Massive falls of rain in the catchment of the Mataura, Oreti and Clutha rivers turned much of the south into an inland sea.

Widespread flooding occurred in much of Central and South Otago and in eastern Southland. Rivers greatly affected included the Shotover, Kawarau, Clutha, Waikaia, Pomahaka, Mataura and Oreti and their tributaries. The worst affected residential areas were as widely scattered as Alexandra, Roxburgh, Beaumont, Balclutha, Kelso, Riversdale, Bore, Mataura and Invercargill, as well as many smaller settlements.

Insurance payouts totalled $58.72 million (inflation adjusted to August 2007).

There were recorded flooded losses in Southland and West Otago of 26,000 sheep and lambs.

1250 hectares of crops were lost or damaged in Southland and West Otago.

850 beehives were lost.

340 km of fencing was damaged. It cost an estimate $2,500,000 ($13,050,000 2008 dollars) to repair.

The flood had a return period of perhaps 100 years.

There was widespread flooding in much of central and south Otago and in eastern Southland, with several towns affected.

Stock losses ran into thousands. A total of 2500 sheep were buried in West Otago. Individual sheep losses of 600 were reported.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Tuapeka County from the 14th till the 15th. The declaration included Roxburgh, Lawrence and Tapanui.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Clutha County from the 14th till the 16th. The declaration included Balclutha.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Bruce County from the 14th till the 18th. The declaration included Kaitangata.

Many bridge approaches in West Otago were badly affected.

Great damage was done to fences.

The Insurance Council announced that 1338 claims had been lodged.

Insurance industry payouts for the Otago floods were $10,300,000 ($54,578,600 2008 dollars).

Damage to Central Otago roads was estimated at $800,000 ($4,239,100 2008 dollars) on local body roads and $650,000 ($3,444,300 2008 dollars) on state highways, a total of $1,450,000 ($7,683,400 2008 dollars).

Damage to South Otago roads was estimated at $460,000 ($2,437,500 2008 dollars) on local body roads and $50,000 ($264,900 2008 dollars) on state highways, a total of $510,000 ($2,702,400 2008 dollars).

Six transformers were hit.

Three tractors were waterlogged by floodwater.

One farmer may have lost between 400 and 600 ewes and hoggets.

Four people were admitted to hospital suffering from exposure and mild carbon monoxide poisoning after their van became stuck in water over the road near Arthurton. A sudden torrent of water had swept into the van, blocking the exhaust and causing fumes to seep inside the van.

Thousands of animals were drowned.

The Clutha River had a peak flow of 160,000 cusecs (4531 cumecs) at 2:00pm on the 15th. The peak flow was nine times more than the normal flow.

The Clutha River flood was claimed to be similar to that of 28 October 1878, with current wisdom putting the 1878 event the larger flood.

About 1500 ewes have been washed away in the area and about 30 cattle were missing.

30 km of fencing was damaged.

800 ha of pasture was covered by silt with about half of it being up to depths of 30 cm.

There were trees near the river which had been immersed for three or four days.

The Clutha rose with bewildering speed from normal flow at 5:00pm on the 13th to 4.8 m above normal at midnight on the 14th.

It took four weeks of pumping (and $6000 ($31,300 2008 dollars) worth of electricity) to clear this area.

The Catchment Board's banks held well against a flow which was far beyond the design level. It cost about $170,000 ($887,400 2008 dollars) to repair the works.

Flood damage to the irrigation scheme at Earnscleugh and Manuherikia amounted to $100,000 ($529,900 2008 dollars).

Most stock had been shifted from Inch Clutha and a lot from Paretai.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Kaitangata at 2pm on the 14th.

Initial stock losses were estimated at 1000 cattle.

Several houses in Kaitangata were flooded.

The Kawarau Falls peaked at 3pm on the 15th at 311.10 m and was still at that level at 11:45am on the 16th.

17 homes, or 40 people, were evacuated at Kelso.

The main street of Kelso was turned into a filthy river.

The floodwater reached the eaves of houses.

The Wrightson-NMA store in Kelso was entered by floodwaters, which caused some some tea, sheep nuts and other stock food to become contaminated by chemicals.

