TORRENTIAL RAINFALL

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXIV, Issue 8735, 26 February 1935, Page 3

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL

NORTH AUCKLAND VILLAGE INUNDATED SCHOOL CHILDREN IN DANGER By Telegraph—Press Assoclat'on. WHANGAREI, this day. News just to hand shows that Waima, a small village about 15 miles from Kaikohe, had a marvellous escape -from being completely wiped out by the torrential rain, which caused the water to bank up in the hills, at the back of the settlement. Without warning the flood burst through, sweeping down on to the houses below and in about twenty minutes the settlement was the centre of a raging trorent, with logs and debris whirling by. Mrs Johnston, the schoolmistress, was watching the rising of a small creek which was in front of the schoolhouse when another teacher going to the back door saw the water from another creek roaring over the playground. The children were got out of the building just in time and hurried to higher ground, where they watched the water wash through the schoolroom. The flood waters and silt ruined the stock in shops and the furniture in residences, and big logs were piled up in all directions over an area of three-quarters of a mile square. Rain was falling again last night.