Lakes Wanaka and Wakatipu were at the highest levels recorded for many years.

The main south railway line had floodwater on the line for several miles between Lovell's Flat and Benhar. In some places the rail was submerged to nearly 1 ft (0.31 m) and the electrically-equipped carriages couldn't be taken through.

On the 3rd, the express from the north was delayed to Dunedin and Balclutha and the late train from Invercargill to Dunedin was delayed.

All old residents agree that the last serious flood in South Otago in 1919 was not as disastrous as this one. In 1919 the water rose more quickly but fell just as quickly and no rain had fallen locally.

When the flood hit at Balclutha, Clutha River had risen to 22 ft 10 in (6.96 m) at Alexandra.

From a reconstructed discharge curve, Clutha River had a discharge of 70,000 cusecs (1982 cumecs) at Alexandra. The catchment area was 5315 sq miles (13,766 km^2) and gauge height was 24 ft 3 in (7.39 m).

On the 5th, a fresh rise in the level of the river lead to a portion of the river bank at Barnego Flat deing washed away andbrought a recurrence of flooding in the Barnego area.

Families which had returned to homes were again forced to leave.

A ditch was cut in the main road from Balclutha to Clydevale near the quarry to drain water from the flat and the road was closed to traffic.

Very little milk was available for winter for both Dunedin and Balclutha. These areas would usually get a large quantity from the Inch Clutha district.

At least 1500 tons of potatoes were lost to the market.

At Glendhu Bay, water from the lake was starting to spread over the road near the camping ground but receded later in the day.

In Inch Clutha district alone it was estimated there was at least 100 acres (50 ha) of potatoes ruined by water, with more lost in surrounding districts. Hundreds of acres of turnips were also ruined and water ruined the majority of haystacks.

The flat surrounding the break at Waitepeka Stream was littered with gravel, timbers, vegetation and hundreds of dead eels.

On the 5th, many low stretches of road in the district were still affected by the flood and some were impassable.

The main current of Clutha River found its way through a deep cut in the road at Stirling.

Several minor subsidences occurred and there was evidence in many places that the river banks were crumbling under the severe strain of the increase in volume of water.

The whole of the Kaitangata district resembled a huge lake.

Kaitangata coal mines resumed production on the 2nd but they couldn't use the submerged rail line to Stirling so instead had to use the road.

The road between Kaitangata and Stirling was rapidly deteriorating with the extra volume of heavy traffic. Rain on the 2nd was making it difficult to keep the road passable.

Water at Kaitangata lock rose 4 in (10.16 cm) in the past 32 hours.

Banks on each side of the canal lock were slowly crumbling away, despite preventative measures.

Preparations were being rushed to cut an emergency outlet in the vicinity of Mr Clarkson's farm, 300 yards on the Balclutha side of the Inch Clutha bridge.

The residence of the dairy factory manager was partly demolished owing to erosion below the canal.

At Stirling, the river level rose 2.5 ft (0.76 m) on the morning of the 2nd.

On the 3rd, the areas from which water had receded were again inundated, when a fresh brought up the level of the flooded Clutha River.

At Kaitangata, the flood poured over Clyde Terrace, causing damage that resulted in the severing of the last route into Kaitangata. The depth on the crown of the road varied from one to six inches (3.05-15.24 cm).

More houses and some of business premises in town were invaded by water on the 3rd.

Banked-up water behind the floodgates was spilling over the concrete wall of the lock.

On the night of the 2nd, a cut was opened in the Matau bank near Balclutha, to release some of the flood waters invading the township. By the afternoon on the 4th, the cut was nearly 3 chains (60 m) wide with an average depth of 4 ft (1.22 m). The flood poured through the gap into the river with volume estimated as almost equal to that entering the flooded area through breach in the main Balclutha-Kaitangata road near Stirling.

All roads leading to seriously affected areas were closed to sightseers during the weekend.

In some places the pressure of water below the surface of the road lifted "bubbles" of bitumen.

The situation at the lock was serious. Water was spilling freely over the top of the concrete wall and banked-up the flood encroached on houses on either side.

The factory manager's house below the lock was evacuated. More houses were evacuated on the 3rd, as result of the rise in flood level, approximately 50 families were removed from Kaitangata.

At the Kaitangata Factory, there was water several inches deep on the floor. Production dropped sharply due to the reduction in the supply of milk.

There was water up to the floor of the hotel and one or two business premises were affected. In some houses which were vacated earlier, water was up to the level of the windows.

From a reconstructed discharge curve, Clutha River had a discharge of 90,000 cusecs (2549 cumecs) at Balclutha, gauged at old road bridge. The catchment area was 8100 sq miles (20,979 km^2) and the gauge height was 71.8 ft (21.9 m).

The level of Lake Wakatipu was reported to be the highest since 1878. On the 2nd the level of the lake was over the jetty.

The level of Lake Wanaka rose considerably as a result of exceptionally heavy rains in the back country, but the water level was still 5-6 ft (1.52-1.83 m) below the level of the record flood on the 1878.

At Wanaka, on the afternoon of the 2nd, there was seepage of a few inches on the main road at the wharf.