NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
February 1971 Taranaki Flooding ( 1971-02-24 )
After 30 hours of continuous heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in New Plymouth and Waitara.
Taranaki
Multi Hazard
at
Taranaki
Duration: 3 days - After 30 hours of continuous rainfall, rivers and streams struggled to cope with the deluge. Flooding lasted from the 24th to the 26th of February.
A low developed just south of Norfolk Island on the 21st, to the south of a weak tropical depression. The low then moved southwards while deepening, with northeast flow developing over the North Island. Frontogenesis then occurred west of North Island, downstream from a strong upper trough in the Tasman Sea. The tropical depression had played a role in bringing very warm and moist air down into New Zealand latitudes, and strong ascent was occurring within warm conveyor belt over Taranaki. Rain was associated with sharp upper-level trough. The frontal band gradually weakened during the 24th, but remained quite slow-moving, and rain continued in Taranaki until it finally moved off on the morning of the 25th. The blocked nature of the situation was also very important.
Heavy Rain
East Egmont Mountain House recorded 408 mm (40.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There was severe flooding in Taranaki, especially in the New Plymouth and Waitotara districts, on the 24th February 1971.
Several North Taranaki communities including Waitara, Brixton, Lepperton and Okato were without water.
The rail service from New Plymouth to Stratford was halted by flooding.
There were slips and wash outs on the line between Stratford and Whangamomona.
EQC claims totalled $17,500,000 in 1994 ($24,800,000 2009 dollars).
Back country roads were cut by slips, wrecked bridges and floodwaters.
Flooding and subsequent disruption of bus services closed schools from north of Stratford to Urenui.
Floodwaters tore down fences, deposited huge logs on pasture and covered the land with a layer of silt.
The worst affected North Taranaki areas were the foothills and inland country districts of Mt Messenger, including Uruti, Okoki, Tikorangi, Waitui, Tarata and Purangi.
Many families in Central Taranaki, east of Stratford are still isolated by slips and floodwaters on the 26th.
State Highway 43 east from Stratford was closed.
Landslide
Strathmore and Douglas was hard hit by the floods. Slips destroyed hundreds of acres of farmland. Scarred hills showed where hundreds of acres of land had fallen away.
Heavy Rain
at
Ararata
Ararata recorded 173 mm (17.3 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Bell Block
Bell Block recorded 329 mm (32.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of over 150 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Hawera
Hawera recorded 6.06 in (15.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Huiroa
Makuri and Gordon Road was under water.
Heavy Rain
at
Inglewood
Inglewood recorded 13.11 in (33.3 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Lepperton
Lepperton recorded 372 mm (37.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There was flooding at Lepperton by Waiongana River.
Flooding
at
Makakaho Junction
Makakaho Stream was was 9.1 metres above normal at Makakaho Junction.
Flooding
at
Manawapou River
Manawapou River rose 6 metres.
Landslide
at
Mount Messenger
There were slips on Mt Messenger.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth recorded 290 mm (29.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of over 150 years).
New Plymouth Airport recorded 329 mm (32.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
The flooding in the city was reported to be the worst in living memory.
Six blocks of the city centre was under a state of emergency. A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in New Plymouth on the 24th and 25th.
Huatoki and Mangaotuku Streams rose 4.5 metres.
All the main routes in and out of New Plymouth were closed by flooding, washouts and slips.
Shop owners and staff on Devon Street were evacuated on the 24th. Six blocks of the city centre were evacuated.
There was structural damage to shop floors. Stock was lost, ruined or damaged.
Houses were invaded by floodwaters in Weymouth, Clawton and Gaine Street.
The northern apporach to the Awanui Street bridge was washed away. Te Henui Stream washed out tonnes of soil and roading material leaving gap in road 300 sq feet (28 sq metres) and hole 35 ft (10.7 m) deep.
Water pipes were broken by floodwaters.
Tunnels and culverts under central New Plymouth could not cope Huatoki and Mangaotuku Streams. Tidal wave of rushing water burst over lower Devon Street.
The New Plymouth Boys' High Schools boat shed and the Clifton Rowing Club' shed were almost completely covered by floodwaters and the boats broken.
Concrete water and stormwater pipes were broken off and kerbing channelling and pavement work was washed away.
Flooding in the town reached a peak and was up to the top of the parking meters.
Telephones out of order for approximately 500 subscribers in New Plymouth.
Heavy Rain
at
Okato
Okato recorded 177 mm (17.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Timaru Road in Otako recorded 171 mm (17.1 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Patea River
Patea River rose 5.4 metres.
