NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 1990 North Island Ex-tropical Cyclone Hilda
(
1990-03-08
)
50-69 years
Ex-tropical cyclone Hilda drifted onto the Taranaki coast resulting in heavy rain and flooding. There was hundreds of people evacuated, high stock losses and millions of dollars worth of damage.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Cyclone Hilda moved into the north Tasman Sea, then transitioned on the 8th into a large low-pressure area. By midnight on the 8th there was a very anticyclonic-looking flow over Taranaki and a low-level flow over the area quite northeasterly. However, 500 hPa analysis shows air at this altitude was being brought from very low latitudes. Air was rising as it moved through the eastern Tasman Sea and onto Taranaki. A frontal band was extending right up into tropical latitudes. Very humid air was being advected onto Taranaki – dew points reached as high as 21C. Twenty-four hours later flow turned more northerly, while air still being fetched from low latitudes. WCB, in a weakened state, finally moved off the area on the afternoon of the 10th.
From the 8th to the 15th of March.
Taranaki
Multi Hazard
at
Taranaki
Remants of Cyclone Hilda drifted onto Taranaki coast and was trapped by stationary weather, when the moist air from the tropics rose.
Heavy Rain
Taranaki experienced several days of heavy rainfall. The heaviest rainfalls occurred in 24 hours to 9:00am on the 9th.
Flooding
There was severe flooding.
There were major stock losses in the Taranaki region.
Farmland was inundated.
There was extensive damage to roads.
Many remote parts of the region were isolated.
The similarity to the 1971 weather event was quite marked and the main causes were the same.
A Civil Defence emergency was declared for the Taranaki region at 9:30am on the 10th until 4:00pm on the 15th.
130 residents from 50 homes were evacuated.
The event had a estimated return period of 50 years.
There was damage to the sewage system by Waiwakaiho River and sewage was flowing raw into the sea.
State Highway 3, 43 and 45 were closed.
There was extensive crop damage.
The damage cost for Federated Farmers was $3,994,300 (1990 dollars). Access damage was $1,614,900, pasture damage was $416,100, damage to fencing and yards was $470,900, damage to dams, drains and water supply was $297,100, other losses were $242,900. Capital losses cost $74,900 and livestock losses were $67,500. Estimated loss of income in 1990 was $560,000 and the estimated loss of income in 1991 was $250,000.
The estimated damage costs for the New Plymouth District Council was $2,163,800 (1990 dollars).
The estimated damage costs for the South Taranaki District Council was $300,000 (1990 dollars).
Stock losses included 1277 Sheep, 66 Cattle, 104 Goats and 2 Deer.
There was $1,800,000 (1990 dollars) in insurance payouts.
Heavy rain over last four days which caused washouts was to blame for 3 locomotives and 11 freight cars to derail.
Flooding
at
Inglewood
Telecom cable was washed out near Inglewood and cut all phone lines to the rest of New Zealand.
Heavy Rain
at
Lake Mangamahoe
Lake Mangamahoe recorded 498 mm (49.8 cm) of rain in six days.
Lake Mangamahoe recorded 751 mm (75.1 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Lake Mangamahoe recorded 294 mm (29.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours 9am on the 9th (which has a return period of over 150 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Lepperton
Lepperton recorded 338 mm (33.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
The washed out railway line sent a freight train plummeting 15 m down a bank.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth Township recorded 324 mm (32.4 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth Airport
New Plymouth Airport recorded 277 mm (27.7 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Heavy Rain
at
North Egmont
North Egmont Visitor Centre recorded 970 mm (97.0 cm) of rain in six days.
North Egmont Visitor Centre recorded 419 mm (41.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours 9am on the 9th (which has a return period 45 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Oakura
54 people were evacuated from Oakura Marae and four homes.
Heavy Rain
at
Pukeiti Hill
Pukeiti recorded 751 mm (75.1 cm) of rain in six days.
Pukeiti recorded 445 mm (44.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours to 9am on the 9th (which has a return period of 140 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Tariki
Tariki Hydro recorded 370 mm (37.0 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Flooding
at
Waitara
In Waitara there were evacuations due to fears from a breach which didn't eventuate.
Waitara River rose to 25 year flood.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Landslide
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
The road from Pipiriki to Raetihi was closed. There were 30 slips along it.
Flooding
at
Wanganui
A Civil Defence emergency was declared at 8:15pm on the 10th to 12:30pm on the 14th.
