NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
April 1925 Canterbury Flooding
(
1925-04-16
)
20-30 years
There was damage to crops and power outages in the areas around Christchurch due to flooding and high winds.
Canterbury
Heavy Rain
at
Canterbury
Duration: 2 days - On the 16th and 17th there was heavy rain throughout the province.
Flooding
There was widespread flooding and damage.
Flooding
at
Akaroa
Akaroa suffered flooding.
Crops suffered severe damage in the area.
Heavy Rain
at
Ashburton
Ashburton recorded 3.93 in (9.98 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Roads in the Ruapuna and Mayfield area were underwater.
Flooding
at
Banks Peninsula
Severe flooding occurred in Little River. Roads were under water to a depth of 4 ft (1.22 m).
Floodwaters stretched for 1.5 miles (2.4 km).
Many people had to abandoned their homes.
Landslide
Slips blocked roads.
Heavy Rain
at
Christchurch
Christchurch recorded 2.12 in (5.38 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 16th.
Christchurch recorded 4.71 in (11.96 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 17th.
The downpour was probably the heaviest that had occurred in Christchurch since May 1923.
From the early hours of the morning of 16th, right throughout the day and late on into the night, a torrential rain fell in the city and the surrounding disricts.
Flooding
Extensive flooding occurred in Christchurch city. There were only very few streets in the city which did not show signs of flooding.
Stormwater reached shop fronts and caused damage in the way of soaked goods in store cellars.
The storm was the worst experienced in the city for the last 20-30 years.
The corner of Brougham and Colombo streets was badly flooded.
A great number of the streets on the wetsern side of the main thoroughfare were hidden by seas of water.
At the corner of Moorhouse Avenue and Colombo Street the flood appeared at its worst.
In the outer areas the lights went out. Residents of districts on the Lyttleton "feeder", Lake Coleridge powerline, Spreydon, Cashmere Hills, parts of Bromley, Woolston, Heathcote, Sumner and Lyttleton were left in darkness. It was caused by a tree falling across the line near Woolston.
Avon River was a muddy torrent. The water level was higher than it had been for years.
Some of the islands in the stream were partly submerged.
Temporary derailment especially at the South Belt corner were frequent.
High Wind / Gust
The south-west gale that accompanied the downpour was excepionally severe.
The wind was whipping up miniature wavelets.
Late fruit crops which had not been picked suffered heavily.
A number of fences were blown down.
Heavy Rain
at
Ellesmere
Ellesmere recorded 3.75 in (9.53 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Fairlie
Fairlie reported 4 in (10.16 cm) of rainfall.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lyttelton
The wind did some damage in the town.
Fences and trees suffered and some of the roofing iron was blown off the Oddfellow's Hall.
Several short interruptions in the electrical service occurred.
Snow / Ice
at
MacKenzie Country
Heavy snow fell on the MacKenzie Country as far down as Cave.
Heavy Rain
at
Okuti Valley
Okuti Valley recorded 7.59 in (19.28 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Okuti Valley recorded 5.00 in (12.7 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Rakaia
Rakaia recorded 5.91 in (15.01 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
Most rivers in this area were in moderate flood but no serious damage was reported.
Multi Hazard
at
Rangiora
In Rangiora, the storm brought hail, sleet and light snow.
Heavy Rain
at
Temuka
Temuka reported 154 points (5.43 cm) of rainfall.
References
- Cowie, C.A.: Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand, p.239.
- Headline: Winter Arrives, Heavy Gale and Rain.
- The Press, 17 April 1925.
April 1925 Canterbury Flooding
(
1925-04-16
)
20-30 years
There was damage to crops and power outages in the areas around Christchurch due to flooding and high winds.
Canterbury
Heavy Rain
at
Canterbury
Duration: 2 days - On the 16th and 17th there was heavy rain throughout the province.
Flooding
There was widespread flooding and damage.
Flooding
at
Akaroa
Akaroa suffered flooding.
Crops suffered severe damage in the area.
Heavy Rain
at
Ashburton
Ashburton recorded 3.93 in (9.98 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Roads in the Ruapuna and Mayfield area were underwater.
Flooding
at
Banks Peninsula
Severe flooding occurred in Little River. Roads were under water to a depth of 4 ft (1.22 m).
Floodwaters stretched for 1.5 miles (2.4 km).
Many people had to abandoned their homes.
Landslide
Slips blocked roads.
Heavy Rain
at
Christchurch
Christchurch recorded 2.12 in (5.38 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 16th.
Christchurch recorded 4.71 in (11.96 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 17th.
The downpour was probably the heaviest that had occurred in Christchurch since May 1923.
From the early hours of the morning of 16th, right throughout the day and late on into the night, a torrential rain fell in the city and the surrounding disricts.
Flooding
Extensive flooding occurred in Christchurch city. There were only very few streets in the city which did not show signs of flooding.
Stormwater reached shop fronts and caused damage in the way of soaked goods in store cellars.
The storm was the worst experienced in the city for the last 20-30 years.
The corner of Brougham and Colombo streets was badly flooded.
A great number of the streets on the wetsern side of the main thoroughfare were hidden by seas of water.
At the corner of Moorhouse Avenue and Colombo Street the flood appeared at its worst.
In the outer areas the lights went out. Residents of districts on the Lyttleton "feeder", Lake Coleridge powerline, Spreydon, Cashmere Hills, parts of Bromley, Woolston, Heathcote, Sumner and Lyttleton were left in darkness. It was caused by a tree falling across the line near Woolston.
Avon River was a muddy torrent. The water level was higher than it had been for years.
Some of the islands in the stream were partly submerged.
Temporary derailment especially at the South Belt corner were frequent.
High Wind / Gust
The south-west gale that accompanied the downpour was excepionally severe.
The wind was whipping up miniature wavelets.
Late fruit crops which had not been picked suffered heavily.
A number of fences were blown down.
Heavy Rain
at
Ellesmere
Ellesmere recorded 3.75 in (9.53 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Fairlie
Fairlie reported 4 in (10.16 cm) of rainfall.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lyttelton
The wind did some damage in the town.
Fences and trees suffered and some of the roofing iron was blown off the Oddfellow's Hall.
Several short interruptions in the electrical service occurred.
Snow / Ice
at
MacKenzie Country
Heavy snow fell on the MacKenzie Country as far down as Cave.
Heavy Rain
at
Okuti Valley
Okuti Valley recorded 7.59 in (19.28 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Okuti Valley recorded 5.00 in (12.7 cm) of rain in 12 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Rakaia
Rakaia recorded 5.91 in (15.01 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
Most rivers in this area were in moderate flood but no serious damage was reported.
Multi Hazard
at
Rangiora
In Rangiora, the storm brought hail, sleet and light snow.
Heavy Rain
at
Temuka
Temuka reported 154 points (5.43 cm) of rainfall.
References
- Cowie, C.A.: Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand, p.239.
- Headline: Winter Arrives, Heavy Gale and Rain.
- The Press, 17 April 1925.