NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue

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April 2010 Southland Flooding ( 2010-04-25 )

South Island

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at South Island
Duration:     - From the 24th to
Comments:
Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:18 pm 23-Apr-2010: Several frontal bands embedded within a strong moist northwesterly flow are expected to bring periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the headwaters of the main Canterbury and Otago lakes and river from the 24th to the 26th.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 08:44 am 24-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Otago and Canterbruy headwaters from the morning of the 24th through to the evening of the 26th. Some very heavy falls in south Westland and northern Fiordland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:08 pm 24-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters until the night of the 26th.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 08:49 am 25-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters for the next few days.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:28 pm 25-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters for the next few days.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 09:24 am 26-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about northwest Nelson, Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters today and tomorrow. Further rain in Southland and central Otago today.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 15:32 pm 26-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about northwest Nelson, Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters today and tomorrow.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:23 pm 26-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about northwest Nelson, Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters from tonight through to early in the morning of the 28th.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 08:34 am 27-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Fiordland, Westland, northwest Nelson today and overnight tonight.

CommentPhenomenal rainfalls were pelting the west and south of the South Island.

Physical CharacteristicMany parts of the West Coast and Fiordland recorded 300 mm (30.0 cm) and 400 mm (40.0 cm) of rain in 36 hours up to midday of the 26th.

West Coast

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Cropp River
Map Location: -43.078492 171.000521
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicCropp River valley, inland from Hokitika, received close to 500 mm (50.0 cm) of rain in 36 hours.

Southland

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Southland
Comments:

CommentHeavy rain on the 25th caused flooding on all major Southland rivers. It was the heaviest rainfall in more than a decade.

Physical CharacteristicRainfall totals in parts of northern Southland since early on the 25th to midday on the 26th were 200 mm (20.0 cm) or more with double that in Fiordland and in the West Coast ranges.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Declared EmergencySouthland's Civil Defence emergency operations centre was activated.

Affected LifelineState Highway 95 between Manapouri and Te Anau was open but there was surface flooding in some parts.

Affected LifelineState Highway 94 between Mossburn and Te Anau was closed at Whitestone and the Key on the 26th.

Affected LifelineState Highway 97 between Five Rivers and Mossburn was closed.

Affected LifelineThere were warnings in place for State Highway 6 between Kingston and Athol because of surface flooding.

Affected LifelineThe Blackmount Redcliff Road was closed on the 26th.

Affected LifelineRoads closed on the morning of the 27th were West Plains Road at both Waikiwi River and the Makarewa River, Gropers Bush-Thornbury Road, Otautau-Riverton Road at Aparima River, Oporo Flat Road, Anderson Road at Otapiri and Rakahouka-Hedgehope Road. Also closed were North Makarewa Grove Bush Road, Affleck Road, Lowther Road, Ellis Road, Felton Road, Roy Road, Counsell Road, Lora Gorge Road in Winton, Nokomai Road, and Cainard Road in the Garston area, Kakapo Road from Dales Road, Waikouro-Wairio Road and Dipton South Hillend Road. Caution was advised on McKenzie Road near Winton and Sutton Road in Glencoe.

Affected LifelineIn the Tanner and Hokonui School Road area there was flooding in the low areas across the road.

Physical CharacteristicSome Southland rivers wre running as high as five metres above normal flows. Most of Southland's major rivers peaked without significant problems.

Damage CostHundreds of bales of feed were swept away. This was expected to be very costly for farmers.

Stock DamageThere were no stock losses reported.

CommentThousands of hectares of Southland farmland could be under water for more than a week.

FloodingFlooding at Aparima River
Map Location: -46.173671 168.039276
Comments:

CommentHamilton Burn, a tributary of the Aparima River, exceeded its highest recorded level.

FloodingFlooding at Dipton
Map Location: -45.899764 168.3735
Comments:

Affected LifelineSouth Hillend Road was closed (between Hundred Line East Road and Benmore Road).

CommentA Dipton resident said water from the Oreti River was lapping at the wall of her house on the 27th.

CommentThere was only one report of a bank being breached by floodwaters and that was the Oreti River near Dipton.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Fiordland National Park
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicFiordland recorded more than 700 mm (70.0 cm) of rain in three days.

Physical CharacteristicDumpling Hut, on the Milford Track, received 739 mm (73.9 cm) of rain in three days ending 8am on the 26th.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Evacuees120 trampers were evacuated from the Milford Track by helicopter. The trampers , 40 at three separate huts, had spent two nights safely inside huts but food was running low, prompting the evacuation.

DamageOne small bridge downstream of Mintaro Hut was washed away.

