RAGING TORRENT

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19816, 21 February 1936, Page 7

RAGING TORRENT

FLOOD AT ASHBURTON. WASH-OUT ON RAILWAY. MAIN ROAD THREATENED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ASHBURTON, Friday. Serious damage to the main railway line and Main South Road followed the overflow of the Ashburton River this morning. The river rose steadily throughout yesterday and reached its peak at 7.30 a.m. to-day, when the water was only a foot or two below' the lop of the bridges, of which there arc three close together. The new rail bridge has been In use only two months and the approach at the south end suffered as a tremendous volume of water rushed between It and the raised approach to the traffic bridge about 8.30 this morning. The railway approach began to crumble, and In half an hour a ohaln of line was suspended oveF a raging torrent. The fury of the flood was then felt against the Main South Road, which is raised 12 to 15 feet at that point, and as only one culvert had been provided to deal with emergencies of this kind, the edges of the road began to fall away soon after 9 o’clock. Appearances are that nothing will prevent a huge breach. Three Miles of Water. The flood covers the golf links to a depth of several feet, and there is a continuous sheet of water, two feet deep, from the bridge to Tinwald, three miles south. Houses in the vicinity are surrounded. This is the third time in eight years that the main road has been breached by floods. The period of stoppage has not yet been ascertained. It is estimated trains will run on each side of the break, the passengers being transferred. The rainfall in the borough for the 24 hours ended at 9 a.m. to-day was 1.75 inches, making 6.5 inches for the two days. There is practically no 'damage to other roads. Many crops are lying in the fields, some of which are sprouting. The position will be worse unless winds follow the cessation of the rain, of RIVERB IN FLOOD. STREETS UNDER WATER. AKAROA SUFFERS DAMAGE. CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. All rain-fed rivers are in heavy flood and the Waimakarlri, which Is not usually affected toy south-west rain, is running 'high. On Banks Peninsula damage estimated at £3OOO was done to the cocksfoot crop, and a few sheep were drowned through the flooding of creeks at Wainui, on Akaroa Harbour. The town of Akaroa was flooded in parts toy creeks rising. The north end of the town suffered most severely, the main street and recreation ground toeing nearly two feet under water. Some families had to leave their homes. The roads in the valleys were deeply scoured, and many slips fell on •practically every road in the district. The •st-*rm in the city aud suburbs was the worst for several years. The Avon overflowed its banks in the Avonside district, and in low-lying parts of the suburbs, where the storm water drainage was inadequate to cope with the unprecedented run-off, the roads were awash. Avonsidc Drive was covered toy two feet of water for several chains, and residents were unable to leave their houses. Position at TlmaruAt a late hour to-night there were prospects of heavy flooding throughout South Canterbury. Light rain fell throughout the day at Tlmaru, but early this evening there was a torrential downpour, upward of two Inches being recorded in some parts in three hours. The rivers and creeks are all running high, and unless the rain ceases there will probably be heavy floods 1 o-morrow. A good many farmers have not. yet threshed their wheat and oat crops, and heavy losses are likely. Many paddocks are almost submerged, and l he quantity of surface water about is greater than at any period in the past seven or eight years. CAMP MENACED. j RELIEF WORKERS’ PERIL. (By 1 elrgrapn.—Press Association.) j CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. | Fifty relief workers in camp near •he Ashley Rridge, on the Main North , Road, were surrounded by flood waters -m an island between the Ashley River | ant * Saltwater Creek. Their plight Is one of considerable danger, ns there is I a possibility of the stop bank giving I way and releasing a heavy volume of flood waters.

• Efforts were made to-night lo reach the men, flrst with horse an;l dray and then with boats, tout it was impossible to approach thorn with a dray, and boats could not be transported to the spot either from the north or south owing to tlie floods having made the roads, bridges, or streams impassable. The efforts to reach the men are continuing. If the stop bank holds it Is not likely that the flood waters surrounding the camp will rise much more, and Ihe men will be safe, but if tiie stnp bank goes they will be in grave danger of being overwhelmed and their whole camp swept away. The rain had eased at a late hour to-mgli , and as the flooding i R from subside StlCamS the waters will soof. WORKERS MAROONED. CAMPERS RESCUED. BELIEF WORKERS SAFE. k c mustV:ll un•: \ i°, °u u . The |0 relief workers in Ihe Lower (Continued in next column.)

Ashley cam]', who were marooned on a sl op bank by Ihe flood waters last night, were rescued by boats at noon to-day.