All the rivers were swollen.

Both the Arahura and Kanieri gold dredges were unable to operate on the 29th due to an interruption to the Lake Coleridge electric power supply.

At Mokihinui the river flooded the road at places making it inaccessible. The river spread over the Corbyvale Valley on the Westport to Karamea highway.

Grey River broke its banks and floodwaters invaded Greymouth. Mackay Street at the junction with Boundary Street was flooded and several houses in Cobden were flooded.

Within half an hour Johnston street and Boundary street carried large volumes of water

Mawhera quay was soon covered by water which poured over the wharves from that point to Watersiders Hall on the Johnston Street corner.

There was some damage to streets and the flood waters ripped up the asphalt.

The train from Jacksons to Greymouth was marooned.

A breach was made in the Richmond quay similar to that in the last flood. Quickly swelling waters made more breaches in Richmond and Mawhera quays.

It was the worst damage suffered to roads and bridges in the Grey County for many years.

The loss of stock was heavy on the Kaitata and Omoto flats.

Taramakua river broke its banks at the Taramakau settlement. It was the highest it had ever been for 60 years and caused untold damage.

Two families were marooned and several cars became marooned and abandoned as waters rose rapidly.

There was serious damage done to the Taramakau traffic bridge which gives access to Mitchells and Lake Brunner.

The Taramakau River was 15 ft (4.6m) above its previous record flood level.

The loss of stock in this valley was considerable.

On the highway between Kumara and Otira the approaches to the Big Wainihinihi River bridge was washed out for a distance of 2.5 chains (30m) and to a depth of 10 ft (3m). There was also damage done to the little Wainihinihi bridge.

There was scouring at both ends of the Blackball Creek bridge near Blackball.

A large amount of water was on the line at Rotomanu.

The Deep Creek bridge between Rotomanu and Inchbonnie was covered with stones and debris.

Two residents on the Kokiri Road near Deep Creek were compelled to evacuate their homes because of rising waters.

The Inchbonnie settlers were completely isolated.

Lake Brunner at Moana was 8 ft (2.44m) above its normal level.

At Brunnerton, the Grey River was 17 ft (5.2m) above normal and rose to more than 20 ft 6 in (6.2m).

Arnold River was at its highest level for 51 years.

A sawmill and several settlers were completely isolated by a big slip near Ikamatua. The slip was between 2-3 chains (20-30m) long and more than 7 ft (2.1m) high.

Waimakariri River had a peak discharge of 176,000 cusecs (4984 cumecs) at the traffic bridge. It was believed to be the largest flood in the river to that time.

The river was bank to bank and had a velocity of 15 ft per second (16.5km/hr).

The tops of the stopbanks were only 2 inches (5cm) above the peak of the flood.

Waimakariri River rose 12ft (3.7m) at White's Bridge. Saturated by weeks of flooding, and subjected to enormous strain, the stopbank at White's bridge broke through. The flood carried through the banks on both sides of the White's bridge.

The flood spread over low-lying land and within an hour 14 families at the settlement near the bridge were homeless.

Most serious flooding was also caused when the cross bank at McLeans Island burst. Water was coming down the old south channel of the river.

Tremendous numbers of logs were swept down and they were smashed against the highway and railway bridge.

Waimakariri River burst through a stopbank at Coutts Island.

From the island down to Stewart's Gully the land was seriously flooded. Water was 3 ft (0.91m) deep at the juction of the Stewart's Gully Road.

12 families occupying baches on the river front were moved to higher ground.

26 families were forced to vacate their homes.

All the boats moored at the bank were swamped under several feet of muddy water.

Water was on the road half-way between the river and Kaiapoi. It was caused by the backing up of floodwaters of the Kaiapoi river back to the old channel at Kaikanui Creek.

Stock losses were heavy.

The main highway was blocked.

Waimakariri River rose 11ft (3.4m) at the Gorge Bridge.

Damage caused was considerable.

Following the severe north-west winds was a thaw of snow on the mountains accompanied by heavy falls of rain in the back country. Rakaia River was in heavy flood and it was considered the biggest flood in 50 years.

Rakaia River peak discharge of 130,000 cusecs (3681 cumecs) at Halfmabone Gorge Bridge with a catchment area 1025 sq miles (2655km^2).

The river water washed over the decking of the old railway and road bridge.

Considerable erosion occurred on the south approaches to the traffic bridge of Main South Road

It washed away a great deal of the riverbed at the south end of the Raikaia bridge. The sheet of water in this area was more than a mile wide.

Harper River had a peak discharge of 8650 cusecs (245 cumecs) at Lake Coleridge.

Lake Tekapo had a peak discharge of 14,600 cusecs (413 cumecs).

Lake Ohau had a peak discharge of 11,100 cusecs (314 cumecs).

Waitaki River had a peak discharge of 60,745 cusecs (1720 cumecs) at Lake Waitaki.

There was extensive flooding in Kaiapoa. Backed up by the tide, Kaiapoi River caused back seepage in the drains and flooding in the streets.

Two homes of farmers on the banks of the Cam River were flooded.

The woollen mills and freezing works at Kaiapoi suffered severely from flood seepage.

Dye house was flooded to a depth of 3 ft (0.91m).

Four feet (1.22m) of water entered the stokehold at the North Canterbury Freezing Company's works.

Charles and Raven Streets were flooded when the river backed up and swept through the drain floodgates.

At the end of Pines Avenue at Kairaki, the Waimakariri River carried away two unoccupied weekend baches. A signal hut was also swept away.

The sailing club boat house was flooded to a depth of several feet.

It was one of the worst floods in ten years.

The suspension bridge by the Punchbowl creek was washed away.

Hurunui River broke its banks at McGrath's creek half a mile on the Culverden side of the main road bridge.

Waiau River was 16-20 ft (4.9-6.1m) above normal in the gorge.

The river broke its banks behind Rotherham and overflowed onto the road between Rotherhan and Waiau at the Rotherham bluff.

The river also overflowed at Dog Creek on the road from Waiau to Lyndon.

The river was 3 inches (7.6cm) below the level of the Hamner Road near Leslie hills.

Rangitata River had a peak discharge of 70,000 cusecs (1982 cumecs) at the irrigation intake.

Rangitata River rose to its highest recorded flood of 100,000 cusecs (2832 cumecs).

The flood was probably the highest in the river for 50 years and was 40,000 cusecs (1133 cumecs) higher than the big flood of two years ago.

It remained at the highest peak for several hours.

There was no loss of stock reported.

Serious flooding of the river at Rangitata Island threatened State Highway communications between Christchurch and Timaru.

Two public works department employees were injured as a result of an arm of a carry-all scoop falling on them when they attempted to rescue machinery.