NZ Historic Weather Events Catalog

December 1996 Upper North Island Ex-tropical Cyclone Fergus ( 1996-12-28 )

10-55 years

The remains of Cyclone Fergus brought heavy rain, flooding, landslips, high winds and high seas to the North Island from Northland to Gisborne, mainly affecting Northland and Coromandel. The storm caused significant damage and a CDE was declared for parts of the Waikato. A man was drowned in Northland and one person died in Thames.

North Island

Multi Hazard at North Island

Duration: 4 days - From the 28th to the 31st of December.

Cause The remnants of Cyclone Fergus. A deep depression moved southward over the North Island towards the eastern side, bringing torrential rain, widespread flooding and slips to exposed northern districts. At 6am on the 30th, the depression was centred 800km north of the Bay of Plenty. The centre passed across the Bay of Plenty overnight on the 30th/31st, but it was the moisteast to northeast flow on the southern flank that brought torrential rain.

Damage Cost Major road damage was in excess of $2.0 million ($2,600,000 2008 dollars).

Northland

Multi Hazard at Northland

Comment Northland experienced heavy rain and extensive flooding.

Heavy Rain

Physical Characteristic Northland received up to 409mm (40.9 cm) of rain.

Flooding

Casualties An elderly man was drowned.

Landslide

Affected Lifeline There were road slips everywhere. Whananaki North, South and Russell Roads were hazardous, with large slips.

Heavy Rain at Glenbervie Forest

Physical Characteristic Between Ngunguru and Glenbervie 179 mm (17.9 cm) of rain was recorded in 24 hours on the 29th.

Physical Characteristic Between Ngunguru and Glenbervie 230 mm (23.0 cm) of rain was recorded in 24 hours on the 30th.

Heavy Rain at Kaeo

Physical Characteristic Kaeo recorded 118 mm (11.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 29th.

Physical Characteristic Kaeo recorded 30 mm (3.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 30th.

Heavy Rain at Puhipuhi

Physical Characteristic Puhipuhi recorded 137mm (13.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 29th.

Physical Characteristic Puhipuhi recorded 127 mm (12.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 30th.

Heavy Rain at Whangarei

Physical Characteristic Whangarei recorded 124 mm (12.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 29th.

Physical Characteristic Whangarei recorded 55 mm (5.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 30th.

Affected Lifeline There was a minor sewage overflow into Whangarei Harbour as heavy rain overflowed the Okara Park pump station.

Multi Hazard

Damage Cost Whangarei District Council faces repairs of approximately $180000 from cyclone Fergus.

Auckland

Heavy Rain at Tamahunga Hill

Physical Characteristic Tamahunga recorded 160 mm (16.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours (Return Period 10 years).

Landslide at Brynderwyns

Damage A slip cut the road at noon on Sunday.

Damage Contracters worked continual shifts in order to cart 8000 cubic metres of rock to rebuild an underslip at the Brynderwyns.

Waikato

Multi Hazard at Waikato

Comment Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the Coromandel area on the 30th.

Heavy Rain

Comment Rain continued until around midnight Monday 29th, which also coincided with high tide.

Multi Hazard

Affected Lifeline All major roads on the Coromandel Peninsula were closed as the storm battered the region. By Tuesday afternoon all roads apart from the 309 and

Damage Cost Transit NZ estimates cyclone Fergus caused $1.6 million damage to State Highways in the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty areas.

Affected Lifeline Power was out in some areas.

Insurance Payment Insurance Industry Payouts totalled $1,600,000 ($2,100,000 2008 dollars).

There were 200 insurance claims.

Total Damage Damage was put at $4 million ($5,200,000 2008 dollars).

Heavy Rain

Physical Characteristic The Coromandel Peninsula recorded 425 mm (42.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 30th.

Flooding

Declared Emergency A State of Emergency was declared for the Thames-Coromandel District, the Waihi and Paeroa Ward of the Hauraki District and the Te Aroha Ward of the Matamata-Piako District at 5:11pm on the 30th and lasted until 9:15am on the 31st for outer wards, and 3pm on the 31st for Thames-Coromandel.

Impact Hundreds of holiday-makers were trapped by flood waters and had to seek shelter in Civil Defence centres.

Landslide

Affected Lifeline Roads on the peninsula were closed by slips. A massive slip blocked State Highway 25a between Kopu and Hikuai.

Heavy Rain at Golden Cross

Physical Characteristic Golden Cross recorded 372 mm (37.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours (Return Period 55 years).

