NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
February 1866 Tasman-Nelson Flooding
(
1866-02-01
)
Heavy rainc caused the Waimea, Wairoa and Maitai Rivers to flood. Water entered houses in Nelson.
Tasman-Nelson
Heavy Rain
at
Nelson
Duration: 3 days - On the morning of the 1st, rain began to fall heavily with a south east wind. The continuous heavy rain still had not stopped on the 3rd. It was said to have been an easterly rainfall and broadscale flow was probably from north-north-east.
Nelson recorded 8 in (20.32 cm) over the day on the 1st.
Flooding
On the evening of the 1st, The Brook and Maitai River, which run through Nelson, were flooded. On morning of the 2nd they had reached a height never seen before at that time.
The flood was unprecedented and much damage was done.
Three bridges over the Brook Street stream were washed away and there was nothing remaining of the railway bridge except the iron rails.
Three bridges were partially destroyed over the Matai River.
The destruction of private property was great. Three houses were washed away.
Gardens were flooded, fruit trees carried away, and hedges were torn away.
On Brook Street alone took £2000 ($198,550 2009 dollars) to fix the road which was carried away.
Several bridges on Waimea Road sustained damage and one was washed away altogether.
The bridges at Stoke and Richmond were damaged.
One man lost his cultivated farm, garden and stockyard. The damage cost over £200 (19,850 2009 dollars).
A large quantity of fencing was destroyed.
In some cottages water was a foot (0.30 m) deep.
In the neighbourhood of Collingwood Bridge, the water overflowed the houses and the gardens there.
Flooding
at
The Brook
The Brook caused much damage to the farmland around it. Good land, bridges and crops were destroyed. Some land had soil left a foot deep where the crops were not swept away.
Flooding
at
Waimea River
Cattle and sheep were swept away.
The greater portion of the crops of the season were destroyed.
Flooding
at
Wairoa River
The bridge over the Wairoa was destroyed.
Cattle and sheep were swept away.
The greater portion of the crops of the season were destroyed.
References
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Disastrous Flood at Nelson.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz Source: Taranaki Herald, 10 February 1866, Page 1.
- Headline: The late heavy rain - very serious destruction of property.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz Source: Taranaki Herald, 17 February 1866, Page 1.
- Headline: Great Flood and Storm at Nelson.
- The Marlborough Express, 15 February 1868.
February 1866 Tasman-Nelson Flooding
(
1866-02-01
)
Heavy rainc caused the Waimea, Wairoa and Maitai Rivers to flood. Water entered houses in Nelson.
Tasman-Nelson
Heavy Rain
at
Nelson
Duration: 3 days - On the morning of the 1st, rain began to fall heavily with a south east wind. The continuous heavy rain still had not stopped on the 3rd. It was said to have been an easterly rainfall and broadscale flow was probably from north-north-east.
Nelson recorded 8 in (20.32 cm) over the day on the 1st.
Flooding
On the evening of the 1st, The Brook and Maitai River, which run through Nelson, were flooded. On morning of the 2nd they had reached a height never seen before at that time.
The flood was unprecedented and much damage was done.
Three bridges over the Brook Street stream were washed away and there was nothing remaining of the railway bridge except the iron rails.
Three bridges were partially destroyed over the Matai River.
The destruction of private property was great. Three houses were washed away.
Gardens were flooded, fruit trees carried away, and hedges were torn away.
On Brook Street alone took £2000 ($198,550 2009 dollars) to fix the road which was carried away.
Several bridges on Waimea Road sustained damage and one was washed away altogether.
The bridges at Stoke and Richmond were damaged.
One man lost his cultivated farm, garden and stockyard. The damage cost over £200 (19,850 2009 dollars).
A large quantity of fencing was destroyed.
In some cottages water was a foot (0.30 m) deep.
In the neighbourhood of Collingwood Bridge, the water overflowed the houses and the gardens there.
Flooding
at
The Brook
The Brook caused much damage to the farmland around it. Good land, bridges and crops were destroyed. Some land had soil left a foot deep where the crops were not swept away.
Flooding
at
Waimea River
Cattle and sheep were swept away.
The greater portion of the crops of the season were destroyed.
Flooding
at
Wairoa River
The bridge over the Wairoa was destroyed.
Cattle and sheep were swept away.
The greater portion of the crops of the season were destroyed.
References
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Disastrous Flood at Nelson.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz Source: Taranaki Herald, 10 February 1866, Page 1.
- Headline: The late heavy rain - very serious destruction of property.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz Source: Taranaki Herald, 17 February 1866, Page 1.
- Headline: Great Flood and Storm at Nelson.
- The Marlborough Express, 15 February 1868.