Telephone contact was lost with the Kelso telephone exchange at midnight on the 13th and had still not been fully re-established on the 17th.

There was 1.5 m of water in the telephone exchange building.

One farmer lost 230 ewes and 380 lambs.

At Moa Flat the observed rainfall was 90 mm (9 cm).

200 people were evacuated from Paretai.

The major breach occurred near McNutts at Paretai at 6:00pm on the 15th.

The level of the Kawarau River rose a foot (0.30 m) above the floor of the powerhouse. The river had not risen this high since 1957.

The electricity substation blew out on the 14th.

Creeks were in flood and overflowed. One Mile Creek burst its banks at the culvert and Brewery Creek and Horne Creek became raging torrents.

Telephone lines were down and power was cut.

One Mile Creek flowed along the Lake Esplanade in front of the Queenstown Youth Hostel, preventing traffic from getting to the youth hostel for a few hours.

The water over the road was about 60 cm deep.

Some property was damaged by floodwaters. Water flowed into some houses, causing slight damage. The floodwaters of One Mile Creek flowed across St Omer Park, gouging out land and leaving tree trunks, logs, rocks and other debris behind.

Some properties were flooded. A blocked stormwater drain above Wakatipu High School spilled water over its banks all day on the 14th and until the next morning. The water poured into the school grounds in a waterfall about 10 m wide, then onto the road below, into Horne Creek, and into the Queenstown Mall before being diverted.

At least $650,000 ($3,393,000 2008 dollars) was needed to repair wrecked roads and bridges around the lake.

State highways had been damaged at a cost of between $300,000 and $350,000 ($1,566,000-$1,827,000 2008 dollars).

The urban area was badly hit and a bridge was washed out.

Parts of the mill were at times 2 m under water. Kraft pulp and chemicals which were stored on higher ground were damaged.

The railway line was washed out in several places.

The level of Lake Wakatipu was rising at a peak rate of 180 mm (0.18 m) an hour on the 14th. It continued to rise on the 15th, reaching a peak equalling the level of the last flood in 1975.

The raging Shotover River could not be contained by its normal channel of the Kawarau Gorge and backed into Lake Wakatipu.

There was flood damage on the outskirts of Roxburgh, caused by water pouring down hillsides and creeks overflowing. One garage was shifted off its foundations.

The water supply was interrupted.

The school had to close due to the interrupted water supply and a pileup of silt.

The Clutha River was high but the trouble came from normally small watercourse including Black Jacks Creek and another creek above the north end of town.

The Shotover River was in high flood, running bank to bank and covering large tracts of flat farm land. The river was so high it stopped the flow of the Kawarau River, which backed into Lake Wakatipu.

Two bridges over the Teviot River were damaged and their approaches eroded by the floodwaters.

About five properties overlooking the river wer affected by boulders dislodging from hillsides, by silt piling up against walls and by water flowing through buildings.

Water flowed through doorways to a depth of almost 1 m.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Southland County at 7:15pm on the 14th and was officially lifted at 5pm on the 17th. The declaration included Gore and Wydham.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared for Invercargill, Bluff and Stewart Island on the 14th, due to flooding and storm damage, and was terminated on the 19th.

Stock losses included 30,000 sheep, 30,000 lambs, 6,000 ewes and hoggets, 400 dairy cattle, 400 beef cattle, 900 bee hives and 200 pigs. Another source reported the losses at 20,000 sheep, 1,000 cattle and 894 beehives. Stock losses were the worst in the area from Waikaia to Mandeville.

400-500 hectares (4-5 km^2) of cereal crops were lost. A number of farmers would have to regrass their land.

An estimated 500 miles (800 km) of fencing was destroyed. Damaged fencing amounted to $1.5 million ($7,948,300 2008 dollars) as at the 17th, with the re-erection costs being $3000 ($15,900 2008 dollars) per mile.

At least eight Southland roads were closed or limited to one way access. SH1 was still closed by flooding at Mataura on the 16th. Undermined roads and weakened bridges remained a threat throughout Southland on the 17th, as the warning signs needed to pinpoint them had run out. In many places, up to 400 m of seal strip was lost.

The suddenes of the flood stunned everyone.

This was estimated as a 100 year event.

