Old news from Armidale and New England

Wednesday 6 January 1926, The Sydney Morning Herald

SERVICES DISLOCATED.

ARMIDALE, Tuesday.

Following upon Sunday's torrential fall,
which did incalculable damage to roads and
bridges, another storm of even greater sever-
ity was experienced at Armidale this evening.
Rain commenced steadily to fall at 5 o'clock,
and gradually increased until 6 o'clock, when
it was almost impossible to see across the
street. Crowds of people huddled under
verandahs, unable to proceed to their homes.
Gutters became rushing streams, and in a
short time the flood waters had spread over
the roads. The eastern half of Main-street,
which never before had been flooded, was
inches under water. The force of the water
rushing into culverts caused a spray to rise
several feet in the air.

At half past 6 o'clock an enormous volume
of water came rushing down Dumaresq-street,
and within 15 minutes had covered the flats.
The police took charge of operations when
houses in the vicinity of the creek were
threatened. The houses for the most part
were occupied by pensioners, who were re-
moved to safety. There was some excite-
ment when it was reported that Mr. Keightly,
an ex-mayor of Armidale, was missing. A
volunteer waded through the water knee
deep, and broke into the house. He found
Mr. Keightly lying on a bunk, with the water
almost covering him.

A raging torrent racing over Glen Innes
road hold up all traffic. 'Bus services were
dislocated, and there was serious interference
with telephonic communication owing to the
flooding of the underground cable. It is esti-
mated that a week will elapse before normal
conditions are restored. Several horses were
trapped by the flood waters, but owing to
the darkness their fate is unknown.

At West Armidale, the Markham-street
bridge is almost under water. It is in an
unsafe condition. A big volume of water
coming from Dumaresq Creek broke through
Albion Park, bringing with it large trees, and
depositing them in the main street, where
shops are flooded, the water being from 1ft to
2ft deep in places.

The municipal gas works are under water.
Tho whole gas service is dislocated. Debris
is piled up against the works and gasometer,
and the fires were extinguished by the flood
waters.

The flood is the severest in the history of
Armidale, and the fact that rain was still
falling at 10 p.m., and that the water was
showing no signs of receding, makes the po-
sition serious.