NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
April 1924 North Island Flooding ( 1924-04-03 )
Heavy rain, flooding and slips were experienced in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki. A person was drowned at Dargaville.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 6 days - From the 3rd to the 8th of April.
Damage to roads and bridges in the Rodney, Mangonui, Otamatea and Hobson counties amounted to £28,400 ($2,399,000 2008 dollars).
Northland
Flooding
at
Northland
On the 4th there was extensive flooding and widespread damage over the whole peninsula.
In Otamatea county, roads and bridges suffered extensively.
The Wairua River at Ferry Bridge peaked at 30,000 cusecs (850 cumecs).
There were small stock losses.
Flooding
at
Dargaville
A farmer drowned at Dargaville.
Flooding
at
Kirikopuni
Stores at at Kirikopuni were flooded.
There was 5 ft (1.5 m) of water inside some stores.
Flooding
at
Mangakahia River
The Mangakahia River rose 53 ft (16.2 m) above normal.
Flooding
at
Wairua Falls
The Wairua River rose rapidly and flooded the power station.
There was 4 ft 6 in (1.4 m) of water in the power station.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei recorded 2.11 in (5.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 4th.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Extensive damage was done in Auckland.
Clay roads were impassable.
There were some interruptions to telegraphic and telephone services. There was no telegraphic communication north of Kaukapakapa.
Landslide
There were extensive slips on the railway line between Pukanui and Kaukapakapa.
Flooding
Damage was done to roads, bridges and wharves in the Silverdale and Waiwera districts.
Part of the Ranginui bridge was carried away.
In the Rodney district, 12 bridges were completely destroyed. These included the Puhoi Swing Bridge (156 ft or 48 m) and the Heteo-Mangakura Bridge (234 ft or 71 m).
The cost of re-erection of the Rodney bridges was estimated at £15,800 ($1,330,000 2008 dollars).
Partial damage to other bridges was estimated at £500 ($42,000 2008 dollars)
The total damage was estimated at £20,000 ($1,690,000 2008 dollars).
There was heavy flood damage in Kaipara.
Flooding
at
Ahuroa
There were several washouts on the northern main trunk railway line at Ahuroa.
Flooding
at
Helensville
Several houses at Helensville were flooded.
Stock losses were very serious.
Serious damage was done to roads.
Trees were uprooted.
Landslide
The railway line north of Helensville was blocked by a series of large slips.
Flooding
at
Silverdale
The Wade River flooded.
The Waitemata County Council's launch wharf was washed away.
Many small boats moored in the river were washed away.
The concrete bridge known as McKeowns Culvert was destroyed.
All communication by means of road was cut off.
Multi Hazard
at
Titirangi
A water pipeline from Nihotupu Dam to Titirangi Reservoir was broken.
Flooding
at
Waiwera
There were severe floods at Upper Waiwera.
Landslide
Landslips occurred at Waiwera.
Waikato
Flooding
at
Waikato
There were washouts on the Paeroa-Waihi railway line.
There was flooding in the Mercer-Tuakau area.
Heavy Rain
at
Hamilton
Hamilton recorded 6.92 in (17.6 cm) of rain in four days from the 3rd to the 6th.
Heavy Rain
at
Taupo
Taupo recorded 4.87 in (12.4 cm) of rain in four days from the 3rd to the 6th.
Bay of Plenty
Heavy Rain
at
Waiotapu
Waiotapu recorded 5.03 in (12.8 cm) of rain in four days from the 3rd to the 6th.
Taranaki
Flooding
at
Taranaki
Taranaki experienced flooding between the 4th and the 8th.
Multi Hazard
Damage to Ohura and Whangamomona county roads totalled £15,088 ($1,274,500 2008 dollars).
Flooding
at
Ahititi
The Tongaporutu River flooded the Ahititi dairy factory.
The water rose 1 m in three minutes.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth recorded 59 mm (5.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Stratford
The district east of Stratford was severly damaged
Multi Hazard
at
Tarata
Roads were closed at Tarata.
Flooding
at
Uruti
The Uruti township was flooded by the Mimi River on the 4th.
Several buildings were invaded by flood waters.
Landslide
at
Whangamomona
The Stratford Main Trunk railway was blocked at Whangamomona by slips on the 4th.
The creek at Whangamomona rose 30 ft (9.1 m) at the township.
References
- Cowie, C.A.; Attwood, A.K. (1957). Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953. The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Ministry of Works. (1954). Waikato river floods of July 1953 and July 1952.
- Headline: Floods and slips.
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 April 1924.
- Headline: Counting cost of flood.
- The New Zealand Herald, 17 April 1924.
- Taranaki Catchment Commission and Regional Water Board Technical Report 82-4. Flood events in Taranaki.