96 homes were evacuated including 119 people from 90 houses along Anzac Parade between Helmore Street and Mount View Road.
Farm damage cost an estimated $1,200,000 (1990 dollars).
Insurance costs $1,800,000 (1994 dollars) excluding EQC.
150 boarders at Wanganui Girls High had to be relocated due to sewage problems.
22 homes were flooded with mud and silt.
It was the most destructive Wanganui flood since 1940. This flood was slightly bigger than the 1958 flood, identical to the 1921 flood, but no where near as big as 1940.
Silt-laden waters charged through dozens of riverside buildings from Wanganui East and the central city to Balgownie. Residential properties along Anzac Parade were inundated.
Whanganui River breached the Kowhai park stopbank. It also burst its banks in several places along the River Road.
The estimated return period for the flood was 30 years.
River Road was closed.
Tonnes of silt, sand, mud were deposited.
The jetty was covered by several metres of water.
Landslide
There was a slip along Anzac Parade.
Flooding
at
Whanganui River
Whanganui River broke its banks and several houses were evacuated.
Whanganui River had a peak discharge of 4250 cumecs. A rate of discharge identical to the 1926 flood.
Whanganui River peaked at approximately 15 m above normal.
Wellington
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington
Wellington received 109 mm (10.9 cm) of rain in five days.
Flooding
There was flooding in some areas of Wellington on the 13th.
Wellington airport was closed.
The road between Levin and Shannon was closed.
Homes were flooded and gardens scoured at Stokes Valley and Otaihanga on the 13th. The flooding was the worst in 10 years.
Mud and rubble blocked drains and roads.
Flooding
at
Lower Hutt
There was flooding in Lower Hutt.
Flooding
at
Ohau River
Ohau River broke its banks.
Flooding
at
Otaki
Otaki was badly hit by the flooding.
Waitohu Stream burst its banks.
The water supply was cut to the township.
Flooding
at
Pauatahanui
Grays Road at Pauatahanui was closed.
Flooding
at
Stokes Valley
The most severely affected area was Stokes Valley where a number of properties and houses were flooded.
Heavy Rain
at
Tararua Range
Tararua Range recorded 15-25 mm (1.5-2.5 cm) of rain in one hour on the 13th.
Flooding
at
Te Horo Beach
Te Horo Beach Road was closed due to washouts.
A chicken farm was flooded.
Flooding
at
Waiohine River
Waiohine River peaked in the gorge at 4.71 m.
Waiohine River spilled over its stopbanks.
Flooding
at
Wairarapa
There was a crack in the stopbank at Fullers Bend.
Five homes (approximately 20 people) were evacuated (3km north of Greytown).
Farmland was swamped.
The road between Greytown and Martinborough was flooded.
Waikawa, Te Horo, and Kuku beaches were cut off.
Flooding
at
Wellington city
Two people were injured when a car flipped in Mt Victoria. There were several minor accidents along the motorway.
Landslide
Slips were reported in hillside suburbs.
References
- Civil Defence Declarations Since 1 January 1963, Declared Civil Defence Emergencies, 31 December 1999
- Cyclone Hilda Civil Defence Report: Taranaki RC (1990)
- Insurance Councils, The Cost of Weather Loses, Claims history (Updated 2004)
- Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS AND HIGH RAINFALL, Floods to 30 Sep 2005
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Saunders, W.(2000) Planning and Resources, Hazard and Emergency Management Section, WAIRARAPA DIVISION, Wairarapa Storm Events 1880 - 1998, Technical Report No. 00/17
- Taranaki Regional Council. Taranaki Flood, 10-15 March 1990.
- Headline: Rain relentless over region.
- The Evening Post, March 13 1990.
- Headline: Rain relentless over region.
- The Evening Post, March 13 1990.
- Headline: Families flee flood waters.
- The Evening Post, March 14 1990.
- Headline: Families flee flood waters.
- The Evening Post, March 14 1990.
- Headline: Coastal towns, raods soaking wet.
- The Evening Post, March 14, 1990.
- Headline: Chaos confronts clean-up crews.
- The Evening Post, March 14, 1990.
- Headline: Assistance from computer.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 12 March 1990.
- Headline: Flooding leaves mess, damage.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 12 March 1990.
- Headline: River rose at an alarming rate.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 12 March 1990.