ImpactHigh river levels throughout the Wakatipu area meant the Routeburn, Greenstone-Caples and Rees-Dart tracks were closed at 8:30am on the 26th. At the time of closure, hut wardens held 22 trampers at the Routeburn Falls, Mid Caples anf Dart huts.

FloodingFlooding at Gore
Map Location: -46.095878 168.927462
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMataura River peaked on the afternoon of the 27th at just over 2.3 metres above normal at Gore.

FloodingFlooding at Hedgehope
Map Location: -46.205732 168.538155
Comments:

ImpactThe surrounding land was flooded.

FloodingFlooding at Invercargill
Map Location: -46.436318 168.35975
Comments:

AreaAbout 4000 ha was underwater west of Invercargill on the 27th as the Taramoa Pond filled with floodwater from the surrounding rivers.

ImpactOne farmer who leased 66 ha within the Taramoa Pond said his land was under water except for about three hectares.

FloodingFlooding at Lumsden
Map Location: -45.740784 168.456441
Comments:

EvacueesFour dairy farm workers had to evacuate their rented farmhouse in Lowther Road (12 km north of Lumsden) when floodwater started to flow through their house. On parts of the farm floodwaters were over the top of the fences.

Physical CharacteristicThe Oreti River at Lumsden was only 10 cm from the top of the stopbanks.

FloodingFlooding at Oreti River
Map Location: -46.304952 168.27359
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicOreti River at Three Kings (between Te Anau and Lumsden) was nearly 2 m above normal and rising at a rate of 105 mm per hour on the morning of the 26th.

FloodingFlooding at Fairlight
Map Location: -45.41966 168.674249
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicAt 6am on the 26th the Mataura River was nearly 2 m above normal at Fairlight, and rising at a rate of 140 mm per hour.

FloodingFlooding at Manapouri
Map Location: -45.564799 167.594362
Comments:

Peak DischargeThe flow of the Mararoa River at Weir Road near Manapouri rose from 50 cumecs to more than 800 cumecs.

Affected LifelineMararoa River flooded the road.

FloodingFlooding at Mandeville
Map Location: -45.991257 168.79529
Comments:

ImpactThe surrounding land was flooded.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Milford Sound
Map Location: -44.673307 167.929617
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMilford Sound recorded more than 250 mm (25.0 cm) of rain between midnight and and 6pm on the 25th.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineHolidaymakers were stranded in Milford Sound on the 25th after torrential rain forced the closer of the Milford road.

Affected LifelineThe visibility on the road was almost zero and there was water across the road in some parts.

Physical CharacteristicAt Falls Creek, the river was 5-6 m above normal.

Affected LifelineIn some places the river was going over bridges.

FloodingFlooding at Taramoa
Map Location: -46.34475 168.21463
Comments:

ImpactThere was some surface flooding.

FloodingFlooding at Te Anau
Map Location: -45.360262 167.725458
Comments:

DamageFarmland in the Te Anau Basin was underwater and there is extensive damage to fences and other infrastructure.

Affected LifelineRoads and bridges were affected in the Te Anau area. A number of rural roads were closed.

Affected LifelineBlackmount Redcliff Road was the only route open to and from Te Anau on the 27th..

Affected LifelineUpukerora Road, Ramparts Road and Golf Course Road was closed.

Affected LifelineFlooding affected phone services for about 2000 Te Anau residents but this was restored at 7:30pm on the 26th. The Telecom fibre-optic connection out of Te Anau was severed at 1:30pm when part of the road near Whitestone Bridge was washed away. Telecom's two mobile sites were also affected.

FloodingFlooding at Whitestone River
Map Location: -45.46107 167.78573
Comments:

ImpactThe river broke its banks and took out a portion of the road.

FloodingFlooding at Winton
Map Location: -46.142743 168.330466
Comments:

CommentCivil Defence staff and police put several landowners downstream of Winton on standby. Their properties had been threatened in the 1999 floods.

References

Headline: Heavy rain drenches the South.
www.odt.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Rain forces Milford rescue mission.
www.odt.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: 120 trampers evacuated from Milford Track.
www.stuff.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Flooding on most Southland rivers.
www.stuff.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Flooding sparks Civil Defence emergency.
www.stuff.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Flooding swamps South Island.
www.stuff.co.nz, 27 April 2010.
Headline: Rain eases over swamped Southland.
www.stuff.co.nz, 27 April 2010.
Headline: Farmland underwater for 'at least a week'.
www.stuff.co.nz, 28 April 2010.
Headline: Trampers evacuated, bridge out, "Phenomenal" rainfall pelts South Island.
www.stuff.co.nz, The Press, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Heavy rain forces road closure.
www.stuff.co.nz, The Southland Times, 26 April 2010.

