Heavy rain over four days caused flooding and landslides in the Gisborne region. One man was drowned in a river.
The rain over the four days to the 12th was the heaviest for a similar number of days for two years.
Heavy rain was experienced on all parts of the East Coast during the 48 hours up to the night of the 11th. Rainfall in some parts of the back country was higher than that on the flats.
The Waipaoa River was in high flood on the 11th but went down steadily on the 12th.
Every stream in the Waikohu County was swollen by the perisstent rainfall in the hills. Streams were also flooded along the East Coast.
Many roads in the Waikohu County were blocked for a time by flooded fords.
Washouts occurred on some of the Waikohu county roads, but no serious damage was done.
There was some loss among lambs, particularly on farms with flat land that was awash with surface water, where drowning was the main cause.
Waiapu county roads had £3,116 ($253,760 2008 dollars) of damage and main highways had £820 ($66,780 2008 dollars) of damage - a total of £3,936 ($320,530 2008 dollars).
The rainfall at Bartletts was very heavy from the 8th to the morning of the 12th.
At Bartletts, 4.26 in (10.8 cm) of rain fell in the four days from the 8th to 9am on the 12th.
Much water was lying about the paddocks.
At the signal station, 1.33 in (3.4 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
At the signal station, 0.45 in (1.1 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
At the signal station, 1.12 in (2.8 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
At the signal station, 1.64 in (4.2 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
At the signal station, the total rainfall for the four days was 4.54 in (11.5 cm).
At the signal station, 1.02 in (2.6 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 13th.
At the aerodrome, 1.53 in (3.9 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
At the aerodrome, 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
At the aerodrome, 1.11 in (2.8 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
At the aerodrome, 0.52 in (1.3 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
At the aerodrome, the total rainfall for the four days was 3.41 in (8.7 cm).
At the aerodrome, 0.36 in (0.9 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 13th.
In Hangaroa, 2.07 in (5.3 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
In Hangaroa, 0.81 in (2.1 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
In Hangaroa, 1.84 in (4.7 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
In Hangaroa, 1.56 in (4.0 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
In Hangaroa, the total rainfall for the four days was 6.28 in (16.0 cm).
In the Maungahauini Valley, the crossings on the main highway silted up and the Wilkins' Creek caused difficulty to motorists due to the number of boulders carried down by the stream and across the ford.
On the 12th, the Waipaoa River, opposed by the incoming tide, broke its banks near the river mouth and inundated a wide area of low-lying land. Many portions of pastures were still covered with water on the 14th.
Extensive damage was done to pastures and crops.
The greatest damage in recent years was done at Muriwai. Mr Zenker's house, standing where the old waterfront road to Gisborne was cut by the river in the flood of 1938, was not more than 5 chains (100 m) from the water on the 13th. At that point the river was meeting the bank at right angles and rapidly eroding the sandy soil. A considerable area of what was beach had disappeared. Further erosion occurred, and on the 14th, a little over 2 chains (40 m) separated Mr Zenker's residence from the river. In front of the residence, most of a large paddock of several acres was washed away. Nearly 1/2 mile (0.80 km) of beach lining the foreshore at the spot had disappeared.
Several blue gum trees were gone and eight poplars at the end of the old road were undermined and washed away in 2 hours on the 11th. From the old road right up to Young Nicks Head, the whole beach was covered with logs, driftwood and debris, along with a 30 ft canoe.
Some dead cows and sheep were washed up on the beach.
A small bridge on the access road to the heads was undermined to such an extent that it was dangerous.
The lagoon (Wherowhero Lagoon) had considerably increased in width from the 12th to the 14th.
The creek at Pahi, south of the Makarika turn-off, was low on the morning of the 11th, but rose so quickly that by the afternoon cars had to be towed through the fast-flowing water.
The Waikohu Stream, which flows into the Waipaoa River, was very high on the 11th, but was steadily falling the next morning.
Traffic on the north road to Opotiki was held up by the river at McKay's bridge at Puha.
A middle-aged Maori man was drowned while attempting to cross the flooded Awatere River on horseback on the evening of the 12th. He was seen to enter the river about 400 yards (366 m) from its mouth at 7:30pm, called out shortly after, and was not seen again.
In Te Karaka, 1.84 in (4.7 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
In Te Karaka, 0.42 in (1.1 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
In Te Karaka, 1.03 in (2.6 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
In Te Karaka, 1.34 in (3.4 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
In Te Karaka, the total rainfall for the four days was 4.63 in (11.8 cm).
7 in (17.8 cm) of rain was recorded in the three days up to 9am on the 11th.
At Waerengaahika, the Waipaoa River was running a banker on the afternoon of the 11th.
The Waikura Creek was running high, and was over its banks between Messrs Steele's and Hain's home.