River levels in the three main rivers were dropping steadily on the 16th.

Four bridges in the Southland county were washed away and many bridges had approaches washed out.

The damage to roads in the Southland County was roughly estimated at about $150,000 ($794,800 2008 dollars).

Many milking sheds experienced power failures, forcing farmers to milk by hand.

Six schools were closed on the 16th due to flooding in their vicnities. All, except for the Mataura School, were expected to be open on the 17th.

Telephone circuits lost on the 13th included those between Lumsden and Tte Anau, Lumsden and Garston, Lumsden and Balfour, Gore and Tapanui, and at Waikaka. All were restored during the 14th.

1200 insurance claims were made within three days, totalling more than $4 million.

The Oreti River had an a.e.p. of about 10% and a flow of approximately 1,500-1,750 cumecs.

The sole access bridge to Argyle Station was washed away.

The Oreti River at Centre Bush recorded a height of 3.59 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

The Aparima River at Dunrobin recorded a height of 2.34 m in October (normal 0.80 m).

The Mataura River at Fairlight recorded a height of 3.87 m in October (normal 0.90 m).

The Waikaia River flowed through houses in Freshford on the 14th, and they were left coated in silt and mud. Only one house was not affected.

About 65 patients were evacuated from Gore Hospital early in the evening. Some residents, mainly in the Salford Street area, voluntarily evacuated their homes.

Water seeped through gravel into the hospital's basement. The abattoir was put out of action until the 23rd.

Gore residents were advised to boil all drinking water due to the town supply being discoloured.

The flooding in Irk Street was probably its worst flooding in 40 years. There were few businesses in the street which did not suffer from flood damage. Stock was damaged in multiple shops and the Bernina Sewing Centre suffered much damage to machines, wool and flooring. Flood waters also entered St James Theatre, where carpets were damaged and the heating unit was stopped. The abattoir was surrounded by water and machinery and equipment were damaged.

Water in several Irk St shops reached a depth of around 25 cm and reached 50 cm in Bellamy's.

The Mataura River at Gore reached 2100 cumecs.

The Mataura River peaked at 2am on the 15th at Gore, at 3.980 m above normal.

The Matauara River peaked at 13 ft 9 in (4.19 m) early on the morning of the 15th.

The Mataura River at Gore recorded a height of 5.49 m in October (normal 0.80 m).

SH92 was closed at Gorge Road due to flooding.

The Mataura River at Gorge Road recorded a height of 4.30 m in October.

The road between Dipton and Mossburn was closed at the Hamilton Burn bridge due to the bridge being damaged.

A car was stranded for a few days at the end of Hollyford Road after the road surface was scoured. The Hollyford landing area was also severely scoured out by the Hollyford River and the Moraine Creek bridge over the Hollyford was destroyed.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Invercargill from the 14th until the 19th.

Invercargill was badly affected.

Invercargill airport was transformed into a lake from the early hours of the 16th, causing all flights to be cancelled on the 16th through to the morning of the 19th. Only light aircraft could fly in and out. The airport was flooded by up to 1 m of water. Some buildings were entered by the floodwaters and the road approach to the airport was also covered and only usable by tractors and four-wheel drives.

The airport was flooded by up to 1 m of water. Cars in the carpark sat in water up to their bumpers. Water was still rising at the Stead St end of the airport on the night of the 16th.

Lower Renfrew Street in Invercargill had to be evacuated after the Waikiwi Stream broke its banks.

Damage was caused to some properties.

A hole was blasted in the embankment of the estuary near the Stead St bridge to allow water to drain from the airport.

The Irthing Stream at Ellis Road recorded a height of 3.48 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

The Waihopai River at Kennington recorded a height of 4.46 m in October (normal 2.00 m).

Four trampers on the Hollyford Track were sleeping in Hokuri Hut on the night of the 13th when Lake McKerrow rose sharply as the flow of the Hollyford River increased, and water lapped into the hut. The water continued to rise to more than 15 ft (4.6 m) above normal and was lapping at the top bunks, when the trampers were rescued from the roof by a jet boat.

A building on the other side of the lake was moved about 6 ft (1.8 m) from its foundations by the flood waters.

