Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Thursday 24 January 1946, page 1


TOWNS STILL CUT OFF

Floods Near

Moree

Moree and other lowm in the north-west which were flooded by violent thunderstorms on Tues-day are still cut off from Sydney by rail.

The thunderstorm swung out to the North Coast yesterday, where falls averaged between

two and (bree inches.

Queensland long-distance railway services have been seriously dis-rupted by floods. The Railway Department is grappling with one of'the biggest flood problems in its history.

The Mehi, which is usually a dry watercourse, at Moree, is now a big river, cutting the town in half and flooding several hundred homes. Some buildings are covered to the rooftops.

On Tuesday night, the flood put the power station out of action. In the black-out, police organised rescue gangs to bring families from flooded

areas.

Police moved all patients from the Moree District Hospital. They used a boat built during the day. by the officer-in-charge, Jnspector Thomas.

Part of Bingara, about 75 miles south-east of Moree, was flooded yes-

terday, but by evening the water had

fallen clear of the (own.

The Macintyre River flood around inverell is now falling, and appears to have done little damage.

The flood is now at Gravesend, but the telephone line there was broken last night, and no reports could be

obtained.

Biggest Since 1920

Copes Creek at Tingha, south of Inverell, was yesterday running, its biggest flood since 1920. Several

homes were flooded.

Flooded rivers and tributaries throughout the north are expected to fall to-day. Almost everywhere floods have now fallen from their peaks.

Dozens of small bridges will need repair. Roads are still impassable, many telephone lines are down, and full details cannot yet be compiled

by local officials.

Flood damage to railway lines at several places in the Moree district had been repaired sufficiently for local trains to proceed at reduced speed,

the Railway Department stated yes- terday.

No "through" communication with Sydney, however, is yet possible.

Further damage is being disclosed as the waters recede, and it will pro-

bably be several days before all the lines are fit for traffic.

Engine Derailed

A temporary line will probably be built round the engine and four trucks of a goods train which were derailed near Gurlie on Tuesday morning.

The north-west mail leaving Syd-ney this afternoon will travel only as far as Gurlie, and the train which or-dinarily leaves Moree for Sydney will depart from Gurlie.

The department has arranged for temporary transport of passengers be-

tween Gurlie and Moree.

Kyogle yesterday had 325 points of rain, Casino 334, Byron Bay 342, and

Lismore 628.

Two divisions of the Townsville mail, which left Brisbane on Tuesday, are expected to be beld up at Hughen-den until Saturday or Sunday.

Three trains due to leave Brisbane to-morrow for Townsville and Cairns will not leave until Friday, and three trains which were lo leave Townsville to-night for Brisbane, via the western route, have been postponed indefi- nitely.

Fine And Warm

The weather forecast is "fine and warm."

The chart shows some possibility of coolness in a few days, but the Act-ing Divisional Meteorologist (Mr. Newman) says it is too early to make any forecast beyond that of heat for the next day or two.

Maximum temperature in Sydney yesterday was 77 degrees at 11.20 a.m. Then it gradually fell until it was 71.9 at 7 p.m.

It hung within half a degree of that temperature all the evening.

Humidity again averaged about 70 per cent., with maximum of 90 per cent, at 7 a.m., and minimum of 62

at 11 a.m.

Last night wa« humid and oppres-

sive.

At midnight the temperature wa« 71.5 degrees and the humidity 85 per

cent.

An hour later th« temperature dropped .7 degrees, but the humidity increased by 2 per cent.