NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
December 1899 South Island Flooding
(
1899-12-03
)
Heavy rain caused flooding in Southland and parts of Otago.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - From the 3rd till the 5th of December.
Flooding
There were delays on the railway line from Invercargill to Kingston on the 4th. The morning train from Lumsden could not get through to Kingston due to washouts. There were also delays on the Dunedin to Invercargill line and some trains were unable to get through.
Otago
Heavy Rain
at
Otago
Rain fell heavily over the whole of the district from an early hour on the morning of the 4th till well on into the afternoon.
Flooding
The downfall appeared to have been general throughout Otago and floods were reported from a large number of districts.
The creeks and rivers were swollen and the result was in many places a flood of a serious nature.
The running of the express train between Invercargill and Dunedin was seriously interfered with.
Flooding
at
Arthurton
There was a big break in the railway line at Arthurton.
Flooding
at
Kelso
Kelso was reported to be entirely under water on the 5th.
Flooding
at
Waipahi
There was a big break in the railway line at Waipahi.
Flooding
at
Waipori
At Waipori the heaviest flood for years resulted, the water being some depth in Mr Coudwell's billiard room and several private houses were more or less inundated.
Flooding
at
Waitahuna
At Waitahuna an immense volume of water was flowing down the river, which overspread its banks and submerged all the low-lying ground in the vicinity of the township. There was about 2 ft (0.61 m) of water across the road and all communication between the township and railway station was cut off.
Southland
Flooding
at
Southland
All the rivers were in heavy flood on the 4th.
There was a good deal of interruption on the railways on the 4th. There were small washouts on the Waimea Plains and Orepuki lines.
Flooding
at
Athol
There was a washout on the Kingston railway line at Athol.
Flooding
at
Browns
A washout on the Hedgehope railway line prevented the train going further than Browns.
Flooding
at
Five Rivers
There was a washout on the Kingston railway line at Five Rivers.
Heavy Rain
at
Invercargill
After a very warm day, rain began to fall steadily at 8pm on the 3rd and continued, almost without intermission, untill 11am on the 4th.
Invercargill recorded 3 in (7.6 cm) of rain in 15 hours from 8pm on the 3rd until 11am on the 4th.
Multi Hazard
at
Lumsden
For days beforehand the weather had been oppressively sultry, with occasional thunderstorms.
Heavy Rain
Rain commenced at about 8pm on the 3rd and continued almost incessantly until 3pm on the 4th.
Flooding
The Oreti River rose rapidly and covered the whole of the flat on the west side of Lumsden.
The flood did considerable damage to gardens and fences.
Flooding
at
Mataura
The flood in the Mataura Borough on the 4th had a discharge of 1020 cumecs (+/- 140). This was the annual maximum flood.
Flooding
at
Nokomai
There was a washout on the Kingston railway line at Nokomai.
References
- Surface Water Hydrology of the Mataura River Catchment.
- Headline: Tropical rainfall.
- The Southland Times, 5 December 1899.
- Headline: The Weather, page 3 (Papers Past)
- Tuapeka Times, 6 December 1899.
December 1899 South Island Flooding
(
1899-12-03
)
Heavy rain caused flooding in Southland and parts of Otago.
South Island
Multi Hazard
at
South Island
Duration: 3 days - From the 3rd till the 5th of December.
Flooding
There were delays on the railway line from Invercargill to Kingston on the 4th. The morning train from Lumsden could not get through to Kingston due to washouts. There were also delays on the Dunedin to Invercargill line and some trains were unable to get through.
Otago
Heavy Rain
at
Otago
Rain fell heavily over the whole of the district from an early hour on the morning of the 4th till well on into the afternoon.
Flooding
The downfall appeared to have been general throughout Otago and floods were reported from a large number of districts.
The creeks and rivers were swollen and the result was in many places a flood of a serious nature.
The running of the express train between Invercargill and Dunedin was seriously interfered with.
Flooding
at
Arthurton
There was a big break in the railway line at Arthurton.
Flooding
at
Kelso
Kelso was reported to be entirely under water on the 5th.
Flooding
at
Waipahi
There was a big break in the railway line at Waipahi.
Flooding
at
Waipori
At Waipori the heaviest flood for years resulted, the water being some depth in Mr Coudwell's billiard room and several private houses were more or less inundated.
Flooding
at
Waitahuna
At Waitahuna an immense volume of water was flowing down the river, which overspread its banks and submerged all the low-lying ground in the vicinity of the township. There was about 2 ft (0.61 m) of water across the road and all communication between the township and railway station was cut off.
Southland
Flooding
at
Southland
All the rivers were in heavy flood on the 4th.
There was a good deal of interruption on the railways on the 4th. There were small washouts on the Waimea Plains and Orepuki lines.
Flooding
at
Athol
There was a washout on the Kingston railway line at Athol.
Flooding
at
Browns
A washout on the Hedgehope railway line prevented the train going further than Browns.
Flooding
at
Five Rivers
There was a washout on the Kingston railway line at Five Rivers.
Heavy Rain
at
Invercargill
After a very warm day, rain began to fall steadily at 8pm on the 3rd and continued, almost without intermission, untill 11am on the 4th.
Invercargill recorded 3 in (7.6 cm) of rain in 15 hours from 8pm on the 3rd until 11am on the 4th.
Multi Hazard
at
Lumsden
For days beforehand the weather had been oppressively sultry, with occasional thunderstorms.
Heavy Rain
Rain commenced at about 8pm on the 3rd and continued almost incessantly until 3pm on the 4th.
Flooding
The Oreti River rose rapidly and covered the whole of the flat on the west side of Lumsden.
The flood did considerable damage to gardens and fences.
Flooding
at
Mataura
The flood in the Mataura Borough on the 4th had a discharge of 1020 cumecs (+/- 140). This was the annual maximum flood.
Flooding
at
Nokomai
There was a washout on the Kingston railway line at Nokomai.
References
- Surface Water Hydrology of the Mataura River Catchment.
- Headline: Tropical rainfall.
- The Southland Times, 5 December 1899.
- Headline: The Weather, page 3 (Papers Past)
- Tuapeka Times, 6 December 1899.