Two men drowned in the Gisborne district.

The low-lying stretch near Makarika was flooded.

Half a mile of road at Mangahanea was impassible.

In the Muriwai district there was serious damage. A temporary low-level bridge over Maraetaha Stream was washed away and roads were damaged.

At one place 12 ft (3.66 m) of water covered the road.

Stock losses were small.

Roads in parts of the district were blocked by slips and wash outs and much material damage occurred.

In many places immediately south of Muriwai the road was underwater.

Acres and acres of land flooded on the farms adjoining the coastal hills in the Muriwai district.

From Muriwai to Manutuke the flood was evident. From the foothills to the coast and from the Muriwai Beach to the Waipaoa River the flat country was inundated. A number of houses were completely surrounded and isolated.

Haystacks and crops were ruined.

Ruatoria was isolated following heavy rain.

Every road leading to the township was impassable.

A bridge approach was gone, near Mawer's, between Ruatoria and Te Puia.

The approach to the Awatere bridge was washed away.

A garage situated on the main road near Maraehara bridge swept into the river.

Approaches to the Awatere and Rangitukia bridges were washed away.

Terrific rain caused extensive flooding in Tokomaru Bay.

There was considerable damage in the township.

Two bridges were damaged. The approach to Maungahauini bridge washed out and the bridge near Te Puka Hotel collapsed.

Silt covered low-lying areas to a depth of one foot (0.3 m) in places.

Huge boulders were brought down.

The school grounds suffered. About 6 in (15 cm) of silt was left on the grounds and huge boulders were lying about in many places.

Deep deposits of silt were left around houses.

The road between Tokomaru Bay and Tolaga Bay was blocked at Arero and Mangatuna. Water was 3 ft (0.91 m) over the road at Arero.

The Tuparoa road was gone completely.

The dining hall was undermined and collapsed.

"The Bungalow" was flooded and extensive damage done.

Part of the Whakaangiangi Road was washed away by the Awatere River.

Settlers were isolated.

The approach and part of the bridge at Kainunga, on the way to Waiomatatini disappeared.

Waipaoa River rose to very high flood levels and overtopped its banks in several places causing extensive flooding.

For three days there was heavy rain and severe flooding was widespread throughout Hawke's Bay.

There was unprecedented damage to roads, bridges, fences, livestock and other property.

The meteorological system, which gave cause to the exceptional rainfall, was a warm moist air front from the north-east meeting a cooler air front from the south-east, the ascent of the warm air being accentuated by the continuous range of mountains in Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay.

The distribution of rainfall was similar on each day despite the movement of the storm, thus pointing to the dominant influence of the topography. The area of heavy rainfall was a well defined area about 10 miles wide, parallel with the Hawkes Bay coast and extending from Kotemaori down a point in the Tutaekuri watershed, a distance of 35-40 miles.

There was extensive damage to public works.

On the Napier-Wairoa state highway the Waikoau, Waikare and Mohaka Bridges were washed away and 8 of the 12 spans of the Esk River Bridge were destroyed.

On the Napier-Palmerston North State Highway, the Waitangi Bridge over Tutaekuri River suffered serious damage through scour. Four spans of the bridge subsided and the river bed was scoured out by the river to a depth of 40 ft (12.19 m).

The repairs to Waitangi Bridge cost £10,746 ($976,700 2010 dollars).

Floodwaters covered large areas at Clive, Meeanee, Taradale and Papakura.

Many families were forced to leave their houses in some districts. Other families were completely isolated and had to have supplies dropped down to them by an aircraft over a period of weeks.

The sea was discoloured for miles around the coast by silt carried by the flooded streams.

Esk River, instead of flowing out to sea at its usual mouth, took its old course and flooded 7000 acres of land reclaimed from the inner harbour by the earthquake of 1931.

Clive township was flooded to a depth of 3 ft (0.91 m). During the height of the flood the floodwaters reached a depth of 5 ft (1.52 m) in the largest part of the township.

Residents were rescued by boats.

Many homes were uninhabitable at Clive where the stop bank of the Ngaruroro River broke.

Railway line was washed out and there was damage amounting to £9000 ($818,000 2010 dollars) to the Waitangi road bridge.

The loss of stock in Clive was 1500 to 2000 sheep.

Tutaekuri River had a peak discharge of 96,500 cusecs (2733 cumecs) at Dartmoor from a catchment area of 308 sq miles (798 km^2).

Esk River had a peak discharge of 64,700 cusecs (1832 cumecs) above Mangakopikopiko Stream from a catchment area of 77 sq miles (199 km^2).