April 2010 Southland Flooding ( 2010-04-25 )

South Island

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at South Island
Duration:     - From the 24th to
Comments:
Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:18 pm 23-Apr-2010: Several frontal bands embedded within a strong moist northwesterly flow are expected to bring periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the headwaters of the main Canterbury and Otago lakes and river from the 24th to the 26th.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 08:44 am 24-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Otago and Canterbruy headwaters from the morning of the 24th through to the evening of the 26th. Some very heavy falls in south Westland and northern Fiordland.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:08 pm 24-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters until the night of the 26th.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 08:49 am 25-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters for the next few days.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:28 pm 25-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters for the next few days.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 09:24 am 26-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about northwest Nelson, Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters today and tomorrow. Further rain in Southland and central Otago today.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 15:32 pm 26-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about northwest Nelson, Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters today and tomorrow.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 20:23 pm 26-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about northwest Nelson, Westland, Fiordland and the Canterbury and Otago headwaters from tonight through to early in the morning of the 28th.

CommentMetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 08:34 am 27-Apr-2010: Periods of heavy rain about Fiordland, Westland, northwest Nelson today and overnight tonight.

CommentPhenomenal rainfalls were pelting the west and south of the South Island.

Physical CharacteristicMany parts of the West Coast and Fiordland recorded 300 mm (30.0 cm) and 400 mm (40.0 cm) of rain in 36 hours up to midday of the 26th.

West Coast

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Cropp River
Map Location: -43.078492 171.000521
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicCropp River valley, inland from Hokitika, received close to 500 mm (50.0 cm) of rain in 36 hours.

Southland

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Southland
Comments:

CommentHeavy rain on the 25th caused flooding on all major Southland rivers. It was the heaviest rainfall in more than a decade.

Physical CharacteristicRainfall totals in parts of northern Southland since early on the 25th to midday on the 26th were 200 mm (20.0 cm) or more with double that in Fiordland and in the West Coast ranges.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Declared EmergencySouthland's Civil Defence emergency operations centre was activated.

Affected LifelineState Highway 95 between Manapouri and Te Anau was open but there was surface flooding in some parts.

Affected LifelineState Highway 94 between Mossburn and Te Anau was closed at Whitestone and the Key on the 26th.

Affected LifelineState Highway 97 between Five Rivers and Mossburn was closed.

Affected LifelineThere were warnings in place for State Highway 6 between Kingston and Athol because of surface flooding.

Affected LifelineThe Blackmount Redcliff Road was closed on the 26th.

Affected LifelineRoads closed on the morning of the 27th were West Plains Road at both Waikiwi River and the Makarewa River, Gropers Bush-Thornbury Road, Otautau-Riverton Road at Aparima River, Oporo Flat Road, Anderson Road at Otapiri and Rakahouka-Hedgehope Road. Also closed were North Makarewa Grove Bush Road, Affleck Road, Lowther Road, Ellis Road, Felton Road, Roy Road, Counsell Road, Lora Gorge Road in Winton, Nokomai Road, and Cainard Road in the Garston area, Kakapo Road from Dales Road, Waikouro-Wairio Road and Dipton South Hillend Road. Caution was advised on McKenzie Road near Winton and Sutton Road in Glencoe.

Affected LifelineIn the Tanner and Hokonui School Road area there was flooding in the low areas across the road.

Physical CharacteristicSome Southland rivers wre running as high as five metres above normal flows. Most of Southland's major rivers peaked without significant problems.

Damage CostHundreds of bales of feed were swept away. This was expected to be very costly for farmers.

Stock DamageThere were no stock losses reported.

CommentThousands of hectares of Southland farmland could be under water for more than a week.

FloodingFlooding at Aparima River
Map Location: -46.173671 168.039276
Comments:

CommentHamilton Burn, a tributary of the Aparima River, exceeded its highest recorded level.

FloodingFlooding at Dipton
Map Location: -45.899764 168.3735
Comments:

Affected LifelineSouth Hillend Road was closed (between Hundred Line East Road and Benmore Road).

CommentA Dipton resident said water from the Oreti River was lapping at the wall of her house on the 27th.

CommentThere was only one report of a bank being breached by floodwaters and that was the Oreti River near Dipton.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Fiordland National Park
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicFiordland recorded more than 700 mm (70.0 cm) of rain in three days.

Physical CharacteristicDumpling Hut, on the Milford Track, received 739 mm (73.9 cm) of rain in three days ending 8am on the 26th.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Evacuees120 trampers were evacuated from the Milford Track by helicopter. The trampers , 40 at three separate huts, had spent two nights safely inside huts but food was running low, prompting the evacuation.

DamageOne small bridge downstream of Mintaro Hut was washed away.

