The eastern seaboard rivers were flooded. Te Arai, Waimata and Ngatapa rivers were in high flood.

Maize crops were levelled by the flood.

Hotels at Waerengaahika, Makaraka, Matawhero, the Bridge and Patutahi proved to be havens of refuge and were overflowing with people.

There was a vast sheet of water from Waerengaahika to Awapuni Lagoon. A large sheet of water extended from Makaraka right to Waerengaahike and down across the Willows, together with a further extensive stretch of water covering the Patutahi and a portion of the Te Arai flats.

Valuable stock was lost by a number of farmers in the flooded districts. The heaviest item being 200 sheep from a property in Ormond.

The railway line suffered considerably s a result of the flood. The damage commenced where the railway crosses the Waikanae Creek. At this bridge a very bad washout occurred and the line was hanging clear of the ballast. At various places, from this bridge on to Waihirere station, washouts took place damaging the line for half a mile. At the Ormond dip there was much damage, due to washouts, caused. From Te Karaka tunnel there was 12 in of silt along the railway for a mile. Between Otoko and Mahaki there was a very big slip and the line was displaced for 3.5 chains. A series of slips occurred on the railway line between Waikohu and Otoko.

The flood undermined the approach to Peel Street bridge.

Victoria township was cut off from town.

Stanley Road bridge was completely underwater.

Waipaoa River overflowed at Tietjen's bend in two places. One stream of this flowed through Makauri.

There was water over the railway line at Makauri.

At 2.15pm on the 18th the water level was equal to that of 1906 flood and was still rising. In the lower reaches of the river the peak flood level was still 2 ft (0.61 m) below the flood of 1910.

Makauri residents needed to be rescued from the second storey of a boarding house.

Heavy deposits of silt were laid at Makauri, generally on the flats.

Water was flowing over the main road of Makaraka.

Huge lake was banked up behind the Makaraka hotel. On the night of the 19th the flood reached within a few yards of the Makaraka Hotel where a number of families had taken refuge.

The Poverty Bay Turf Club Racecourse was underwater.

The flood was within 3 ft (0.91 m) of the 1906 flood level, and within 4 ft (1.22 m) of the 1912 flood level.

The flood left a considerable amount of silt in the Kia Ora dairy factory.

Waipaoa River overflowed its banks just below Matawhero and the Willows settlement was inundated.

There was water all around the hotel at Matawhero.

63 stud Romney ewes were drowned in a paddock in Matawhero.

Ormond was completely cut off.

The township of Patutahi was a sea of water. The flats were also flooded.

Lavenham Creek was bank high.

Many of the settlers along the river bank were evacuated.

Water entered many houses on Poverty Bay flats on the night of the 19th.

The road between Ruatoria and Tuparoa was almost impassable.

The approaches of the Waiapu Bridge were washed away leaving the bridge badly damaged.

There was 3 ft (0.91 m) of water flowing over the wharf at Nelson's works at Taruheru.

Awatere River was running bank high.

Telegraphic communication with the north and south was cut off until the 21st.

Floodwaters were 4 ft (1.22 m) deep in Te Karaka tunnel.

The maximum height of Waipaoa River at Te Karaka was almost equal to the 1910 level and was within 2 ft (0.61 m) of the Rangatira Bridge.

There was 2 ft (0.61 m) of silt left in the Te Karaka Tunnel at the Puha end.

The racecourse was underwater.

A big hole in the railway line 8 ft (2.44 m) deep and 40 ft (12.19 m) wide was scoured out.

The Waipaoa River broke through in two or three places and in some instances was running 2-3 ft (0.61-0.91 m) over the road.

The lagoon at Waerengaahika flooded.

Water came right round the hotel and the store.

Floodwater from Waerengaahika poured down into the Taruheru River.

Waipaoa River rose 4 ft (1.22 m) in one and a half hours. The river continued to rise up to 16 ft (4.88 m).