Heavy rain over four days caused flooding and landslides in the Gisborne region. One man was drowned in a river.
The rain over the four days to the 12th was the heaviest for a similar number of days for two years.
Heavy rain was experienced on all parts of the East Coast during the 48 hours up to the night of the 11th. Rainfall in some parts of the back country was higher than that on the flats.
The Waipaoa River was in high flood on the 11th but went down steadily on the 12th.
Every stream in the Waikohu County was swollen by the perisstent rainfall in the hills. Streams were also flooded along the East Coast.
Many roads in the Waikohu County were blocked for a time by flooded fords.
Washouts occurred on some of the Waikohu county roads, but no serious damage was done.
There was some loss among lambs, particularly on farms with flat land that was awash with surface water, where drowning was the main cause.
Waiapu county roads had £3,116 ($253,760 2008 dollars) of damage and main highways had £820 ($66,780 2008 dollars) of damage - a total of £3,936 ($320,530 2008 dollars).
The rainfall at Bartletts was very heavy from the 8th to the morning of the 12th.
At Bartletts, 4.26 in (10.8 cm) of rain fell in the four days from the 8th to 9am on the 12th.
Much water was lying about the paddocks.
At the signal station, 1.33 in (3.4 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
At the signal station, 0.45 in (1.1 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
At the signal station, 1.12 in (2.8 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
At the signal station, 1.64 in (4.2 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
At the signal station, the total rainfall for the four days was 4.54 in (11.5 cm).
At the signal station, 1.02 in (2.6 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 13th.
At the aerodrome, 1.53 in (3.9 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
At the aerodrome, 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
At the aerodrome, 1.11 in (2.8 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
At the aerodrome, 0.52 in (1.3 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
At the aerodrome, the total rainfall for the four days was 3.41 in (8.7 cm).
At the aerodrome, 0.36 in (0.9 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 13th.
In Hangaroa, 2.07 in (5.3 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
In Hangaroa, 0.81 in (2.1 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
In Hangaroa, 1.84 in (4.7 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
In Hangaroa, 1.56 in (4.0 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
In Hangaroa, the total rainfall for the four days was 6.28 in (16.0 cm).
In the Maungahauini Valley, the crossings on the main highway silted up and the Wilkins' Creek caused difficulty to motorists due to the number of boulders carried down by the stream and across the ford.
On the 12th, the Waipaoa River, opposed by the incoming tide, broke its banks near the river mouth and inundated a wide area of low-lying land. Many portions of pastures were still covered with water on the 14th.
Extensive damage was done to pastures and crops.
The greatest damage in recent years was done at Muriwai. Mr Zenker's house, standing where the old waterfront road to Gisborne was cut by the river in the flood of 1938, was not more than 5 chains (100 m) from the water on the 13th. At that point the river was meeting the bank at right angles and rapidly eroding the sandy soil. A considerable area of what was beach had disappeared. Further erosion occurred, and on the 14th, a little over 2 chains (40 m) separated Mr Zenker's residence from the river. In front of the residence, most of a large paddock of several acres was washed away. Nearly 1/2 mile (0.80 km) of beach lining the foreshore at the spot had disappeared.
Several blue gum trees were gone and eight poplars at the end of the old road were undermined and washed away in 2 hours on the 11th. From the old road right up to Young Nicks Head, the whole beach was covered with logs, driftwood and debris, along with a 30 ft canoe.
Some dead cows and sheep were washed up on the beach.
A small bridge on the access road to the heads was undermined to such an extent that it was dangerous.
The lagoon (Wherowhero Lagoon) had considerably increased in width from the 12th to the 14th.
The creek at Pahi, south of the Makarika turn-off, was low on the morning of the 11th, but rose so quickly that by the afternoon cars had to be towed through the fast-flowing water.
The Waikohu Stream, which flows into the Waipaoa River, was very high on the 11th, but was steadily falling the next morning.
Traffic on the north road to Opotiki was held up by the river at McKay's bridge at Puha.
A middle-aged Maori man was drowned while attempting to cross the flooded Awatere River on horseback on the evening of the 12th. He was seen to enter the river about 400 yards (366 m) from its mouth at 7:30pm, called out shortly after, and was not seen again.
In Te Karaka, 1.84 in (4.7 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th.
In Te Karaka, 0.42 in (1.1 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th.
In Te Karaka, 1.03 in (2.6 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th.
In Te Karaka, 1.34 in (3.4 cm) of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th.
In Te Karaka, the total rainfall for the four days was 4.63 in (11.8 cm).
7 in (17.8 cm) of rain was recorded in the three days up to 9am on the 11th.
At Waerengaahika, the Waipaoa River was running a banker on the afternoon of the 11th.
The Waikura Creek was running high, and was over its banks between Messrs Steele's and Hain's home.