NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
August 1946 Manawatu-Wanganui Flooding
(
1946-08-19
)
Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides which blocked roads and railway lines. A slip came down on the railway in Manawatu Gorge, causing an engine and several wagons to fall into the river resulting in two casualties.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Multi Hazard
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
Duration: 5 days - From the 19th to the 23rd of August.
Heavy Rain
There was the heavy rain thoughout the Manawatu district on the 20th.
Flooding
There were floods in all streams and creeks.
The main railway line from Aramoho to New Plymouth was blocked.
Landslide
There was a small slip near Porewa and Mangaweka on the Main Trunk Line.
There was a minor slip on the main highway between Bulls and Wanganui.
Flooding
at
Awahuri
Oroua River rose high and flooded a large area at Awahuri.
Some stock losses were reported.
Heavy Rain
at
Bulls
There was heavy rain in Bulls.
Flooding
A sea of water blocked the main road south near the Rangitikei Dairy Factory.
Flooding
at
Castlecliff
There was a five knot (9.26 km/hr) fresh running in the Whanganui River at Castlecliff.
Heavy Rain
at
Dannevirke
Dannevirke recorded 2.02 in (5.13 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
Feilding
Feilding recorded 1.59 in (4.04 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
Makino
Makino recorded 1.93 in (4.90 cm) of rain.
Flooding
Makino Stream overflowed its banks and caused serious flooding in the township.
Landslide
at
Manawatu Gorge
A slip came down on the railway in Manawatu Gorge, causing an engine and several wagons to fall into the swollen river. The train driver and a fireman drowned.
Heavy Rain
at
Marton
Marton recorded 1.64 in (4.17 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9am on the 20th.
Flooding
Tutaenui Stream overflowed its banks.
Water spread across all the low-lying country to Calico Line.
There was no considerable flooding or any damage done in the borough.
Heavy Rain
at
National Park
National Park recorded 3.85 in (9.78 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Ohingaiti
Rangitikei River at Ohingaiti rose over 9 ft (2.74 m).
Heavy Rain
at
Pahiatua
Pahiatua recorded 1.80 in (4.57 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Palmerston North
Palmerston North recorded 1.71 in (4.34 cm) of rain.
Flooding
Kawau Creek overflowed and flooded parts of town.
Manawatu River rose 14 ft (4.27 m) at Fitzherbert Bridge gauge and had a peak discharge of 59,000 cusecs (1671 cumecs).
Many roads throughout the district were flooded.
Heavy Rain
at
Patea
Patea recorded 2.49 in (6.32 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Pipiriki
Whanganui River reached a peak level of 20 ft (6.1 m) above the steamer jetty at Pipiriki.
Whanganui River Road flooded just below Pipiriki.
Flooding
at
Taonui
There was extensive flooding in the Taonui basin.
Flooding
at
Rangitikei River
Rangitikei River was in flood.
Heavy Rain
at
Wanganui
Wanganui recorded 1.91 in (4.85 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 6pm on the 20th. This was the heaviest fall since August 1938.
Flooding
Heavy rain in the Wanganui district on the 19th caused rivers and streams to become swollen.
Whanganui River was a few feet below the Town Wharf at Wanganui.
Flooding occurred in various parts of the district.
The main road to the south of Wanganui had water pouring over it on the flats at Putiki and on either side of Kaitoke.
Churton's Creek overflowed.
The low-lying Island below Imlay was submerged.
Landslide
Roads in the district suffered from slips but damage was not too serious.
Heavy Rain
at
Waverley
Waverley recorded 2.30 in (5.84 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Landslide
at
Whangaehu
There was a small slip on the main railway line near Whangaehu.
Heavy Rain
at
Woodville
Woodville recorded 2.21 in (5.61 cm) of rain.
References
- Cowie, C.A; Attwood, A.K.(1957) FLOODS in NEW ZEALAND 1920 -53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand 239p.
- Headline: Marton receives a drenching.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 21 August 1946.
- Headline: The Lastest Advice.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 21 August 1946.
- Headline: Widespread flooding.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 21 August 1946.