The flood waters of Waipaoa River gradually spread over the Poverty Bay flats. A sea of water extended from King's Road to Waerengaahika and across country to Pouparae.

A number of residents, who lived in the line of the flood, removed from their homes early on the morning of the 19th.

Waipaoa River rose 15 ft (4.57 m) at Whatatutu.

Waipaoa, Mangatu, Waingaromia rivers above Whatatutu were all in heavy flood and their combined waters caused the Waipaoa River to rise 20 ft (6.1 m).

The low-lying portion of the town was underwater.

Much water was lying on the low country and all rivers were swollen.

River levels began to fall on the 20th.

On the 20th there was 10 ft (3.05 m) of water over the submerged bridge spanning the Heringa Falls.

Water was up to the top of the piles of the Mohaka Bridge, and was invading the post office on the bank.

Telephonic and telegraphic communication with the north was interrupted, and that to the south was partly so.

No damage was done at Nuhaka. The Nuhaka River had a good mouth and the water did not rise higher than within 6 ft (18 m) of the main bridge.

One family in the Te Kiwi Valley had to seek shelter elsewhere.

Waiau River rose 20 ft (6.10 m).

A family at Waihua had to leave their station when there was 3 ft (0.91 m) of water in the house.

There was 2 ft (0.61 m) of water on the Waihua flats on the morning of the 17th.

Waihua River rose 60 ft (18.3 m).

A bridge, which cost £5000 ($704,100 2010 dollars), was swept away by the river.

The Huramura traffic bridge, three miles from the town, was also washed away.

The morning of the 17th found every creek and water course flooded.

The wharves and the low-lying land on both sides of the Wairoa River were submerged.

Awatere Stream overflowed its banks, and the water poured over the flats, reaching the river both above and below the Wairoa Bridge.

Large quantities of driftwood came down the Wairoa River and were lodged all along Kopu Road, from Grey Street to the heads. Between Waiparapara and the Harbour Board sheds the driftwood was packed so tightly over an area of 30 acres that it appeared to be on dry land, while the torrent raged at the end of the pack.

The drains leading to the river were all backed up by the flood, and all houses bordering on Lahore Street were surrounded until the river dropped.

Most of the suburban areas were underwater.

The district experienced the worst flood that had taken place in the memory of the oldest inhabitant.

Several small buildings were washed away.

Stock losses were heavy. One farmer lost 400 hoggets.

100 ft (30.5 m) of the harbour works were damaged after a punt, loaded with a crane, broke away and crashed into the staging. The contractor, besides losing the punt and crane, lost a tug and another punt, which also broke away.

The total estimated in the county by flood damage is over £90,000 ($12,673,000 2010 dollars).

There was a large flood in the Wairoa River from the 15th May 1914.

The storm was slow-moving and travelled from the south-east in the opposite direction to the flow of the river, prolonging the flood. The catchment was already well soaked by rain in the previous week.

The river reached a peak on the night of the 17th and the second peak was reached on the evening of the 18th, the flow gradually fell away on the 19th.

When the river was at its highest it was estimated to be discharging 15,000,000 million cubic feet per minute (7079 cumecs).

The velocity of the river at the works was from 25-30 ft per second (27-33 km/hr). On the Wairoa township front the velocity was 15 ft per second (16.5 km/hr).

It was estimated that 40,000,000 tons of silt was carried out to the sea in suspension.

There had been higher floods in the river but not since 1876 had such a volume of water gone down the Wairoa River.

At 7pm on the 19th the river covered all the wharves and the water was within 10 ft (3.05 m) of the steps leading up to Delhi Street.

The river broke through one of the papa walls on the 18th. It caused a gap 600 ft (183 m) in length on the crown of the eastern wall, inside the estuary, at a point where the base was 45 ft (14 m) wide.

Whakaki Lakes were higher at the present time than they were during the great flood of 1895.

There was a tremendous sea on the lakes, and the round one of the bluffs the road was practically washed away.