NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
February 1932 Gisborne Flooding ( 1932-02-12 )
Rivers rose to high flood levels and widespread damage resulted in the Poverty Bay flats area.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
Duration: 2 days - There was heavy rain inland on the 12th and 13th of February 1932. The worst affected area was acoss the Poverty Bay flats.
Flooding
Rivers rose to high flood levels and widespread damage resulted.
Large areas of Poverty Bay Flats were covered and some parts were 7 ft (2.13 m) deep.
Many maize crops were ruined.
There were large quantities of silt deposited and it took a period of 12 months to get pastures back to normal.
The flood level was higher than the 1910 flood level. Older residents agreed that this flood covered a greater area of land than any previous flood.
Practically every road in Cook county was blocked.
Roads in Waiapu county suffered damage totalling £2850 ($281,500 2010 dollars).
There was a heavy loss of fencing.
The area covered by the flood was 11,500 acres (46.54 km^2).
A suspension bridge costing £900 ($88,900 2010 dollars) was swept away.
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne City
Gisborne recorded 9.5 in (24.13 cm) of rain in seven days.
Gisborne recorded 3.86 in (9.80 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.
Flooding
at
Kaitaratahi
Waipaoa River had a peak discharge of 90,672 cusecs (2568 cumecs) at Kaitaratahi.
Some residents abandoned their homes and shifted into the old freezing works.
Heavy Rain
at
Kanakanaia
Rain appeared to be heaviest in the Waihora catchment.
Flooding
Waihora River had a peak discharge of 22,300 cusecs (631 cumecs) at No.2 Bridge Kanakanaia Road, with a catchment area of 45 sq miles.
A concrete bridge at Kanakanaia which cost £1500 ($148,200 2010 dollars) was swept away.
Flooding
at
Mata River
Mata River was in high flood and had a peak discharge of 92,000 cusecs (2605 cumecs) at the suspension bridge.
Flooding
at
Ormond
The main road south was covered by 5 ft (1.52 m) of water.
Flooding
at
Patutahi
The largest commercial orchard in the district was silted to a depth of up to 3 ft (0.91 m) in places. The flood came just as the first of the export fruit was ready for picking.
Whakaahu River had a peak discharge of 9090 cusecs (257 cumecs) at Patutahi.
In Patutahi the silt was 2 ft (0.61 m) deep.
Houses were flooded and some houses which were barely touched in the 1910 flood had water up to the windowsills.
The road from Patutahi to Waipaoa was closed.
Flooding
at
Te Arai River
Te Arai River had a peak discharge of 15,000 cusecs (425 cumecs) at the junction with Waipaoa River.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Karaka
Te Karaka recorded 13.8 in (35.05 cm) of rain in seven days.
Te Karaka recorded 6.95 in (17.65 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.
Te Karaka recorded 8.32 in (21.13 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
Kanakanaia Bridge over the Waipaoa River had 11 ft (3.35 m) of water over the decking.
Flooding
at
Waerengaahika
Water was running across the road by the Waerenga-a-hika Hotel.
Flooding
at
Waipaoa River
Waipaoa River had a peak discharge of 145,000 cusecs (4106 cumecs) at Whakawhitira.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Hydrology Annual No.3 1955, Soil Conservation and River Control Council, Wellington New Zealand
- Headline: Puha Cloudburst.
- The Gisborne Herald, 18 December 1939.
- Headline: Heaviest flood since P.B. settlement began.
- The Gisborne Herald, 25 May 1948.
- Headline: Big as walnuts: Hail at Patutahi.
- The Gisborne Herald, 27 December 1939.
- Headline: Flood Aftermath, Silt-Covered Flats.
- The Gisborne Times, 16 February 1932.
February 1932 Gisborne Flooding ( 1932-02-12 )
Rivers rose to high flood levels and widespread damage resulted in the Poverty Bay flats area.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
Duration: 2 days - There was heavy rain inland on the 12th and 13th of February 1932. The worst affected area was acoss the Poverty Bay flats.
Flooding
Rivers rose to high flood levels and widespread damage resulted.
Large areas of Poverty Bay Flats were covered and some parts were 7 ft (2.13 m) deep.
Many maize crops were ruined.
There were large quantities of silt deposited and it took a period of 12 months to get pastures back to normal.
The flood level was higher than the 1910 flood level. Older residents agreed that this flood covered a greater area of land than any previous flood.
Practically every road in Cook county was blocked.
Roads in Waiapu county suffered damage totalling £2850 ($281,500 2010 dollars).
There was a heavy loss of fencing.
The area covered by the flood was 11,500 acres (46.54 km^2).
A suspension bridge costing £900 ($88,900 2010 dollars) was swept away.
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne City
Gisborne recorded 9.5 in (24.13 cm) of rain in seven days.
Gisborne recorded 3.86 in (9.80 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.
Flooding
at
Kaitaratahi
Waipaoa River had a peak discharge of 90,672 cusecs (2568 cumecs) at Kaitaratahi.
Some residents abandoned their homes and shifted into the old freezing works.
Heavy Rain
at
Kanakanaia
Rain appeared to be heaviest in the Waihora catchment.
Flooding
Waihora River had a peak discharge of 22,300 cusecs (631 cumecs) at No.2 Bridge Kanakanaia Road, with a catchment area of 45 sq miles.
A concrete bridge at Kanakanaia which cost £1500 ($148,200 2010 dollars) was swept away.
Flooding
at
Mata River
Mata River was in high flood and had a peak discharge of 92,000 cusecs (2605 cumecs) at the suspension bridge.
Flooding
at
Ormond
The main road south was covered by 5 ft (1.52 m) of water.
Flooding
at
Patutahi
The largest commercial orchard in the district was silted to a depth of up to 3 ft (0.91 m) in places. The flood came just as the first of the export fruit was ready for picking.
Whakaahu River had a peak discharge of 9090 cusecs (257 cumecs) at Patutahi.
In Patutahi the silt was 2 ft (0.61 m) deep.
Houses were flooded and some houses which were barely touched in the 1910 flood had water up to the windowsills.
The road from Patutahi to Waipaoa was closed.
Flooding
at
Te Arai River
Te Arai River had a peak discharge of 15,000 cusecs (425 cumecs) at the junction with Waipaoa River.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Karaka
Te Karaka recorded 13.8 in (35.05 cm) of rain in seven days.
Te Karaka recorded 6.95 in (17.65 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.
Te Karaka recorded 8.32 in (21.13 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
Kanakanaia Bridge over the Waipaoa River had 11 ft (3.35 m) of water over the decking.
Flooding
at
Waerengaahika
Water was running across the road by the Waerenga-a-hika Hotel.
Flooding
at
Waipaoa River
Waipaoa River had a peak discharge of 145,000 cusecs (4106 cumecs) at Whakawhitira.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Hydrology Annual No.3 1955, Soil Conservation and River Control Council, Wellington New Zealand
- Headline: Puha Cloudburst.
- The Gisborne Herald, 18 December 1939.
- Headline: Heaviest flood since P.B. settlement began.
- The Gisborne Herald, 25 May 1948.
- Headline: Big as walnuts: Hail at Patutahi.
- The Gisborne Herald, 27 December 1939.
- Headline: Flood Aftermath, Silt-Covered Flats.
- The Gisborne Times, 16 February 1932.