NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
January 1876 Gisborne and Hawke's Bay Flooding ( 1876-01-14 )
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 8 days - From the 14th till the 21st.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
Rain fell from the 14th till the 17th. It rained continuously for seven days up till the 22nd.
Flooding
The Waipaoa River overflowed on the 18th, spreading across the countryside.
Floodwaters from the Waipaoa River spread along the main road.
Old settlers said it was the worst flood in the last 23 years.
Cattle, horses and sheep were strewn over the plains. One farmer lost 3,000 sheep at the height of the flood.
The grass, seed and grain crops were all lost.
Serious damage was done. The loss of crops and livestock in Poverty Bay was set down at £26,000 or £30,000 ($3,500,000-4,000,000 2010 dollars) creating stagnation in the district and general trade depression.
The loss of crops and livestock created a general stagnation in business.
The flats were left covered with 3 ft (91 cm) of mud deposit.
A man, Mr Ross, was drowned on Mr Uren's station while trying to save stock.
Telegraphic communication was suspended between north and south due to the poles being washed away.
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne city
Rainfall for the month of January was 23 in (58.4 cm).
Flooding
A new channel was cut by floodwaters from the Awapuni Lagoon, as broad as the Taruheru.
The townspeople suspended business to give assistance to those in the country.
Flooding
at
Makaraka
At Makaraka the country was flooded to a depth of 10 ft (3.0 m) to Ormond.
There was flooding in the township, with water depths between 3-20 ft (91 cm-6.1 m).
There was 5 ft (1.5 m) of water in Mr Steggall's hotel in Makaraka.
Flooding
at
Ormond
The township was in danger due to the river encroachment.
The settlers had to be moved to Gisborne in boats.
Heavy Rain
at
Wairakaia homestead
Wairakaia received 3.46 in (8.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 18th.
Wairakaia received 4.76 in (12.1 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 19th.
Hawke's Bay
Flooding
at
Hawke's Bay
Telegraphic communication between Wellington and Hawke's Bay was suspended all day on the 21st due to the flood in the south of Napier.
References
- Cowie, C.A.; Attwood, A.K. (1957). Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Headline: Terrible floods in Poverty Bay.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Daily Southern Cross, 24 January 1876.
- Headline: Telegraphic news.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: West Coast Times, 22 January 1876.
- Headline: Floods at Poverty Bay, Loss of life and property, page 2, column 5
- Waikato Times, 25 January 1876.
January 1876 Gisborne and Hawke's Bay Flooding ( 1876-01-14 )
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 8 days - From the 14th till the 21st.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
Rain fell from the 14th till the 17th. It rained continuously for seven days up till the 22nd.
Flooding
The Waipaoa River overflowed on the 18th, spreading across the countryside.
Floodwaters from the Waipaoa River spread along the main road.
Old settlers said it was the worst flood in the last 23 years.
Cattle, horses and sheep were strewn over the plains. One farmer lost 3,000 sheep at the height of the flood.
The grass, seed and grain crops were all lost.
Serious damage was done. The loss of crops and livestock in Poverty Bay was set down at £26,000 or £30,000 ($3,500,000-4,000,000 2010 dollars) creating stagnation in the district and general trade depression.
The loss of crops and livestock created a general stagnation in business.
The flats were left covered with 3 ft (91 cm) of mud deposit.
A man, Mr Ross, was drowned on Mr Uren's station while trying to save stock.
Telegraphic communication was suspended between north and south due to the poles being washed away.
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne city
Rainfall for the month of January was 23 in (58.4 cm).
Flooding
A new channel was cut by floodwaters from the Awapuni Lagoon, as broad as the Taruheru.
The townspeople suspended business to give assistance to those in the country.
Flooding
at
Makaraka
At Makaraka the country was flooded to a depth of 10 ft (3.0 m) to Ormond.
There was flooding in the township, with water depths between 3-20 ft (91 cm-6.1 m).
There was 5 ft (1.5 m) of water in Mr Steggall's hotel in Makaraka.
Flooding
at
Ormond
The township was in danger due to the river encroachment.
The settlers had to be moved to Gisborne in boats.
Heavy Rain
at
Wairakaia homestead
Wairakaia received 3.46 in (8.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 18th.
Wairakaia received 4.76 in (12.1 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 19th.
Hawke's Bay
Flooding
at
Hawke's Bay
Telegraphic communication between Wellington and Hawke's Bay was suspended all day on the 21st due to the flood in the south of Napier.
References
- Cowie, C.A.; Attwood, A.K. (1957). Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Headline: Terrible floods in Poverty Bay.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: Daily Southern Cross, 24 January 1876.
- Headline: Telegraphic news.
- paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, Source: West Coast Times, 22 January 1876.
- Headline: Floods at Poverty Bay, Loss of life and property, page 2, column 5
- Waikato Times, 25 January 1876.