flood, showed signs of decreasing. Repairs have been effected to the railway at Rata and the River Road is expected to be open at 9 o’clock this morning.

HOUSES_WRECKED CLOUDBURST IN SOUNDS MAN DIES OF SHOCK TORRENTS OF BOULDERS £ Far Fraaa AaaaeiaHoa. J NELSON, April 16. Kcldents ot Turner’s Bay, in Admiralty Bay, near French Pass, had a nerve-wracking experience on Thursday night when a cloudburst over Mount Turner ehanged a quiet into a raging torrent, which changed its course and swept tons of boulders right through a house. Mr Robert Turner, senr., who suffered from a weak heart, died of shock. The family saved only a few personal belongings and the house furniture was ruined. In the next bay, Puketea Bay, three houses occupied by Mr E. Guard and his two sons, were also in the line of the storm, and were destroyed. Early reports stated that one house was washed out to sea, another collapsed, and another was buried under the rocks. The storm broke at 6.30 on Thursday afternoon, when there was a terrific electric storm over Mount Turner, causing knives and forks on the table to jump about. It was then that the residents of Admiralty Bay decided to move. The men went down to the creek and a wall of water swept down. Only by clinging to a fence did they escape being washed away. They then dashed back to the house and carried the womenfolk across the torrent to a whare which was out of the line of the flood. Th? creek, which is some chains behind the house, then broke its banks anl poured with devastating force on to the house. The bank near the back door was washed out and the area was filled up with tons of boulders. At the back of the house boulders are 10 feet deep, extending back 6 or 7 chains. Apparently the creek at the back of the house undermined the slope, which shifted on to the back of the dwelling. All the furniture, which was new, was ruined. At 11 o’clock the three men went up the creek where it had broken through and, with difficulty, dammed it up to turn U back on to its original course. Roar of Slips "It was uncanny to hear the roar of the slips coming down in ail directions,” said Mr H. M. Baker, an eyewitness. “There were huge landslides on Mount Turner and boulders were carried right down by the river to the house. Standing at the door of the whare we could hear the boulders thundering down the creek bed and crashing against the back of the house.” “AH the houses round Admiralty Bay were affected to some extent, but not so badly as Turner’s or Guard’s. The Turner family came by launch to Nelson yesterday, bringing the body of their father. Telephone communication with this portion of the Sounds is cut off. The scene at Puketea Bay is also appalling. Mr Guard’s house was not washed out to sea. but the thre? houses are completely wrecked; the only thing saved is a boat shed. Thousands of tons of boulders an* rocks came down and covered four acres where the houses stood. One of Mr Guard’s houses has only the roof showing. Some of the rocks brought down are estimated to weigh over 30 tons. Many of the telephone lines are out of commission, and it is not known how many of the scattered settlers fared. Not in the memory of the oldest residents has anything approaching

TERRIBLE HALF-HOUR SUDDENNESS OF DISASTER Mount Turner, which rises about 1800 feet above Mr R. Turner’s house and on the other side of which is Puketea Bay, where the Guards’ three houses were destroyed, appears to have been the centre of Thursday evening's cloudburst. It had rained consistently all day Wednesday and Thursday, culminating in thunder and lightning and a terrific downpour about 6.30 p.m. In not much more than half an hour the worst was over and the waters were receding, but the damage wrought in that short space of time was almost indiscrib - able. What were grassy paddock;? and attractive homesteads became wrecked homes amidst thousands of tons of huge boulders. With the heavy downfall huge slips occurred on Mount Turner in all directions, many falling across the usually tiny creek bed. For a period the waters were held up, only to break through with a rushing whirl carrying hundreds of tons of boulders with them. The hillsides appear to contain enormous quantities of smooth waterworn boulders and these were brought down with the rushing water. Some of the boulders are ot enormous size and so strong was the force of the water that they were hurled about in every direction. At Mr R. Turner’s homestead, which haa been rebuilt only two years after a disastrous fire, boulders of all sizes were swept through the hall of the house and bounded down the concrete rath to the sea with great force. In the kitchen the evening meal han been prepared and as the men were cut looking at the flooded stream plates were placed over the food. By some means or other the table was not upset and although the room filled with boulders to within five feet of the ceiling and the meal remained intact, there was no time to eat. Those watching the stream only had time to warn the womenfolk to leave the house as a swirling wall of water ten feet high was seen coming down the creek. Breaking the bank behind the house. Five distinct flashes 1 of lightning were seen in exactly the same place and it seemed to the settlers that the slips moved simultaneously with the flashes, but of this they could not be certain. There has been a building on the site of the Turners’ home for about a hundred years. Hammonds were there some years before the Nelson settlement was founded in 1842. The Guards’ three houses on the other side of Mount Turner suffered a similar fate. In one instance only the roof of the house is showing above the boulders. The view of the Mount Turner hillside from a launch is as if it had been subjected to a merciless bombardment.

