NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
July 1912 Canterbury and Otago Flooding
(
1912-07-10
)
25 years
Heavy rain caused flooding in Canterbury and the Taieri Plains in Otago.
Canterbury
Heavy Rain
at
Canterbury
Duration: 5 days - Heavy rain fell in north Canterbury from the 10th to the 12th causing flooding until the 14th. Rain ceased on the 13th in the greater part of Canterbury.
All rivers were in flood.
The coach service was interrupted.
On the 13th and 14th the floods dropped steadily in the Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Ashley districts.
On the night of the 14th a cold heavy rain set in again and water was still lying deeply at Flaxton, Southbrook and Kaiapoi.
Several small farmers near Loburn had their crops washed out of the ground.
The footbridge on the main road across the Makirikiri River was destroyed by the flood.
The Grey and Karetu Rivers were in flood.
The Okuku Riverwas in heavy flood and the bridge across it was swept away, isolating several homesteads.
Heavy Rain
at
Timaru
Timaru recorded 3.67 in (9.3cm) of rain.
Rain ceased at approximately 2am on the 12th.
In the low-lying part of the borough the water was over the railway line.
A good deal of land along the coast was submerged and there were a few low lakes between Timaru and Studholme. All lagoons were full to overflowing.
Stock were not impacted by the flood to a large extent.
Flooding
at
Temuka
At Temuka the river rose to a high level on the night of the 11th.
Several families had to be evacuated from their homes.
Flooding
at
Flaxton
The flood at Flaxton was the biggest experienced for many years.
The main road, the railway line and all side roads at Flaxton were not safe for traffic.
All the country side in the area was flooded.
Flooding
at
Kaiapoi
At the Kaiapoi Bridge the height of the Waimakariri River went down 3 ft (0.91m) at low tide.
There were floods on some hundreds of acres of arable land.
Inundations equalled the flood on the 6th July 1887.
On the evening of the 12th train passengers for Ohoka and Bennett's were conveyed by a 3-horse drag from Kaiapoi to Wilson's Siding.
At Waverley there was over 3 ft (0.91m) of water on the road, which entered the floor of the 3-horse drag.
Otago
Flooding
at
Taieri Plain
The flooding of the Taieri River was 10 ft (3.05m) below the record flood in 1908.
Low-lying ground was submerged. North Taieri was under water in parts and a considerable stretch was inundated in the Otokia and Henley districts.
Water was a couple of feet below the railway lines at its lowest point.
References
- Headline: The Weather: Floods in Taieri River.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 12 July 1912.
- Headline: The Weather: Heavy Rain in North Canterbury.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 12 July 1912.
- Headline: Flooded River.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 13 July 1912.
- Headline: Bad Weather: Heavy Rain in Canterbury.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 15 July 1912.
- Headline: Bad Weather: Flood Waters Subsiding.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 16 July 1912.
July 1912 Canterbury and Otago Flooding
(
1912-07-10
)
25 years
Heavy rain caused flooding in Canterbury and the Taieri Plains in Otago.
Canterbury
Heavy Rain
at
Canterbury
Duration: 5 days - Heavy rain fell in north Canterbury from the 10th to the 12th causing flooding until the 14th. Rain ceased on the 13th in the greater part of Canterbury.
All rivers were in flood.
The coach service was interrupted.
On the 13th and 14th the floods dropped steadily in the Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Ashley districts.
On the night of the 14th a cold heavy rain set in again and water was still lying deeply at Flaxton, Southbrook and Kaiapoi.
Several small farmers near Loburn had their crops washed out of the ground.
The footbridge on the main road across the Makirikiri River was destroyed by the flood.
The Grey and Karetu Rivers were in flood.
The Okuku Riverwas in heavy flood and the bridge across it was swept away, isolating several homesteads.
Heavy Rain
at
Timaru
Timaru recorded 3.67 in (9.3cm) of rain.
Rain ceased at approximately 2am on the 12th.
In the low-lying part of the borough the water was over the railway line.
A good deal of land along the coast was submerged and there were a few low lakes between Timaru and Studholme. All lagoons were full to overflowing.
Stock were not impacted by the flood to a large extent.
Flooding
at
Temuka
At Temuka the river rose to a high level on the night of the 11th.
Several families had to be evacuated from their homes.
Flooding
at
Flaxton
The flood at Flaxton was the biggest experienced for many years.
The main road, the railway line and all side roads at Flaxton were not safe for traffic.
All the country side in the area was flooded.
Flooding
at
Kaiapoi
At the Kaiapoi Bridge the height of the Waimakariri River went down 3 ft (0.91m) at low tide.
There were floods on some hundreds of acres of arable land.
Inundations equalled the flood on the 6th July 1887.
On the evening of the 12th train passengers for Ohoka and Bennett's were conveyed by a 3-horse drag from Kaiapoi to Wilson's Siding.
At Waverley there was over 3 ft (0.91m) of water on the road, which entered the floor of the 3-horse drag.
Otago
Flooding
at
Taieri Plain
The flooding of the Taieri River was 10 ft (3.05m) below the record flood in 1908.
Low-lying ground was submerged. North Taieri was under water in parts and a considerable stretch was inundated in the Otokia and Henley districts.
Water was a couple of feet below the railway lines at its lowest point.
References
- Headline: The Weather: Floods in Taieri River.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 12 July 1912.
- Headline: The Weather: Heavy Rain in North Canterbury.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 12 July 1912.
- Headline: Flooded River.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 13 July 1912.
- Headline: Bad Weather: Heavy Rain in Canterbury.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 15 July 1912.
- Headline: Bad Weather: Flood Waters Subsiding.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Evening Post, 16 July 1912.