ROADS STILL BLOCKED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 227, 26 September 1942, Page 4

ROADS STILL BLOCKED

WANGANUI RIVER IN FLOOD HEAVY BACK-COUNTRY RAIN Further heavy rain was experienced in Wanganui yesterday, and though temperatures were cooler, with occasional rain squalls, there was less wind. The Wanganui River was in flood and very discoloured, but reports from Pipiriki yesterday afternoon indicated that the flood waters reached their peak on Thursday night.

By two o’cock yesterday afternoon the Wanganui River at Pipiriki had fallen five feet in as many hours, and it was stated that the flood waters were rapidly receding. When the fresh reached its peak on Thursday night the water was 25 feet above ihe wharf.

The Wanganui River Road is still blocked by slips, and traffic cannot proceed beyond Mokonui, about 38 miles from Wanganui and just below Ranana. A service car which left Wanganui on Wednesday afternoon is blocked bv slips between Jerusalem and Pipiriki. No indication is available as to when the River Road will be open, and except for water transport Pipiriki was still isolated yesterday. A slip on the Pipiriki Road, which gives access to Raetihi, was expected to have been cleared bv last evening. To overcome the transport difficulty caused by the road being blocked, a river vessel left Pipiriki yesterday morning for Wanganui. The boat made a fast trip of under live hours. Circumstances permitting it will leave this morning on the return journey to Pipiriki. The flood in the Wanganui River was among the highest this year. Portions of the Esplanade. Wananui East, were flooded when Nixon’s Creek backed up. By 11 a.m., when the tide was high the river reached its peak, but this was well below the record Centennial flood of 1940. The Automobile Association (Wanganui) advised last night, that, the Mangaweka-Taihape highway is blocked, and it is expected to remain so until after the week-end. The blockage is between Mangaweka and Utiku. but there is a deviation available by the Kawhatu Road. This road, although narrow and winding, is renorted to be in good condition. Field’s Track Road is closed. The Wanganui-Raetihi highway is onen for light traffic only. The Wanganui River Road will be closed until Monday.