Heavy Rain
at
Pukearuhe
Pukearuhe recorded 133 mm (13.3 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Stratford
Stratford Mountain House recorded 795 mm (79.5 cm) of rain in two days. The rainfall was one of highest two day rainfall amounts ever recorded in New Zealand.
Heavy Rain
at
Tarata
Tarata recorded 461 mm (46.1 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of well over 150 years).
Flooding
The power station at Tarata was completely out of action.
Flooding
at
Urenui
There was flooding at Urenui by Urenui River.
Heavy Rain
at
Waimate West
Waimate West recorded 154 mm (15.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Waimea Stream
Waimea Stream rose 4.4 metres in ten hours.
Flooding
at
Waitara
Water flowed into the Waitara shopping centre.
Several families were evacuated from Queen, Grey, Dommett and Parris Streets.
The flood snuck in through the edges of an uncompleted bank.
Karaka Flats flooded.
Some stock drowned.
Waitara Bridge was closed which severed the Taranaki main link with the north and south and divided the town. The bridge was declared unsafe as floodwaters hurtled logs at the piles of the bridge.
Many houses close to the river on the New Plymouth side had water washing through them and several families were evacuated.
Landslide
A landslide caused thousands of dollars worth of damage and isolated a farm in Waitara. The landslide was several acres in extent and completely wiped out la arge farm shed, tractors and cars.
There were several big slips on Otaraoa Road which isolated farms.
Wwide areas were covered with water, metres high.
Flooding
at
Waitotara
Waitotara Valley was hit by the worst flood in 35 years.
Water covered the road in 30 places.
Telephone lines were brought down by the floodwaters.
Flooding
at
Waiwhakaiho River
Waiwhakaiho River rose six metres at the main northern outlet.
References
- McDonald, R.(1982) FLOOD EVENTS IN TARANAKI, PART A: HISTORICAL INDEX, Taranaki Catchment Commission, Stratford, New Zealand, 49p.
- Meteorological Observations for 1971, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, Including the Cook Group. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- New Zealand's Nature Hertiage, Hamlyn House, Auckland, Volume 6, Great Storms
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Landslide
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: New Plymouth's Worst Flood
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: The Weather
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: Waitara Hard Hit
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: Pumping out, hosing down, mopping out
- Taranaki Herald, 26 February 1971.
February 1971 Taranaki Flooding ( 1971-02-24 )
After 30 hours of continuous heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in New Plymouth and Waitara.
Taranaki
Multi Hazard
at
Taranaki
Duration: 3 days - After 30 hours of continuous rainfall, rivers and streams struggled to cope with the deluge. Flooding lasted from the 24th to the 26th of February.
A low developed just south of Norfolk Island on the 21st, to the south of a weak tropical depression. The low then moved southwards while deepening, with northeast flow developing over the North Island. Frontogenesis then occurred west of North Island, downstream from a strong upper trough in the Tasman Sea. The tropical depression had played a role in bringing very warm and moist air down into New Zealand latitudes, and strong ascent was occurring within warm conveyor belt over Taranaki. Rain was associated with sharp upper-level trough. The frontal band gradually weakened during the 24th, but remained quite slow-moving, and rain continued in Taranaki until it finally moved off on the morning of the 25th. The blocked nature of the situation was also very important.
Heavy Rain
East Egmont Mountain House recorded 408 mm (40.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There was severe flooding in Taranaki, especially in the New Plymouth and Waitotara districts, on the 24th February 1971.
Several North Taranaki communities including Waitara, Brixton, Lepperton and Okato were without water.
The rail service from New Plymouth to Stratford was halted by flooding.
There were slips and wash outs on the line between Stratford and Whangamomona.
EQC claims totalled $17,500,000 in 1994 ($24,800,000 2009 dollars).
Back country roads were cut by slips, wrecked bridges and floodwaters.
Flooding and subsequent disruption of bus services closed schools from north of Stratford to Urenui.
Floodwaters tore down fences, deposited huge logs on pasture and covered the land with a layer of silt.
The worst affected North Taranaki areas were the foothills and inland country districts of Mt Messenger, including Uruti, Okoki, Tikorangi, Waitui, Tarata and Purangi.
Many families in Central Taranaki, east of Stratford are still isolated by slips and floodwaters on the 26th.
State Highway 43 east from Stratford was closed.
Landslide
Strathmore and Douglas was hard hit by the floods. Slips destroyed hundreds of acres of farmland. Scarred hills showed where hundreds of acres of land had fallen away.
Heavy Rain
at
Ararata
Ararata recorded 173 mm (17.3 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Bell Block
Bell Block recorded 329 mm (32.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of over 150 years).