August 1946 Manawatu-Wanganui Flooding
(
1946-08-19
)
Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides which blocked roads and railway lines. A slip came down on the railway in Manawatu Gorge, causing an engine and several wagons to fall into the river resulting in two casualties.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Multi Hazard
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
Duration: 5 days - From the 19th to the 23rd of August.
Heavy Rain
There was the heavy rain thoughout the Manawatu district on the 20th.
Flooding
There were floods in all streams and creeks.
The main railway line from Aramoho to New Plymouth was blocked.
Landslide
There was a small slip near Porewa and Mangaweka on the Main Trunk Line.
There was a minor slip on the main highway between Bulls and Wanganui.
Flooding
at
Awahuri
Oroua River rose high and flooded a large area at Awahuri.
Some stock losses were reported.
Heavy Rain
at
Bulls
There was heavy rain in Bulls.
Flooding
A sea of water blocked the main road south near the Rangitikei Dairy Factory.
Flooding
at
Castlecliff
There was a five knot (9.26 km/hr) fresh running in the Whanganui River at Castlecliff.
Heavy Rain
at
Dannevirke
Dannevirke recorded 2.02 in (5.13 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
Feilding
Feilding recorded 1.59 in (4.04 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
Makino
Makino recorded 1.93 in (4.90 cm) of rain.
Flooding
Makino Stream overflowed its banks and caused serious flooding in the township.
Landslide
at
Manawatu Gorge
A slip came down on the railway in Manawatu Gorge, causing an engine and several wagons to fall into the swollen river. The train driver and a fireman drowned.
Heavy Rain
at
Marton
Marton recorded 1.64 in (4.17 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9am on the 20th.
Flooding
Tutaenui Stream overflowed its banks.
Water spread across all the low-lying country to Calico Line.
There was no considerable flooding or any damage done in the borough.
Heavy Rain
at
National Park
National Park recorded 3.85 in (9.78 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Ohingaiti
Rangitikei River at Ohingaiti rose over 9 ft (2.74 m).
Heavy Rain
at
Pahiatua
Pahiatua recorded 1.80 in (4.57 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Palmerston North
Palmerston North recorded 1.71 in (4.34 cm) of rain.
Flooding
Kawau Creek overflowed and flooded parts of town.
Manawatu River rose 14 ft (4.27 m) at Fitzherbert Bridge gauge and had a peak discharge of 59,000 cusecs (1671 cumecs).
Many roads throughout the district were flooded.
Heavy Rain
at
Patea
Patea recorded 2.49 in (6.32 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Pipiriki
Whanganui River reached a peak level of 20 ft (6.1 m) above the steamer jetty at Pipiriki.
Whanganui River Road flooded just below Pipiriki.
Flooding
at
Taonui
There was extensive flooding in the Taonui basin.
Flooding
at
Rangitikei River
Rangitikei River was in flood.
Heavy Rain
at
Wanganui
Wanganui recorded 1.91 in (4.85 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 6pm on the 20th. This was the heaviest fall since August 1938.
Flooding
Heavy rain in the Wanganui district on the 19th caused rivers and streams to become swollen.
Whanganui River was a few feet below the Town Wharf at Wanganui.
Flooding occurred in various parts of the district.
The main road to the south of Wanganui had water pouring over it on the flats at Putiki and on either side of Kaitoke.
Churton's Creek overflowed.
The low-lying Island below Imlay was submerged.
Landslide
Roads in the district suffered from slips but damage was not too serious.
Heavy Rain
at
Waverley
Waverley recorded 2.30 in (5.84 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Landslide
at
Whangaehu
There was a small slip on the main railway line near Whangaehu.
Heavy Rain
at
Woodville
Woodville recorded 2.21 in (5.61 cm) of rain.
References
- Cowie, C.A; Attwood, A.K.(1957) FLOODS in NEW ZEALAND 1920 -53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand 239p.
- Headline: Marton receives a drenching.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 21 August 1946.
- Headline: The Lastest Advice.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 21 August 1946.
- Headline: Widespread flooding.
- The Wanganui Chronicle, 21 August 1946.