The silt content of the floodwater was remarkable. In the lower Esk Valley, an area of 1750 acres was silted an average of at least 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) and a depth of 6 ft (1.83 m) to 10 ft (3.05 m) was found over wide areas.

On the Napier-Taupo State Highway silt covered the road to depth 3 to 4 ft (0.91-1.22 m) in the Esk Valley.

There were considerable stock losses, especially in the Esk Valley.

In the Upper Esk Valley the river rose 30 ft (9.14 m) above normal to reach apoint 15 ft (4.57 m) higher than any previous flood.

A bridge of the main road through Esk Valley with its pylons and supports was washed out to sea, leaving only the approaches.

A greater part of 20,000 acres (8094 ha) was flooded in Esk Valley and a bed of silt 2-10 feet (0.61-3.05 m) thick was deposited over the valley floor, obliterating fences and fields.

At the Eskdale Railway Station the water depth over the floor was 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and the silt depth 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) (representing 81 percent solids by volume). Near the Wairoa Road crossing the water depth was 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) and the silt depth 2 ft 11 in (0.89 m) (representing 69 percent solids by volume). It would appear that the silt discharge was no less than 75 percent by volume. Where floodwaters inundated houses in Esk Valley, the depth of silting was approximately three-quarters of the depth of flooding.

Hastings recorded 194 mm (19.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 24th (which has a return period of 130 years).

Hastings was isolated.

Hastings was inundated to depths of up to 3 ft (0.91 m).

The township was underwater and the residents had to be rescued by boats.

Kopuawhara River was well below the February 1938 flood and had a discharge of 10,000 cusecs (283 cumecs) at No. 3 camp.

There was great damage in the lower reaches of the river and there was silting on the isthmus flats near Opoutama.

Lake Tutira rose 10 ft (3.05 m) above normal during the flood.

Matahorua Stream had a peak discharge of 20,200 cusecs (572 cumecs) above the junction with Waikari River.

The northern portal of Mohaka Tunnel was blocked by 15 ft (4.57 m) of debris and water backed up in the tunnel.

Mohaka River had a peak discharge of 36,700 cusecs (1039 cumecs) at the Napier-Taupo State Highway.

Mohaka River had a peak discharge of 225,000 cusecs (6371 cumecs) at the viaduct from a catchment area of 900 sq miles (2331 km^2). The river rose 45 ft (13.72 m) above normal at the viaduct.

Napier recorded 169 mm (16.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 24th (which has a return period of 50 years).

Napier was isolated. The road north to Gisborne was impassable and also the road to Taupo. The main road south and the alternate road through Fernhill was blocked.

Telephone communications with many outlying districts was cut off.

Napier was inundated to depths of up to 3 ft (0.91 m).

Ngaruroro River broke its banks near Chesterhope, swept across flatlands and inundated farms near Pakowhai, the Karamu Settlement and Whatatu.

Homes were isolated as waters rose to window level.

Mangaone Stream had a peak discharge of 39,200 cusecs (1110 cumecs) at Rissington from a catchment area of 87 sq miles (225 km^2).

At Riverslea, between Bay View and Eskdale, the railway station disappeared.

A man was drowned in his home at Tangoio.

Tukituki River had a peak discharge of 200,000 cusecs (5663 cumecs) from a catchment area of 1040 sq miles (2694 km^2).

Waikari River had a peak discharge of 26,100 cusecs (739 cumecs) at point 2 miles below the Napier-Gisborne state highway.

Waikoau River had a peak discharge of 38,700 cusecs (1096 cumecs) at the state highway bridge from a catchment area of 49.4 sq miles (128 km^2).

Waipawa River was in high flood.

Some cattle and sheep were lost in the Waipukurau district.

Tukituki River rose rapidly in town but was still 2 ft (0.61 m) below the level of the February 1938 flood.

There was a washout of the filling on the overhead bridge between Waipukurau and Waipawa.

Very heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in Wairoa and the surrounding district. The town was completely isolated.

The Ruakituri Valley road was badly blocked at Doughboys cutting.

The inundation caused a considerable amount of damage.

The landing at the wharf was completely underwater.

Houses at the lower end of Lahore Street invaded by water and several houses were evacuated.

A view of the Waiotahi Valley, near Wairoa, showed the whole of the area covered by silt-laden waters.

Heavy stock losses were inflicted on the farmers.

On the Takapau plains at Dannevirke flooding of farm lands was reported.

The approach to the Manawatu bridge near Kopua was washed out.

There was a sudden rise in the Manawatu River due to heavy rain in southern Hawke's Bay which caused minor flooding in the district.

The peak reading on the Fitzherbert Bridge gauge was 13.25 ft (4.04 m) with a peak discharge gauged at 42,600 cusecs (1206 cumecs).