ImpactHigh river levels throughout the Wakatipu area meant the Routeburn, Greenstone-Caples and Rees-Dart tracks were closed at 8:30am on the 26th. At the time of closure, hut wardens held 22 trampers at the Routeburn Falls, Mid Caples anf Dart huts.

FloodingFlooding at Gore
Map Location: -46.095878 168.927462
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMataura River peaked on the afternoon of the 27th at just over 2.3 metres above normal at Gore.

FloodingFlooding at Hedgehope
Map Location: -46.205732 168.538155
Comments:

ImpactThe surrounding land was flooded.

FloodingFlooding at Invercargill
Map Location: -46.436318 168.35975
Comments:

AreaAbout 4000 ha was underwater west of Invercargill on the 27th as the Taramoa Pond filled with floodwater from the surrounding rivers.

ImpactOne farmer who leased 66 ha within the Taramoa Pond said his land was under water except for about three hectares.

FloodingFlooding at Lumsden
Map Location: -45.740784 168.456441
Comments:

EvacueesFour dairy farm workers had to evacuate their rented farmhouse in Lowther Road (12 km north of Lumsden) when floodwater started to flow through their house. On parts of the farm floodwaters were over the top of the fences.

Physical CharacteristicThe Oreti River at Lumsden was only 10 cm from the top of the stopbanks.

FloodingFlooding at Oreti River
Map Location: -46.304952 168.27359
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicOreti River at Three Kings (between Te Anau and Lumsden) was nearly 2 m above normal and rising at a rate of 105 mm per hour on the morning of the 26th.

FloodingFlooding at Fairlight
Map Location: -45.41966 168.674249
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicAt 6am on the 26th the Mataura River was nearly 2 m above normal at Fairlight, and rising at a rate of 140 mm per hour.

FloodingFlooding at Manapouri
Map Location: -45.564799 167.594362
Comments:

Peak DischargeThe flow of the Mararoa River at Weir Road near Manapouri rose from 50 cumecs to more than 800 cumecs.

Affected LifelineMararoa River flooded the road.

FloodingFlooding at Mandeville
Map Location: -45.991257 168.79529
Comments:

ImpactThe surrounding land was flooded.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Milford Sound
Map Location: -44.673307 167.929617
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMilford Sound recorded more than 250 mm (25.0 cm) of rain between midnight and and 6pm on the 25th.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineHolidaymakers were stranded in Milford Sound on the 25th after torrential rain forced the closer of the Milford road.

Affected LifelineThe visibility on the road was almost zero and there was water across the road in some parts.

Physical CharacteristicAt Falls Creek, the river was 5-6 m above normal.

Affected LifelineIn some places the river was going over bridges.

FloodingFlooding at Taramoa
Map Location: -46.34475 168.21463
Comments:

ImpactThere was some surface flooding.

FloodingFlooding at Te Anau
Map Location: -45.360262 167.725458
Comments:

DamageFarmland in the Te Anau Basin was underwater and there is extensive damage to fences and other infrastructure.

Affected LifelineRoads and bridges were affected in the Te Anau area. A number of rural roads were closed.

Affected LifelineBlackmount Redcliff Road was the only route open to and from Te Anau on the 27th..

Affected LifelineUpukerora Road, Ramparts Road and Golf Course Road was closed.

Affected LifelineFlooding affected phone services for about 2000 Te Anau residents but this was restored at 7:30pm on the 26th. The Telecom fibre-optic connection out of Te Anau was severed at 1:30pm when part of the road near Whitestone Bridge was washed away. Telecom's two mobile sites were also affected.

FloodingFlooding at Whitestone River
Map Location: -45.46107 167.78573
Comments:

ImpactThe river broke its banks and took out a portion of the road.

FloodingFlooding at Winton
Map Location: -46.142743 168.330466
Comments:

CommentCivil Defence staff and police put several landowners downstream of Winton on standby. Their properties had been threatened in the 1999 floods.

References

Headline: Heavy rain drenches the South.
www.odt.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Rain forces Milford rescue mission.
www.odt.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: 120 trampers evacuated from Milford Track.
www.stuff.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Flooding on most Southland rivers.
www.stuff.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Flooding sparks Civil Defence emergency.
www.stuff.co.nz, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Flooding swamps South Island.
www.stuff.co.nz, 27 April 2010.
Headline: Rain eases over swamped Southland.
www.stuff.co.nz, 27 April 2010.
Headline: Farmland underwater for 'at least a week'.
www.stuff.co.nz, 28 April 2010.
Headline: Trampers evacuated, bridge out, "Phenomenal" rainfall pelts South Island.
www.stuff.co.nz, The Press, 26 April 2010.
Headline: Heavy rain forces road closure.
www.stuff.co.nz, The Southland Times, 26 April 2010.