Flooding at Hamilton

Peak River Level The Waikato River at Hamilton reached a level of 15.68 m.

Peak River Flow The Waikato River at Hamilton had a peak flow of 586 cumecs.

Flooding at Hikuai

Affected Lifeline The Hikuai Flat area was closed due to floods and a shaky bridge.

Flooding

Impact Pauanui surf life guards rescued 9 stranded motorists who were trapped in 3 cars on the Hikuai Settlement Road on the 29th and ferried them to Pauanui in inflatable boats.

Multi Hazard at Karangahake Gorge

Affected Lifeline Karangahake Gorge on State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Waihi was closed.

Flooding

Affected Lifeline Paeroa Police closed Karagahake Gorge at 4.30pm on Monday when the river was already spilling over the road.

Damage Cost Rapairs to Karagahake Gorge costing more than $150000 will take at least a fortnight.

Multi Hazard

Damage Cost Damage to the road hrough Karangahake Gorge has been assesed at about $1 million and it will need major reconstruction work in the future.

Damage Large sections of the road were washed away as flood waters covered the road in some places on Monday the 29th, while many guard rails were dislodged.

Flooding at Kauaeranga

Physical Characteristic Kauaeranga River flooded into Rhodes Park at 9.50 pm Monday, with water levels as high as the 1985 flood.

High Wind / Gust

Affected Lifeline Strong winds blew trees into power lines and power was cut off from Monday morning to Tuesday morning.

Flooding at Mercer

Peak River Level The Waikato River at Mercer reached a level of 5.03 m.

Peak River Flow The Waikato River at Mercer had a peak discharge of 1134 cumecs.

Flooding at Ngaruawahia

Peak River Level The Waikato River at Ngaruawahia reached a level of 12.68 m.

Peak River Flow The Waikato River at Ngaruawahia had a peak flow of 1050 cumecs.

Multi Hazard at Paeroa

Impact There were 2000 displaced holiday makers.

Heavy Rain

Physical Characteristic Waiterakauri catchment area recorded 350 mm (35.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.

Flooding

Peak River Level The Ohinemuri River flood not as big as the 1981 flood event (9.6 m) but still reached 8.6 m.

Flooding

Impact Environment Waikato put in portable prefabricated 'stop-logs' in place on the Te Aroha side of Criterion Bridge at 7.30 pm, then later put another set on the paeroa side.

Flooding at Pauanui

Affected Lifeline Water supplies in Pauanui were turned off at 10 pm on Monday 29th after the intake on the Oturu Stream became blocked. Residents had water again by 7.30 am on Tuesday 30th via the groud water intake which was unaffected by the storm.

Multi Hazard

Affected Lifeline Slips and flooding closed roads.

Heavy Rain at The Pinnacles

Physical Characteristic The Pinnacles recorded 426 mm (42.6 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 29th and 30th (Return Period 40 years). This was the highest recorded 24-hour rainfall to date for any place in the Coromandel.

Flooding at Rangiriri

Peak River Level The Waikato River at Rangiriri reached a level of 8.23 m.

Peak River Flow The Waikato River at Rangiriri had a peak discharge of 1111 cumecs.

Multi Hazard at Tairua

Affected Lifeline Slips and flooding closed roads.

Maritime / Coastal at Tararu

Physical Characteristic At Tararu, the first high tide on the 29th was 1.44 m hindcast, relative to the Tararu MSL datum.

Physical Characteristic At Tararu, the second high tide on the 29th was 1.28 m hindcast, relative to the Tararu MSL datum.

Physical Characteristic At Tararu, the first high tide on the 30th was 1.39 m hindcast, relative to the Tararu MSL datum.

Physical Characteristic At Tararu, the second high tide on the 30th was 1.24 m hindcast, relative to the Tararu MSL datum.

High Wind / Gust at Te Aroha

Property Damage High winds blew off roofs and blew in windows at Te Aroha. A verandah came off Palace Hotel, and sheets of iron were blown down the main street.

Affected Lifeline Power was cut in Te Aroha for four hours on the 30th.

Multi Hazard

Impact There were 350 people in temporary accommodation.

High Wind / Gust

Comment Wind damaged street lights and uprooted trees but there were no road closures or evacuations.

Multi Hazard at Thames

Casualties One person was killed at Thames.

Multi Hazard at Whangamata

Affected Lifeline Whangamata had all entry roads closed.

Flooding at Whatawhata

Peak River Level The Waikato River at Whatawhata reached a level of 17.16 m.

