Flooding was widespread throughout the whole of Canterbury with considerable flooding in the coastal regions causing extensive and serious damage.

The damage to roads for all of Canterbury cost £138,710 ($7,734,000 2009 dollars). The damage to county roads and main highways cost $90,200 ($5,029,000 2009 dollars) and $48,510 ($2,705,000 2009 dollars) respectively.

Slips and washouts blocked major railway lines. Several slips on the line between Craigieburn and Avoca and another at Jacksons on the West Coast side of the Alps At Sheffield, Darfield and Springfield there are slips and water over the line

The Main South Road and Main North Road was blocked by floodwaters. Sections of the main highway between Waipara and Hurunui was badly affected.

There was some damage to the railway lines. Most serious damage was to the Midland line. The main line south was blocked at Norwood by floodwaters and 3 ft (0.91 m) of water covered the line at Southbridge. No trains were running between Ashburton and Timaru.

Wide areas of North Canterbury were flooded.

There was heavy surface flooding at Amberley, Glassnevin and Waipara.

There were three major washouts between Hanmer and the engineers camp which was 17 miles over the summit of Lewis Pass on the Canterbury side. No transport was considered possible by either road or rai and there was no link between Canterbury and the West Coast.

Floods also cut off all means of transport of coal and timber supplies to the east coast.

It was the worst flood in North and South Canterbury for at least 30 years and in some places up to 50 years.

Approaches to the highway bridges over the Selwyn, Hinds, Orari and Opihi rivers were covered with swirling water up to 3.5 ft (1.07 m) deep.

20 people were rescued by the Army from the district between Pleasant Point and Temuka.

The highway from Timaru to Mount Cook was impassable in about five places because of water on the road, wash outs and damaged bridges.

Bridges at Sawdon and McKinnins were washed away and the Allandale and Doyles bridges were washed out at the approaches.

Nearly every road in MacKenzie Country was impassable.

The road to Mount Cook was blocked on the Fairlie side of Albury.

The approaches to the bridge over the North Kowai River at Amberley were washed away and it was closed to traffic.

The Main North Road was impassable at Arowhenua.

Water to a depth of 2.5 ft (0.76 m) was lying on the south side of the Opihi River Bridge at Arowhenua.

The road from Arowhenua to Pleasant Point was closed.

Seadown and Arowhenua families were evacuated where houses were surrounded by a considerable depth of water. 20 persons were rescued by flat-bottomed boats and a motorboat.

Floods, slips and washouts caused serious damage in the Ashburton district.

Large areas of land were inundated.

The Main South Road was blocked.

Farmlands affected most by the flood were on the south side of the river in the Eiffelton area.

Ashburton River was contained mainly within its stopbanks except for an overflow about two miles below Tinwald.

The river left its bed in many places along the Ashburton Gorge road above Mount Somers and damaged the approaches to the Stour and Stony creek and Woolshed bridges. The road was impassable at these points.

Ashburton River had an estimated discharge of 90,000 cusecs (2549 cumecs).

The Main North road was blocked at the Ashley Bridge. Water covered both sides of the road to a depth of 3 ft (0.91 m).

A pier and two iron girders of the railway bridge over the Ashley River were washed away.

The Ashley was is in one of its most serious floods in history and caused great concern to residents of Waikuku.

Logs and large branches were swept under the bridge and the flood waters surged to a height of 8-10 ft (2.4-3.0 m) when striking the main piles of the bridge.

Ashley River had a discharge of 100,000 cusecs (2832 cumecs) (which was estimated due to the stopbanks overtopping).

Berridale Road at Broomfield was closed when the piles supporting the Berridale Bridge collapsed.

No train services were running to Fairlie because of a washout on the line near Cave.

The Cheviot area was isolated.

There was flooding at Cricklewood.

There was a heavy flood in the Pahau River near Culverden, and the water lapped the decking of the bridge.

Cust River was still within its banks but the level was very high.

All trains on the White Cliffs branch line from Darfield were cancelled.

The Eyre had broke its banks in several places and was in high flood.

The main streets of Fairlie were flooded.

Water was pouring through some shops damaging quantities of goods.

The sewerage system broke down and sewage had to be swept out of shops and cleared from the main street.

The flood was stated as the "worst seen since 1881".