Heavy Rain
at
Hawera
Hawera recorded 6.06 in (15.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Huiroa
Makuri and Gordon Road was under water.
Heavy Rain
at
Inglewood
Inglewood recorded 13.11 in (33.3 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Lepperton
Lepperton recorded 372 mm (37.2 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
There was flooding at Lepperton by Waiongana River.
Flooding
at
Makakaho Junction
Makakaho Stream was was 9.1 metres above normal at Makakaho Junction.
Flooding
at
Manawapou River
Manawapou River rose 6 metres.
Landslide
at
Mount Messenger
There were slips on Mt Messenger.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth recorded 290 mm (29.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of over 150 years).
New Plymouth Airport recorded 329 mm (32.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
The flooding in the city was reported to be the worst in living memory.
Six blocks of the city centre was under a state of emergency. A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in New Plymouth on the 24th and 25th.
Huatoki and Mangaotuku Streams rose 4.5 metres.
All the main routes in and out of New Plymouth were closed by flooding, washouts and slips.
Shop owners and staff on Devon Street were evacuated on the 24th. Six blocks of the city centre were evacuated.
There was structural damage to shop floors. Stock was lost, ruined or damaged.
Houses were invaded by floodwaters in Weymouth, Clawton and Gaine Street.
The northern apporach to the Awanui Street bridge was washed away. Te Henui Stream washed out tonnes of soil and roading material leaving gap in road 300 sq feet (28 sq metres) and hole 35 ft (10.7 m) deep.
Water pipes were broken by floodwaters.
Tunnels and culverts under central New Plymouth could not cope Huatoki and Mangaotuku Streams. Tidal wave of rushing water burst over lower Devon Street.
The New Plymouth Boys' High Schools boat shed and the Clifton Rowing Club' shed were almost completely covered by floodwaters and the boats broken.
Concrete water and stormwater pipes were broken off and kerbing channelling and pavement work was washed away.
Flooding in the town reached a peak and was up to the top of the parking meters.
Telephones out of order for approximately 500 subscribers in New Plymouth.
Heavy Rain
at
Okato
Okato recorded 177 mm (17.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Timaru Road in Otako recorded 171 mm (17.1 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Patea River
Patea River rose 5.4 metres.
Heavy Rain
at
Pukearuhe
Pukearuhe recorded 133 mm (13.3 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Stratford
Stratford Mountain House recorded 795 mm (79.5 cm) of rain in two days. The rainfall was one of highest two day rainfall amounts ever recorded in New Zealand.
Heavy Rain
at
Tarata
Tarata recorded 461 mm (46.1 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of well over 150 years).
Flooding
The power station at Tarata was completely out of action.
Flooding
at
Urenui
There was flooding at Urenui by Urenui River.
Heavy Rain
at
Waimate West
Waimate West recorded 154 mm (15.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Waimea Stream
Waimea Stream rose 4.4 metres in ten hours.
Flooding
at
Waitara
Water flowed into the Waitara shopping centre.
Several families were evacuated from Queen, Grey, Dommett and Parris Streets.
The flood snuck in through the edges of an uncompleted bank.
Karaka Flats flooded.
Some stock drowned.
Waitara Bridge was closed which severed the Taranaki main link with the north and south and divided the town. The bridge was declared unsafe as floodwaters hurtled logs at the piles of the bridge.
Many houses close to the river on the New Plymouth side had water washing through them and several families were evacuated.
Landslide
A landslide caused thousands of dollars worth of damage and isolated a farm in Waitara. The landslide was several acres in extent and completely wiped out la arge farm shed, tractors and cars.
There were several big slips on Otaraoa Road which isolated farms.
Wwide areas were covered with water, metres high.
Flooding
at
Waitotara
Waitotara Valley was hit by the worst flood in 35 years.
Water covered the road in 30 places.
Telephone lines were brought down by the floodwaters.
Flooding
at
Waiwhakaiho River
Waiwhakaiho River rose six metres at the main northern outlet.
References
- McDonald, R.(1982) FLOOD EVENTS IN TARANAKI, PART A: HISTORICAL INDEX, Taranaki Catchment Commission, Stratford, New Zealand, 49p.
- Meteorological Observations for 1971, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, Including the Cook Group. New Zealand Meteorological Service.
- New Zealand's Nature Hertiage, Hamlyn House, Auckland, Volume 6, Great Storms
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Landslide
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: New Plymouth's Worst Flood
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: The Weather
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: Waitara Hard Hit
- Taranaki Herald, 25 February 1971.
- Headline: Pumping out, hosing down, mopping out
- Taranaki Herald, 26 February 1971.