March 1990 North Island Ex-tropical Cyclone Hilda
(
1990-03-08
)
50-69 years
Ex-tropical cyclone Hilda drifted onto the Taranaki coast resulting in heavy rain and flooding. There was hundreds of people evacuated, high stock losses and millions of dollars worth of damage.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Cyclone Hilda moved into the north Tasman Sea, then transitioned on the 8th into a large low-pressure area. By midnight on the 8th there was a very anticyclonic-looking flow over Taranaki and a low-level flow over the area quite northeasterly. However, 500 hPa analysis shows air at this altitude was being brought from very low latitudes. Air was rising as it moved through the eastern Tasman Sea and onto Taranaki. A frontal band was extending right up into tropical latitudes. Very humid air was being advected onto Taranaki – dew points reached as high as 21C. Twenty-four hours later flow turned more northerly, while air still being fetched from low latitudes. WCB, in a weakened state, finally moved off the area on the afternoon of the 10th.
From the 8th to the 15th of March.
Taranaki
Multi Hazard
at
Taranaki
Remants of Cyclone Hilda drifted onto Taranaki coast and was trapped by stationary weather, when the moist air from the tropics rose.
Heavy Rain
Taranaki experienced several days of heavy rainfall. The heaviest rainfalls occurred in 24 hours to 9:00am on the 9th.
Flooding
There was severe flooding.
There were major stock losses in the Taranaki region.
Farmland was inundated.
There was extensive damage to roads.
Many remote parts of the region were isolated.
The similarity to the 1971 weather event was quite marked and the main causes were the same.
A Civil Defence emergency was declared for the Taranaki region at 9:30am on the 10th until 4:00pm on the 15th.
130 residents from 50 homes were evacuated.
The event had a estimated return period of 50 years.
There was damage to the sewage system by Waiwakaiho River and sewage was flowing raw into the sea.
State Highway 3, 43 and 45 were closed.
There was extensive crop damage.
The damage cost for Federated Farmers was $3,994,300 (1990 dollars). Access damage was $1,614,900, pasture damage was $416,100, damage to fencing and yards was $470,900, damage to dams, drains and water supply was $297,100, other losses were $242,900. Capital losses cost $74,900 and livestock losses were $67,500. Estimated loss of income in 1990 was $560,000 and the estimated loss of income in 1991 was $250,000.
The estimated damage costs for the New Plymouth District Council was $2,163,800 (1990 dollars).
The estimated damage costs for the South Taranaki District Council was $300,000 (1990 dollars).
Stock losses included 1277 Sheep, 66 Cattle, 104 Goats and 2 Deer.
There was $1,800,000 (1990 dollars) in insurance payouts.
Heavy rain over last four days which caused washouts was to blame for 3 locomotives and 11 freight cars to derail.
Flooding
at
Inglewood
Telecom cable was washed out near Inglewood and cut all phone lines to the rest of New Zealand.
Heavy Rain
at
Lake Mangamahoe
Lake Mangamahoe recorded 498 mm (49.8 cm) of rain in six days.
Lake Mangamahoe recorded 751 mm (75.1 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Lake Mangamahoe recorded 294 mm (29.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours 9am on the 9th (which has a return period of over 150 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Lepperton
Lepperton recorded 338 mm (33.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
The washed out railway line sent a freight train plummeting 15 m down a bank.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth Township recorded 324 mm (32.4 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth Airport
New Plymouth Airport recorded 277 mm (27.7 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Heavy Rain
at
North Egmont
North Egmont Visitor Centre recorded 970 mm (97.0 cm) of rain in six days.
North Egmont Visitor Centre recorded 419 mm (41.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours 9am on the 9th (which has a return period 45 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Oakura
54 people were evacuated from Oakura Marae and four homes.
Heavy Rain
at
Pukeiti Hill
Pukeiti recorded 751 mm (75.1 cm) of rain in six days.
Pukeiti recorded 445 mm (44.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours to 9am on the 9th (which has a return period of 140 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Tariki
Tariki Hydro recorded 370 mm (37.0 cm) of rain from the 8th to the 15th of March.
Flooding
at
Waitara
In Waitara there were evacuations due to fears from a breach which didn't eventuate.
Waitara River rose to 25 year flood.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Landslide
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
The road from Pipiriki to Raetihi was closed. There were 30 slips along it.
Flooding
at
Wanganui
A Civil Defence emergency was declared at 8:15pm on the 10th to 12:30pm on the 14th.