SERIOUS DAMAGE WORKERS’ HUTS FLOODED I Per Press Association. ) ASHBURTON, April 16. As a result of heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday the Rakaia River rose about nine feet in the most serious flood lor several years. Damage, estimated at between £3OO I and £4OO, was caused at a traffic • bridge construction works. Boxing I for the concrete of a span at the • north end was swept away, boxing at the south end was damaged, and a screen at the south end is a mass of wreckage. At the full height of the flood water covered the decking of the old bridge. Apparently the new railway bridge works are not affected. Four of six huts of railway workmen were flooded to a depth of from four to five feet, the occupants removing to other huts on higher land. this occurrence been seen. In some instances thousands of tons of boulders and rocks now cover what were formerly the house and properties of the settlers.

RAIN IN WANGANUI DISTRICT FLOOD CONDITIONS PREVAIL SPORTS PROGRAMMES ALTERED SLIP OX WANGANUI RIVER ROAD MAIN TRUNK TRAINS DELAYED Heavy rain which fell throughout the Wanganui district on Friday and Saturday gave place to fog and cloudy conditions yesterday, temperatures rising considerably. Sports programmes arranged for the Easter holidays had to be seriously curtailed, in some cases abandoned. The weather fell more heavily on the rowing organisation than on any other. Crews had assembled in Wanganui from all over New Zealand for the championship regatta and flood conditions in the river resulted in the programme having to be seriously amended. Driftwood exposed frail racing craft to serious risk of damage, and although all connected with the regatta hoped for an jjeasing of those conditions it was not possible to carry the programme through as was intended. It is to be continued this morning, starting sharp at 7 o’clock. Sporty Interfered With. Bowling and tennis tournaments on Saturday and the Wanganui Collegiate School’s outdoor programme were postponed, the sports until Tuesday. Those Collegiate School activities scheduled for outdoors to-day will go forward to time-table if the weathei permits. Although driftwood in the river proved the undoing of the championship regatta it brought a harvest to thrifty and energetic householders. Many gatherers were afield on Friday, Saturday, and again yesterday, and quite good hauls of wood were obtained as tangible reward for the labour expended. Reports from Taumarunui last night to the “Chronicle” were that rain ceased falling at 9 o’clock yesterday morning and conditions were inclined to turn to frost last night. One of the heaviest downpours Taumarunui has experienced occurred at four o’clock yesterday morning and was accompanied by a severe thunderstorm. Aurora Australis. The brilliant display of the Aurora Australis on Saturday night, coming after the day’s unhappy conditions, was hailed by many as a good omen. The southern sky was a blaze of brilliant colour, a soft, phosphorescence seeming to dominate the rays of deep red which, reaching upward, blended almost into gold. A fringe of dark cloud obscured some of the display, but the brilliance was outstanding, quite the best seen in Wanganui for many years. Those who were able to view the sky from a high vantage point report that the reflection from the sea was of a deep, phosphorescent green, in distinct contrast to the blaze of red above. The combined effect of the moon and the rays of the Australis apparently blended to give the sea that effect.

CONDITION OF HIGHWAYS PIPIRIKI ROAD BLOCKED PARAPARA WAS CLEAR LAST NIGHT PRISON WORK ON ROAD TO CHATEAU Although a certain amount of damage has been caused to roads in the Wanganui district, up to last night nothing in the nature of a serious blockage had been reported. Slips occurred on the Wanganui River Road above Pipiriki on Friday and the work of clearing them was begun yesterday. It is anticipated that the road will be open again by nine o'clock this morning. Two slips fell in that region, one five miles from Pipiriki and the other about six miles. Traffic from The Chateau to Wanganui intending to journey through Pipiriki has had to be diverted down the WanganuiRaetihi (Parapara) road. That highway was open last night, Prisoners to Rescue. Many motorists using the Welling-ton-Auckland main Highway were held up betwen Tonganro National Park and National Park Junction on Friday when a culvert was washed away. Fortunately the railway culvert spanning the same stream wadstrong enougn to withstand the force of the iioou water or there woulu have been even more serious dislocation of holiday traffic. There seemen i little likelihood of the road being clear for a considerable time and the holiday plans of many people were endangered, when a gang of prisoners from the Waikune prison camp, m charge of two warders, came to the rescue and in about three hours had built a serviceable temporary bridge across the flooded stream, 'rhe worn of the men was hampered by driving rain and by the fact that they did not have a great many of the necessary tools. The railway line and the highway run parallel at this spot and girders, sleepers, and other railway material lying in the vicinity were pressed into service in the formation of the temporary structure. The efforts of the workmen evoked the admiration of the motorists who were loud in their praise of the line work done. A number of Wanganui visitors to The Chateau were placed in an awkward position on Friday, when they were informed that it would probably take a wek to repair the culvert and if they wished to return before that time they would have to detour via the Waikato and New Plymouth or via Napier. Needless to say they appreciated the speedy repairs effected by the prisoners.