During the week up to the 18th, Lake Te Anau had risen 1.75 m.

The Oreti River peaked at 4pm on the 14th at Lumsden, at 2.748 m above normal.

The Oreti River at Lumsden C/B recorded a height of 3.74 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

The bridge off Taylor Road at the back of Makarewa was reported to have been washed away.

The Makarewa River at Mak F/W recorded a height of 6.06 m in October.

The Waimea Stream at Mandeville recorded a height of 4.54 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

Floodwaters from the Mataura River burst through floodbanks and inundated Mataura on the 13th.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Mataura at 10pm on the 14th and lasted until the 26th.

1824 (or 1822) people were evacuated from Mataura on the night of the 14th, of the town's population of 2500. Civil defence headquarters at the borough council offices was evacuated at about 2am on the 15th.

Floodwaters 2 m deep surged through the township in the early hours of the 15th.

The south-west of the town was badly affected. At the paper mill, hundreds of pellets of recycled paper were lost as well as a large number of engineers' tools. The Southland Tannery just north of the town was flooded after the floodbanks gave way on the night of the 14th and damage was done to their private water supply.

Homes and properties were damaged by floodwaters. It was said that 90% of Mataura properties were affected by the flood. Carpets were ruined and furniture was was damaged.

The town's industries were dealt a fierce blow. The Southland Frozen Meat and Produce Export Company had to delay killing for a week and the New Zealand Paper Mills plant was expected to be out of action for six weeks. Production at the Southland Tannery could not be resumed until their water supply was reconnected.

In some places tarseal was lifted off roads. Footpaths on the western side of the town were left covered in several centimeters of mud. Some streets on the western side of town were still under water on the afternoon of the 16th.

One shop was filled with about 65 cm of water at about 3am on the 15th. Two houses were entered by more than 1 m of water. The paper mill was filled with water up to 2 m deep.

Some people left their dogs chained and found on their return that the dogs had drowned.

The Waimumu Stream overflowed its banks and entered properties on the afternoon of the 14th. About 17 houses in the southern end of town were flooded first.

Deep floodwaters covered most of the town early on the morning of the 15th. Most of the water had subsided by the morning of the 16th.

There were interruptions to the Mataura telphone exchange when the building was flooded.

Direct damage estimates totalled $30,000,000 in 1991 dollars ($43,728,900 2008 dollars).

Insurance claims totalled $46,800,000 in 1991 dollars ($68,217,100 2008 dollars).

30,000 sheep, 800 cattle and 900 beehives were lost.

Southland Frozen Meat and Produce Export Company had an estimated $200,000 ($291,500 2008 dollars) worth of carcases ruined after the river broke through the retaining wall upstream. A pipeline to the works was also broken and floodwaters lifted one of the main reservoirs a few centimeters off its base. A huge amount of silt was deposited throughout the works, some parts suffered serious water damage and a lot of scouring was done around the plant.

The Mataura River at Mataura Borough reached a maximum recorded level of 9.45 m on the 14th.

The Mataura River at Mataura Borough had a peak discharge of 2100 cumecs.

The Mataura River at Mataura recorded a height of 10.67 m in October.

The flood in the Mataura Borough had a peak discharge of 2,400 cumecs on the 14th. This was the annual maximum flood.

The Seaward Downs to Mataura Island road was closed due to a culvert washout.

The Mataura River at Mataura Island recorded a height of 4.89 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

The flood on the Mataura River was by far the biggest in the catchment board's history and local people stated that it was one of the biggest in 100 years.

400 hectares (4 km^2) of cereal crops were lost along the length of the Mataura River.

Hundreds of hectares of farmland were seriously affected by the floodwaters, some being heavily silted.

The Mataura River at G. Simpson's recorded a height of 3.75 m in October.

The Mataura River at S.L. Lobb's recorded a height of 3.90 m in October.

The flood on the Oreti River was not as big as that in May, which was one of the biggest on record.

Hundreds of acres of land in the West Plains-Taramoa area were flooded by the Oreti River.

The Otapiri Stream at McBrides recorded a height of 3.94 m in October (normal 0.70 m).

The Oreti River overflowed into the Otatara-Bay Road area on the 16th.