Diamond Creek at Goodwins Corner was sweeping down the main Tekapo-Fairlie highway for half a mile. There were big sheets of water covering the road between Fairlie and Burkes Pass.

The approach to Woolwash Creek Bridge was washed out and road to Tekapo was closed to traffic.

Residents of Fairlie were isolated in their homes.

Opihi River at Fairlie broke its banks.

Two spans of the Glentui Bridge were washed away.

Five spans of the Hanging Rock bridge were washed away.

The Hinds River burst its banks in many places, flooding 4000 acres (1619 ha) of farmland and isolating homesteads.

Debris was caught in the piles of bridges. They were endangered due to the pressure of the water.

A large tract of land about two miles from Kaiapoi on the Ohoka Road was submerged.

The main drain into the Cam at Kaiapoi was in full flood and the water barely cleared the under decking of the Skew Bridge.

No stock losses were reported.

The Cam was very high.

Scouring in Luke's Creek, the source of the Kaikoura town water supply, caused service to be cut off.

The areas most affected were Kiwi and Bayview streets.

The inland road from Kaikoura to Waiau was closed.

The Kowhai River broke through at the Fernleigh dip on the inland road.

On the suburban flats between the township and the seaward Kaikoura range flooding had occurred in the Mount Fyffe and Red Swamp road areas.

Lees Valley was isolated.

One and a half chains (30 m) of the approach to Gillespie's Bridge in the valley were washed away.

The hills around Loburn received more than 2 in (5.08 cm) of rain.

The Okuku, Karetu and Station road bridges were all badly damaged and closed to traffic.

Water lapped against the decking of the Mayfield and Maronan bridges.

One span of the Mayfield bridge was damaged.

On the Mount Somers branch line piles were washed from a bridge between Cavedish and Mount Somers and the rails over the bridge were twisted.

The highway through Omihi Valley had patches of flooding.

Opihi River was over both ends of the Allandale Bridge on the Geraldine Road.

The Opihi River was well over its banks and up to 4 ft (1.22 m) high around some huts. People were seen on the roof tops.

Opihi River had a discharge of 40,420 cusecs (1145 cumecs) at Hanging Rock.

A break in the transmission line occurred in the Orari area where one or more power poles were believed to have been washed away.

Orari River was in high flood.

Orari River had a discharge of 29,650 cusecs (840 cumecs) at the Upper Orari Bridge.

At Amos Bridge in the Pareora Gorge 16 ft (4.88 m) of the approaches were washed away.

The highway from Cave to Pareora was closed.

Pareora River had an estimated discharge 12,800 cusecs (362 cumecs) with a catchment area of 105 sq miles.

Serious damage occurred at the Highbank Power Station. The diversion race was breached resulting in power restrictions.

There was considerable flooding of Saltwater Creek.

There were extensive overflows from the Selwyn River in many places.

Selwyn River had a discharge of 21,700 cusecs (614 cumecs) which was smaller than the flood of January 1953.

The approach to the Roxburgh Bridge below Springburn was flooded.

A 80 ft (24.4 m) span of the railway bridge over Kowai River near Springfield was washed out.

Floodwater closed the main highway at Staveley at Bowyers Stream Bridge and between the Alford Forest cutting and Taylors Stream.

Te Moana River had a discharge 15,230 cusecs (431 cumecs) at Twomeys Bridge.

In the Te Ngawai district about 20 families (approximately 80 people) were evacuated.

Te Ngawai Bridge had a hole in the middle of the decking.

Temuka River had a discharge of 29,250 cusecs (828 cumecs) at Manse Bridge.

The road at The Populars was badly scoured.

The Poplar Road Bridge gave way and was washed out to sea.

The water supply to the Timaru city reservior was cut. The pipeline from the Cannington Valley was broken.

On the Waiau branch line there was a washout between Pahau and Culverden and a slip on Weka Pass.

Ashley River and the Taranaki Creek rose and about 150 permanent residents of Waikuku Beach were in danger. Some of the families left the beach.

Ashley River breached its banks in three or four places.

The flood waters rose so high that all exits from the beach were blocked and the only way out to the main road was by rowing a boat.

Three houses on the Waikuku side of the road were flooded.

The Waimakariri River was 6 ft (1.83 m) above the normal level.