WASHOUT ON RAILWAY MAIN TRUNK TRAINS DELAYED WATER OVER RAIL AND ROAD! AT RATA A washout occurred on the railway line about one and a-half miles north of the Rata station on Saturday night | It resulted in the Wellington-Auck-land express being delayed live hour§, the train lirst going to the scene and later returning to Marion. The Auckland-Wellington express was an hour and a-half late reaching Marton. Mr J. Dow, district railways engineer at Wanganui, and Mr D. St George, district traffic manager at Wanganui, visited the scene of the washout and repairs were then in progress. A work train was despatched and the temporary repairs eltectea to let the express through were consolidated. The normal time-table has now been resumed. At first the Railway Department contemplated diverting the express through Wanganui and the Ohakune line, and making arrangements to cater for passenger traffic between Hunterville and Taumarunui by a special to be run from Hunterville. When it was found that the repair work was not going to take a unduly long time, however, the express was held at Marton for the five hours and refreshments made available to tnose aboard. A heavy volume of water also affected the road at Rata as well as the line. HOMES ISOLATED EAST TARANAKI FLOODS SICK MAN’S PLIGHT NEW PLYMOUTH, April 16. Slips on almost every road and on the railway line, bridges washed away, and washouts were caused by the most serious floods for years in East Taranaki. They followed prolonged torrential rain in the area between Whangamomona and Stratford yesterday. Communication by road was completely disorganised, and with the whole district affected it appears likely to be some time before it will be fully restored. It was the worst flood for 3Q years, according to some settlers. Rain began to fall <v Wednesday, became heavier on Thursday, and throughout the night it came down in torrents with scarcely a break until yesterday afternoon. Meanwhile rivers, normally little more than creeks, had been swollen by water pouring off the hills, the soil of which is not very porous, and steep hillsides began to slide. The most .serious disorganisation of road traffic and damage to property occurred in Makahu, Puniwhakau, and the Matau areas, where a number of slips is reported. Homes were isolated, and river erosion changed completely the contour of farms. Fences were swept away and some were left hanging in space. Two bridges were washed away, and many washouts have occurred. The widespread nature of the damage makes it difficult to discover how much the districts have suffered, for the blocking of roads has prevented an examination on an extensive scale. The district has suffered heavily through loss of sheep and stock, but how much stock has disappeared is difficult to say before a muster. Mr. A. Coyne, aged 76, is seriously ill at Makahu, which is isolated by floods. It is impossible for a doctor from Stratford to reach Mr. Coyne, nor can anyone from the district get out to obtain aid for him. It was unfortunate that coincident with the floods that have robbed him of medical attention Mr. Coyne took a turn for the worse that made a doctor's presence advisable. Floods and torrential rain were reported on Mount Egmont. The worst flood for several years occurred in the Kapuni River at Dawson Falls, and the site of the old powerhouse was completely covered. Rain, which fell at the North Egmont hostel in twenty-four hours overflowed the rain gauge, which measures up to 11 inches.

RAIN SPOILS COLLEGIATE SPORTS EMPSON MEMORIAL. DEDICATED ACTIVITIES CONTINUED TO-DAY. The wet weather during the Easter vacation brought about the postponement of the Wanganui Collegiate School sports to have been held on Saturday. The sports will be commenced this morning and will conclude to-morrow, if the weather is suitable. A rowing race, to have been held this morning, between the School and old boys has definitely been abandoned on account of the state of the river. On Saturday evening a concert was held at the school, which was attended by past pupils. The Empson Memorial Panel in the school chapel, which was the subject of an article in Saturday’s “Chronicle,” was dedicated by the Bishop of Wellington, the Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland, at a special service held last evening attended by old boys and their ladies. After chapel, the headmaster, Mr. F. W. Gilligan, and Mrs. Gilligan were “at home” in the school dining hall. Featured at the sports to-day will be a relay race between old boys and the school, and a tug-of-war. At 4.30 this afternoon the prifce-giving is to take place on the field. The ball is to be held in the Big School this evening. Celebrations are to conclude to-mor-row with athletics, swimming and two football matches.