WEST COAST DELUGE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 February 1935, Page 4

WEST COAST DELUGE

RECORD FLOOD.

HOKITIKA INUNDATED.

HOKITIKA, Wednesday

y Tlic heaviest flood on record was experienced to-day following a rainfall of 9.17 inches in the last 24 hours.

The lowest portions of the town are flooded to a depth of three to four feet.

Many houses and business places are invaded causing considerable loss. •- A number of district bridges were damaged. Much damage is reported in various parts of the country. The bridge at Stafford was washed out.—(P.A.) SCENE OF DESOLATION. HOKITIKA, This |fy. What was a record flood receded during the night, leaving a scene of desolation behind.

Many of the business places and numberless residences in the southern portion of the town had up to two feet of water therein.

Much damage, was done to stock and furnishings. Reports from the country indicate that the south escaped much damage. Arahura Yalley reports that a large number of cattle and pigs were swept away. The electric power is out of commission, while the borough water, supply has broken down. The streets are covered "with mud and debris. The weather is now normal.—(P.A.)

BUSINESS AT STANDSTILL.

GREYMOUTII, Wednesday.

Business at Hokitika is at a standstill and the town is cut off north and south by rail. The train front Grey mouth is held up four miles from jHokitika by washouts and water on line. No mails ,or other freight Tcould be taken across during the day because the main highway further inland, at Stafford, suffered even far worse than the railwajjWue to the breakaway of the large Stafford Dam. This washed out the roadway entirely and also destroyed the bridge, the stream continuing across the road for some hours and bringing with it trees and other debris.

There was a good deal of erosiofi in Hokitika streets'but the waters late in the afternoon wero receding. The town’s water supply was cut off by slips between there and. Lake Kanieri, which carried away 12 chains of pipe line. North of Greymoutli there was heavy rain but not sufficient to cause much damage. All trains and road traffic was able to get through.—(P.A.)

CONDITIONS AT GREYMOUTH. GREYMOUTH, Wednesday. • Heavy rain since 5 a.m. yesterday has resulted in serious flooding, jlie damage being mainly to the south of Greymoutli. The Hokitika-Greymouth road is blocked at Stafford through the creek breaking its banks and flowing across the road. . The Hokitika-Greymouth railway ljv is blocked at Hoho, there being seveWl feet of water over the line, while the Greymouth-Otira road is blocked in three places. A large slip at Wainihinihi fell on the Tracey homestead, the occupants escaping injury.

A culvert rvas washed out at Neanies. and there is a large slip on the Turiwhata Bluff.

Debris is piled against the old Wai-„ nihinihi bridge and will possibly damage the new structure if the old bridge gives way. ■ 1

The rails on the Hokitika railway bridge were shifted, and the Ross-Hoki-tika train was taken back to Ross, as it was too dangerous to cross the bridge. The Grey-Christchurch telegraph lines and the Grey-llokitika lines arc faulty. Rain continues, the fall at Greymoutli being 277 points in 24 hours. —(P.A.)

HEAVY RAIN IN BULLER DISTRICT WESTPORT, Wednesday. Although there has been heavy rain in the Buller district, the damage is not nearly so great as further south. ’ A washout occurred at the Four Mile above Lyell on the Buller Road and jlfc is understood that cars will not £§■ through to-morrow. It may be necessary to revert to the Maruia route, which was used during reconstruction of earthquake damage to the Buller Road. A rvashout has occurred at Dirty Mary’s Creek on the coastal road but the new bridge under construction is available for traffic. A slip has occurred at Konini Creek on the Karamelkroute, holding up traffic except by ™irs meeting on either side of the slip.—(P.A.)