96 homes were evacuated including 119 people from 90 houses along Anzac Parade between Helmore Street and Mount View Road.
Farm damage cost an estimated $1,200,000 (1990 dollars).
Insurance costs $1,800,000 (1994 dollars) excluding EQC.
150 boarders at Wanganui Girls High had to be relocated due to sewage problems.
22 homes were flooded with mud and silt.
It was the most destructive Wanganui flood since 1940. This flood was slightly bigger than the 1958 flood, identical to the 1921 flood, but no where near as big as 1940.
Silt-laden waters charged through dozens of riverside buildings from Wanganui East and the central city to Balgownie. Residential properties along Anzac Parade were inundated.
Whanganui River breached the Kowhai park stopbank. It also burst its banks in several places along the River Road.
The estimated return period for the flood was 30 years.
River Road was closed.
Tonnes of silt, sand, mud were deposited.
The jetty was covered by several metres of water.
Landslide
There was a slip along Anzac Parade.
Flooding
at
Whanganui River
Whanganui River broke its banks and several houses were evacuated.
Whanganui River had a peak discharge of 4250 cumecs. A rate of discharge identical to the 1926 flood.
Whanganui River peaked at approximately 15 m above normal.
Wellington
Heavy Rain
at
Wellington
Wellington received 109 mm (10.9 cm) of rain in five days.
Flooding
There was flooding in some areas of Wellington on the 13th.
Wellington airport was closed.
The road between Levin and Shannon was closed.
Homes were flooded and gardens scoured at Stokes Valley and Otaihanga on the 13th. The flooding was the worst in 10 years.
Mud and rubble blocked drains and roads.
Flooding
at
Lower Hutt
There was flooding in Lower Hutt.
Flooding
at
Ohau River
Ohau River broke its banks.
Flooding
at
Otaki
Otaki was badly hit by the flooding.
Waitohu Stream burst its banks.
The water supply was cut to the township.
Flooding
at
Pauatahanui
Grays Road at Pauatahanui was closed.
Flooding
at
Stokes Valley
The most severely affected area was Stokes Valley where a number of properties and houses were flooded.
Heavy Rain
at
Tararua Range
Tararua Range recorded 15-25 mm (1.5-2.5 cm) of rain in one hour on the 13th.
Flooding
at
Te Horo Beach
Te Horo Beach Road was closed due to washouts.
A chicken farm was flooded.
Flooding
at
Waiohine River
Waiohine River peaked in the gorge at 4.71 m.
Waiohine River spilled over its stopbanks.
Flooding
at
Wairarapa
There was a crack in the stopbank at Fullers Bend.
Five homes (approximately 20 people) were evacuated (3km north of Greytown).
Farmland was swamped.
The road between Greytown and Martinborough was flooded.
Waikawa, Te Horo, and Kuku beaches were cut off.
Flooding
at
Wellington city
Two people were injured when a car flipped in Mt Victoria. There were several minor accidents along the motorway.
Landslide
Slips were reported in hillside suburbs.
References
- Civil Defence Declarations Since 1 January 1963, Declared Civil Defence Emergencies, 31 December 1999
- Cyclone Hilda Civil Defence Report: Taranaki RC (1990)
- Insurance Councils, The Cost of Weather Loses, Claims history (Updated 2004)
- Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS AND HIGH RAINFALL, Floods to 30 Sep 2005
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Saunders, W.(2000) Planning and Resources, Hazard and Emergency Management Section, WAIRARAPA DIVISION, Wairarapa Storm Events 1880 - 1998, Technical Report No. 00/17
- Taranaki Regional Council. Taranaki Flood, 10-15 March 1990.
- Headline: Rain relentless over region.
- The Evening Post, March 13 1990.
- Headline: Rain relentless over region.
- The Evening Post, March 13 1990.
- Headline: Families flee flood waters.
- The Evening Post, March 14 1990.
- Headline: Families flee flood waters.
- The Evening Post, March 14 1990.
- Headline: Coastal towns, raods soaking wet.
- The Evening Post, March 14, 1990.
- Headline: Chaos confronts clean-up crews.
- The Evening Post, March 14, 1990.
- Headline: Assistance from computer.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 12 March 1990.
- Headline: Flooding leaves mess, damage.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 12 March 1990.
- Headline: River rose at an alarming rate.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 12 March 1990.