NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue

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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 RainHeavy 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.
Comments:
FloodingFlooding
Comments:

DamageRivers rose to high flood levels and widespread damage resulted.

Physical CharacteristicLarge areas of Poverty Bay Flats were covered and some parts were 7 ft (2.13 m) deep.

Crop DamageMany maize crops were ruined.

DamageThere were large quantities of silt deposited and it took a period of 12 months to get pastures back to normal.

CommentThe 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.

Affected LifelinePractically every road in Cook county was blocked.

Damage CostRoads in Waiapu county suffered damage totalling £2850 ($281,500 2010 dollars).

DamageThere was a heavy loss of fencing.

AreaThe area covered by the flood was 11,500 acres (46.54 km^2).

Damage CostA suspension bridge costing £900 ($88,900 2010 dollars) was swept away.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Gisborne City
Map Location: -38.656661 178.017356
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicGisborne recorded 9.5 in (24.13 cm) of rain in seven days.

Physical CharacteristicGisborne recorded 3.86 in (9.80 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.

FloodingFlooding at Kaitaratahi
Map Location: -38.527149 177.903096
Comments:

Peak DischargeWaipaoa River had a peak discharge of 90,672 cusecs (2568 cumecs) at Kaitaratahi.

EvacueesSome residents abandoned their homes and shifted into the old freezing works.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Kanakanaia
Map Location: -38.409537 177.943109
Comments:

CommentRain appeared to be heaviest in the Waihora catchment.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Peak DischargeWaihora 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.

Damage CostA concrete bridge at Kanakanaia which cost £1500 ($148,200 2010 dollars) was swept away.

FloodingFlooding at Mata River
Map Location: -38.1317 177.98893
Comments:

Peak DischargeMata River was in high flood and had a peak discharge of 92,000 cusecs (2605 cumecs) at the suspension bridge.

FloodingFlooding at Ormond
Map Location: -38.559177 177.924843
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicThe main road south was covered by 5 ft (1.52 m) of water.

FloodingFlooding at Patutahi
Map Location: -38.624917 177.890615
Comments:

Crop DamageThe 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.

Peak DischargeWhakaahu River had a peak discharge of 9090 cusecs (257 cumecs) at Patutahi.

Physical CharacteristicIn Patutahi the silt was 2 ft (0.61 m) deep.

ImpactHouses were flooded and some houses which were barely touched in the 1910 flood had water up to the windowsills.

Affected LifelineThe road from Patutahi to Waipaoa was closed.

FloodingFlooding at Te Arai River
Map Location: -38.67828 177.92787
Comments:

Peak DischargeTe Arai River had a peak discharge of 15,000 cusecs (425 cumecs) at the junction with Waipaoa River.

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

Physical CharacteristicTe Karaka recorded 13.8 in (35.05 cm) of rain in seven days.

Physical CharacteristicTe Karaka recorded 6.95 in (17.65 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.

Physical CharacteristicTe Karaka recorded 8.32 in (21.13 cm) of rain in 48 hours.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineKanakanaia Bridge over the Waipaoa River had 11 ft (3.35 m) of water over the decking.

FloodingFlooding at Waerengaahika
Map Location: -38.601149 177.92432
Comments:

Affected LifelineWater was running across the road by the Waerenga-a-hika Hotel.

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

Peak DischargeWaipaoa 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 RainHeavy 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.
Comments:
FloodingFlooding
Comments:

DamageRivers rose to high flood levels and widespread damage resulted.

Physical CharacteristicLarge areas of Poverty Bay Flats were covered and some parts were 7 ft (2.13 m) deep.

Crop DamageMany maize crops were ruined.

DamageThere were large quantities of silt deposited and it took a period of 12 months to get pastures back to normal.

CommentThe 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.

Affected LifelinePractically every road in Cook county was blocked.

Damage CostRoads in Waiapu county suffered damage totalling £2850 ($281,500 2010 dollars).

DamageThere was a heavy loss of fencing.

AreaThe area covered by the flood was 11,500 acres (46.54 km^2).

Damage CostA suspension bridge costing £900 ($88,900 2010 dollars) was swept away.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Gisborne City
Map Location: -38.656661 178.017356
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicGisborne recorded 9.5 in (24.13 cm) of rain in seven days.

Physical CharacteristicGisborne recorded 3.86 in (9.80 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.

FloodingFlooding at Kaitaratahi
Map Location: -38.527149 177.903096
Comments:

Peak DischargeWaipaoa River had a peak discharge of 90,672 cusecs (2568 cumecs) at Kaitaratahi.

EvacueesSome residents abandoned their homes and shifted into the old freezing works.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Kanakanaia
Map Location: -38.409537 177.943109
Comments:

CommentRain appeared to be heaviest in the Waihora catchment.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Peak DischargeWaihora 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.

Damage CostA concrete bridge at Kanakanaia which cost £1500 ($148,200 2010 dollars) was swept away.

FloodingFlooding at Mata River
Map Location: -38.1317 177.98893
Comments:

Peak DischargeMata River was in high flood and had a peak discharge of 92,000 cusecs (2605 cumecs) at the suspension bridge.

FloodingFlooding at Ormond
Map Location: -38.559177 177.924843
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicThe main road south was covered by 5 ft (1.52 m) of water.

FloodingFlooding at Patutahi
Map Location: -38.624917 177.890615
Comments:

Crop DamageThe 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.

Peak DischargeWhakaahu River had a peak discharge of 9090 cusecs (257 cumecs) at Patutahi.

Physical CharacteristicIn Patutahi the silt was 2 ft (0.61 m) deep.

ImpactHouses were flooded and some houses which were barely touched in the 1910 flood had water up to the windowsills.

Affected LifelineThe road from Patutahi to Waipaoa was closed.

FloodingFlooding at Te Arai River
Map Location: -38.67828 177.92787
Comments:

Peak DischargeTe Arai River had a peak discharge of 15,000 cusecs (425 cumecs) at the junction with Waipaoa River.

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

Physical CharacteristicTe Karaka recorded 13.8 in (35.05 cm) of rain in seven days.

Physical CharacteristicTe Karaka recorded 6.95 in (17.65 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 13th.

Physical CharacteristicTe Karaka recorded 8.32 in (21.13 cm) of rain in 48 hours.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineKanakanaia Bridge over the Waipaoa River had 11 ft (3.35 m) of water over the decking.

FloodingFlooding at Waerengaahika
Map Location: -38.601149 177.92432
Comments:

Affected LifelineWater was running across the road by the Waerenga-a-hika Hotel.

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

Peak DischargeWaipaoa 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.