At the Burgess Piggery in Otatara, at least 200 pigs were drowned on the 16th after floodwaters invaded the property.

Some Otatara houses were flooded. The flooding of Burgess Piggery was the worst staff could remember and the highwater mark was way above previous records.

In one house, watermarks on the wallpaper were 45 cm above the carpet.

Dunns Road was closed at the Oreti River bridge due to the eastern approach being washed out. The Otatara Road was closed between Bay Road and Curran Road until further notice.

The Oreti River at Dunns Road recorded a height of 2.00 m in October.

The Otautau Stream at Otautau recorded a height of 2.78 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

The Mataura River peaked at 4.57 m at Parawa. This was the highest level recorded on the river during this flood and was 0.610 m higher than the previous highest level in 1957.

The Mataura River at Parawa recorded a height of 5.56 m in October (normal 1.20 m).

The Mataura River at Pyramid recorded a height of 3.94 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

Parts of Riversdale were evacuated.

A small flow of water came into Riversdale on the motning of the 15th but was averted.

A state of emergency was first declared in Riversdale at 12pm on the 14th and then extended to the rest of the Southland County.

The Waiau River at Sunnyside recorded a height of 4.77 m in October (normal 2.00 m).

The Winton Stream at Thomsons Crossing recorded a height of 2.55 m in October.

Telephone circuits to Tokanui were lost on the night of the 14th.

The bridge over the Tomogalak Stream between Balfour and Cattle Flat was washed away.

The Waiau River at Tuatapere recorded a height of 4.20 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

The Makarewa River at Tussock Creek recorded a height of 6.15 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

The Waiau River at Mararoa recorded a height of 5.96 m in October (normal 3.00 m).

The Waikaia River had overflowed onto the road near the main bridge late on the night of the 13th. Roads around Waikaia were left badly scoured and some had ruts up to 50 cm deep.

Farmland and properties were inundated with floodwater. About five houses were inundated by the Waikaia River.

The approaches to the bridge over the Waikaia River became impassable on the night of the 13th and the bridge over Winding Creek near Waikaia was washed away, leaving the town isolated. A number of families on the other side of the river were cut off, one family also having lost their telephone and power. The Waikaia bridge was left sagging in the middle, with one pile gone and another badly bent after it was hit by a tree. The bridge was closed to all traffic. The bridge was again closed on the 17th so repair work could be done, estimated to take four or five days. Only heavy traffic could get into the town by fording Winding Creek.

One farmer lost about 400 lambs and 200 ewes. Another farmer jusyt below the township estimated that he had lost at leat 500 ewes with 700 lambs at foot and 20 steers.

On one property 400 m of floodbank was washed away and 3000 m of fencing was destroyed.

The Waikaia River at Waikaia recorded a height of 3.31 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

It was reported that some 6000 beehives were destroyed by flood waters in the Waikaka Valley area.

The Waikiwi Stream at Ferry Road recorded a height of 3.36 m in October (normal - tidal).

Telephone circuits to Waimahaka were lost on the night of the 14th.

The Oreti River at Wallacetown recorded a height of 4.72 m in October (normal 1.40 m).

Four farmer in the Wendon area had between them lost more than 2000 head of stock.

Newly planted crops were swept away.

Miles of fencing was swept away.

The West Plains to Taramoa road was closed until further notice.

About 700 people were evacuated from Wyndham overnight on the 14th. They were allowed to return home early on the the afternoon of the 15th.

Water reached the top of the floodbanks around Wyndham in several places, but a huge sandbag operation kept the water from spilling into the town.

Three or four houses at the back of the town suffered damage, but only one had more than minor damage.

All but one exit from the town was blocked on the 14th. The road between Wyndham and Edendale was closed on the 15th due to a fallen culvert and scouring and reopened to one-way traffic on the 16th.

The floodwaters were said to be at a higher level than they had reached in the past.

The Mataura River at Wyndham recorded a height of 5.08 m in October (normal 1.00 m).

Stewart Island Air Services flights from Invercargill were affected by the flooding at Invercargill airport.

A Civil Defence Emergency was declared for Invercargill, Bluff and Stewart Island on the 14th, due to flooding and storm damage, and was terminated on the 19th.