April 1924 North Island Flooding ( 1924-04-03 )
Heavy rain, flooding and slips were experienced in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki. A person was drowned at Dargaville.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 6 days - From the 3rd to the 8th of April.
Damage to roads and bridges in the Rodney, Mangonui, Otamatea and Hobson counties amounted to £28,400 ($2,399,000 2008 dollars).
Northland
Flooding
at
Northland
On the 4th there was extensive flooding and widespread damage over the whole peninsula.
In Otamatea county, roads and bridges suffered extensively.
The Wairua River at Ferry Bridge peaked at 30,000 cusecs (850 cumecs).
There were small stock losses.
Flooding
at
Dargaville
A farmer drowned at Dargaville.
Flooding
at
Kirikopuni
Stores at at Kirikopuni were flooded.
There was 5 ft (1.5 m) of water inside some stores.
Flooding
at
Mangakahia River
The Mangakahia River rose 53 ft (16.2 m) above normal.
Flooding
at
Wairua Falls
The Wairua River rose rapidly and flooded the power station.
There was 4 ft 6 in (1.4 m) of water in the power station.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei recorded 2.11 in (5.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 4th.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Extensive damage was done in Auckland.
Clay roads were impassable.
There were some interruptions to telegraphic and telephone services. There was no telegraphic communication north of Kaukapakapa.
Landslide
There were extensive slips on the railway line between Pukanui and Kaukapakapa.
Flooding
Damage was done to roads, bridges and wharves in the Silverdale and Waiwera districts.
Part of the Ranginui bridge was carried away.
In the Rodney district, 12 bridges were completely destroyed. These included the Puhoi Swing Bridge (156 ft or 48 m) and the Heteo-Mangakura Bridge (234 ft or 71 m).
The cost of re-erection of the Rodney bridges was estimated at £15,800 ($1,330,000 2008 dollars).
Partial damage to other bridges was estimated at £500 ($42,000 2008 dollars)
The total damage was estimated at £20,000 ($1,690,000 2008 dollars).
There was heavy flood damage in Kaipara.
Flooding
at
Ahuroa
There were several washouts on the northern main trunk railway line at Ahuroa.
Flooding
at
Helensville
Several houses at Helensville were flooded.
Stock losses were very serious.
Serious damage was done to roads.
Trees were uprooted.
Landslide
The railway line north of Helensville was blocked by a series of large slips.
Flooding
at
Silverdale
The Wade River flooded.
The Waitemata County Council's launch wharf was washed away.
Many small boats moored in the river were washed away.
The concrete bridge known as McKeowns Culvert was destroyed.
All communication by means of road was cut off.
Multi Hazard
at
Titirangi
A water pipeline from Nihotupu Dam to Titirangi Reservoir was broken.
Flooding
at
Waiwera
There were severe floods at Upper Waiwera.
Landslide
Landslips occurred at Waiwera.
Waikato
Flooding
at
Waikato
There were washouts on the Paeroa-Waihi railway line.
There was flooding in the Mercer-Tuakau area.
Heavy Rain
at
Hamilton
Hamilton recorded 6.92 in (17.6 cm) of rain in four days from the 3rd to the 6th.
Heavy Rain
at
Taupo
Taupo recorded 4.87 in (12.4 cm) of rain in four days from the 3rd to the 6th.
Bay of Plenty
Heavy Rain
at
Waiotapu
Waiotapu recorded 5.03 in (12.8 cm) of rain in four days from the 3rd to the 6th.
Taranaki
Flooding
at
Taranaki
Taranaki experienced flooding between the 4th and the 8th.
Multi Hazard
Damage to Ohura and Whangamomona county roads totalled £15,088 ($1,274,500 2008 dollars).
Flooding
at
Ahititi
The Tongaporutu River flooded the Ahititi dairy factory.
The water rose 1 m in three minutes.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth recorded 59 mm (5.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Stratford
The district east of Stratford was severly damaged
Multi Hazard
at
Tarata
Roads were closed at Tarata.
Flooding
at
Uruti
The Uruti township was flooded by the Mimi River on the 4th.
Several buildings were invaded by flood waters.
Landslide
at
Whangamomona
The Stratford Main Trunk railway was blocked at Whangamomona by slips on the 4th.
The creek at Whangamomona rose 30 ft (9.1 m) at the township.
References
- Cowie, C.A.; Attwood, A.K. (1957). Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953. The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Ministry of Works. (1954). Waikato river floods of July 1953 and July 1952.
- Headline: Floods and slips.
- The New Zealand Herald, 4 April 1924.
- Headline: Counting cost of flood.
- The New Zealand Herald, 17 April 1924.
- Taranaki Catchment Commission and Regional Water Board Technical Report 82-4. Flood events in Taranaki.