NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue

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ModerateDecember 1980 Hawke's Bay Flooding ( 1980-12-27 )

43 years

Heavy rain caused severe flooding in Twyford.

Gisborne

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Arowhana Station
Map Location: -38.15904 177.85602
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicArowhana Station recorded 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 8am on the 26th.

Physical CharacteristicArowhana Station recorded 140 mm (14.0 cm) of rain in 12 hours from 8am to 8pm on the 26th.

FloodingFlooding at Ruatoria
Map Location: -37.890508 178.310264
Comments:

EvacueesTwo families near Ruatoria were evacuated.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Te Karaka
Map Location: -38.467237 177.870255
Comments:

CommentThere was heavy rain in Te Karaka on the 27th of December.

FloodingFlooding at Waipaoa River
Map Location: -38.484818 177.912783
Comments:

CommentWaipaoa River was at its highest since the disastrous floods in 1948 on the Poverty bay flats.

Hawke's Bay

FloodingFlooding at Hawke's Bay
Comments:

ImpactThere was serious flooding in Hawke's Bay on the 28th of December.

Impact16 houses were cut off by floodwater in the Mangleton Road area. The area was isolated when a bridge collapsed causing a 60 metre hole in the access road. The area involved was settlers in the Gull Road and Thorn Flats area.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Hastings
Map Location: -39.635771 176.828045
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicHastings recorded 25.3 mm (2.53 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 28th to the 29th.

Physical CharacteristicHastings recorded 19.5 mm (1.95 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 27th to the 28th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Kaweka Forest
Map Location: -39.43089 176.46589
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicKaweka Forest recored 185 mm (18.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9am on the 28th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Napier
Map Location: -39.502426 176.892804
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicNapier recorded 29 mm (2.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 28th to the 29th.

Physical CharacteristicNapier recorded 32.5 mm (32.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 27th to the 28th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Ngaruroro River
Map Location: -39.580827 176.799364
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicThe headwaters of the Ngaruroro catchment received 150 mm (15.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 9am on the 27th.

FloodingFlooding at Ruataniwha
Map Location: -39.92858 176.49959
Comments:

AreaWaipawa River carved hole in the stopbank and flooded 40 hectares of farmland.

FloodingFlooding at Tukituki River
Map Location: -39.900244 176.162889
Comments:

ImpactScouring occurred on the stopbanks of Tukituki River.

Affected LifelineTukituki River bridge over State Highway 50 was closed due to a washout.

FloodingFlooding at Tutaekuri River
Map Location: -39.450942 176.634072
Comments:

Peak River LevelTutaekuri River peaked at 2.3 metres above normal.

FloodingFlooding at Twyford
Map Location: -39.601017 176.802225
Comments:

ImpactNgaruroro River breached the stopbank at Twyford resulting in serious flooding.

CommentNgaruroro River ran at its highest level for 43 years.

CommentThe bank burst without warning at 8am on the 28th. There was a 160 metre gap in the stopbank.

Damage CostThe temporary stopbank built cost $7000-$8000 ($27,900-$31,900 2010 dollars).

Area1000 hectares were flooded of crop and orchard farming land.

EvacueesSeveral families were forced to flee homes.

Impact15 homes in the area were surrounded by water.

Stock DamageStock losses were estimated at 750 sheep.

DamageThere was damage to houses, sheds, cars, farm machinery and fences.

Crop DamageOne orchardist lost their entire nectarine crop. There was a loss of thousands of dollars worth of crop in the area.

Affected LifelineThe concrete bridge down Twyford Road collapsed.

Affected LifelinePakowhai Road was closed.

FloodingFlooding at Waipawa River
Map Location: -39.95699 176.62316
Comments:

Affected LifelineHighway 50 was closed at Waipawa River bridge.

FloodingFlooding at Waipukurau
Map Location: -39.999445 176.562423
Comments:

Affected LifelineSurface flooded closed a number of roads in the district. Hiranui, Maharakeke, Ashcott, Middle Roads were closed.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Whanawhana
Map Location: -39.542825 176.431084
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWhanawhana recorded 157 mm (15.7 cm) of rain in 48 hours.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Peak River LevelNgaruroro peaked at 3.5 metres above normal at Whanawhana warning station.

References

Hawkes Bay Regional Council: www.hbrc.govt.nz
Johnston, D.D., and Pearse, L.J. 1999. Natural Hazards in Hawke's Bay. Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Napier, New Zealand.
Headline: Township cut off by heavy rainfall.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 27 December 1980.
Headline: Burst bank close call for CHB.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: Families flee 'wall of water'.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: River found 'weak spot'.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: Uneasy truce
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: County flies aid to flood victims.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 30 December 1980.
Headline: More weak spots.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 30 December 1980.