Peak River Flow The Waikato River at Whatawhata had a peak discharge of 517 cumecs.

Affected Lifeline State Highway 2 between Waihi and Whangamata was closed as water from waiharakeke Stream, Hatonga Stream and Otahu River flooded the road.

Flooding

Affected Lifeline All roads to Whangamata town were closed.

Heavy Rain at Whitianga

Physical Characteristic Whitianga recorded 242 mm (24.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours (Return Period 30 years).

Flooding

Affected Lifeline Floods also kept State Highway 25 south of Whitianga closed.

Affected Lifeline Water supplies in Whitianga were cut off.

Multi Hazard

Affected Lifeline Many roads were closed, isolating Whitianga and the surrounding beach communities.

Flooding

Impact A few panicked holiday makers and their vehicles had to be pulled from floodwaters.

Heavy Rain

Physical Characteristic 280 mm (28.0 cm) of rain was recorded in Whitianga in the 24 hours from midnight Sunday 28th.

Multi Hazard

Impact Around 100 people took refuge in the Mercury bay Area School Hall on Monday night (29th) to shelter from the storm.

Flooding

Evacuees 20 people were evacuated from the Aladdin Motor camp late on Monday evening due to flooding.

Bay of Plenty

High Wind / Gust at Bay of Plenty

Property Damage Severe gales brought down trees and damaged property in the Bay of Plenty.

Affected Lifeline Phone and powerlines were brought down.

Damage The centre of the low between Whakatane and Hicks Bay caused wind damage.

Maritime / Coastal at Waiotahi Beach

Physical Characteristic Waiotahi beach wave runup reached 4.3 m on the 30th and 31st (Return Period estimated at 10 years).

High Wind / Gust at Whakatane

Whakatane recorded a peak wind speed of 72 km/hr.

Gisborne

High Wind / Gust at Gisborne

Property Damage Severe gales brought down trees and damaged property in the Bay of Plenty.

Affected Lifeline Phone and powerlines were brought down.

References

Bell, R.G; Hill, A.F. (1997). Tidal and meteorological conditions for previous major sea storms at Thames.
The big wet of '98, Special Flood Edition.
Blackwood, P.L. (1997). Environment B.O.P Operations Report 97/1 March 1997. Cyclone Fergus and Drena Storm Surge, Report on the Magnitude of storm surges recorded and implications for design maximum sea levels.
"Civil Defender", The Thames Valley 1997. The Official Publication of The Thames Valley Combined District Civil Defence Organisation.
Environment Waikato. State of Emergency Declarations in the district since 1976.
Headline: Campers prepare to brave a wild night.: The Gisborne Herald, 30 December 1996.
www.metservice.co.nz / Learning Centre / Notable Weather Events Archives / 1996 - 1997 Summer / Cyclone Fergus 29 - 31 December 1996.
New Zealand Evacuations from 1 January 1886 to 1 January 2000.
New Zealand Meteorological Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
Headline: 409mm of rain falls in 48 hours.: The Northern Advocate, 31 December 1996.
Headline: Heads short of water after deluge.: The Northern Advocate, 31 December 1996.
Headline: Peninsula awash but worst over.: The Waikato Times, 31 December 1996.
Headline: Second cyclone heads to NZ packing rain, 220 km/h winds.: The New Zealand Herald, 9 January 1997 (Thursday).
Headline: Road slips cleared, campers return.: The New Zealand Herald, 2 January (Thursday) 1997.
Headline: Closed roads biggest disruption in bay.: Hauraki Herald, 3 January 1997 (Friday).
Headline: Flood news in brief.: Hauraki Herald, 3 January 1997 (Friday).
Headline: Karangahake Gorge road damage $1m.: Hauraki Herald, 3 January 1997 (Friday).
Headline: Paeroa escapes unscathed …: Hauraki Herald, 3 January 1997 (Friday).
Headline: Storm in a teacup?: Hauraki Herald, 3 January 1997(Friday).
Headline: Townships isolated.: Hauraki Herald, 3 January 1997 (Friday).
Headline: Water supplies cut.: Hauraki Herald, 3 January 1997 (Friday).
Headline: Karangahake Gorge delays likely.: Hauraki Herald, 10 January 1997 (Friday).
Headline: Storm-hit roads reopen.: The Waikato Times, 2 January 1997 (Thursday).
Headline: Hard grind puts North back on road again.: The New Zealand Herald, 2 January 1997 (Thursday).