ModerateDecember 1980 Hawke's Bay Flooding ( 1980-12-27 )

43 years

Heavy rain caused severe flooding in Twyford.

Gisborne

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Arowhana Station
Map Location: -38.15904 177.85602
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicArowhana Station recorded 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 8am on the 26th.

Physical CharacteristicArowhana Station recorded 140 mm (14.0 cm) of rain in 12 hours from 8am to 8pm on the 26th.

FloodingFlooding at Ruatoria
Map Location: -37.890508 178.310264
Comments:

EvacueesTwo families near Ruatoria were evacuated.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Te Karaka
Map Location: -38.467237 177.870255
Comments:

CommentThere was heavy rain in Te Karaka on the 27th of December.

FloodingFlooding at Waipaoa River
Map Location: -38.484818 177.912783
Comments:

CommentWaipaoa River was at its highest since the disastrous floods in 1948 on the Poverty bay flats.

Hawke's Bay

FloodingFlooding at Hawke's Bay
Comments:

ImpactThere was serious flooding in Hawke's Bay on the 28th of December.

Impact16 houses were cut off by floodwater in the Mangleton Road area. The area was isolated when a bridge collapsed causing a 60 metre hole in the access road. The area involved was settlers in the Gull Road and Thorn Flats area.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Hastings
Map Location: -39.635771 176.828045
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicHastings recorded 25.3 mm (2.53 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 28th to the 29th.

Physical CharacteristicHastings recorded 19.5 mm (1.95 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 27th to the 28th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Kaweka Forest
Map Location: -39.43089 176.46589
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicKaweka Forest recored 185 mm (18.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending 9am on the 28th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Napier
Map Location: -39.502426 176.892804
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicNapier recorded 29 mm (2.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 28th to the 29th.

Physical CharacteristicNapier recorded 32.5 mm (32.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours overnight on the 27th to the 28th.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Ngaruroro River
Map Location: -39.580827 176.799364
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicThe headwaters of the Ngaruroro catchment received 150 mm (15.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours ending at 9am on the 27th.

FloodingFlooding at Ruataniwha
Map Location: -39.92858 176.49959
Comments:

AreaWaipawa River carved hole in the stopbank and flooded 40 hectares of farmland.

FloodingFlooding at Tukituki River
Map Location: -39.900244 176.162889
Comments:

ImpactScouring occurred on the stopbanks of Tukituki River.

Affected LifelineTukituki River bridge over State Highway 50 was closed due to a washout.

FloodingFlooding at Tutaekuri River
Map Location: -39.450942 176.634072
Comments:

Peak River LevelTutaekuri River peaked at 2.3 metres above normal.

FloodingFlooding at Twyford
Map Location: -39.601017 176.802225
Comments:

ImpactNgaruroro River breached the stopbank at Twyford resulting in serious flooding.

CommentNgaruroro River ran at its highest level for 43 years.

CommentThe bank burst without warning at 8am on the 28th. There was a 160 metre gap in the stopbank.

Damage CostThe temporary stopbank built cost $7000-$8000 ($27,900-$31,900 2010 dollars).

Area1000 hectares were flooded of crop and orchard farming land.

EvacueesSeveral families were forced to flee homes.

Impact15 homes in the area were surrounded by water.

Stock DamageStock losses were estimated at 750 sheep.

DamageThere was damage to houses, sheds, cars, farm machinery and fences.

Crop DamageOne orchardist lost their entire nectarine crop. There was a loss of thousands of dollars worth of crop in the area.

Affected LifelineThe concrete bridge down Twyford Road collapsed.

Affected LifelinePakowhai Road was closed.

FloodingFlooding at Waipawa River
Map Location: -39.95699 176.62316
Comments:

Affected LifelineHighway 50 was closed at Waipawa River bridge.

FloodingFlooding at Waipukurau
Map Location: -39.999445 176.562423
Comments:

Affected LifelineSurface flooded closed a number of roads in the district. Hiranui, Maharakeke, Ashcott, Middle Roads were closed.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Whanawhana
Map Location: -39.542825 176.431084
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWhanawhana recorded 157 mm (15.7 cm) of rain in 48 hours.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Peak River LevelNgaruroro peaked at 3.5 metres above normal at Whanawhana warning station.

References

Hawkes Bay Regional Council: www.hbrc.govt.nz
Johnston, D.D., and Pearse, L.J. 1999. Natural Hazards in Hawke's Bay. Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Napier, New Zealand.
Headline: Township cut off by heavy rainfall.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 27 December 1980.
Headline: Burst bank close call for CHB.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: Families flee 'wall of water'.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: River found 'weak spot'.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: Uneasy truce
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 29 December 1980.
Headline: County flies aid to flood victims.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 30 December 1980.
Headline: More weak spots.
The Hawkes Bay Herald-Tribune, 30 December 1980.