NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
July 1948 Upper South Island Flooding
(
1948-07-25
)
Heavy rain caused landslides in Tasman-Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury which blocked roads and railway lines.
Tasman-Nelson
Heavy Rain
at
Tasman-Nelson
On the 25th of July there was heavy rain across the province.
Flooding
There were interruptions to air and rail services.
Landslide
Roads were blocked by slips in a number of places.
Flooding
at
Motueka
Motueka was threatened with flooding.
There was extensive erosion along the Motueka River.
Landslide
at
Takaka Hill
The main damage occurred at Takaka Hill where two slips blocked the road.
Heavy Rain
at
Wai-iti
Wai-iti recorded 2.77 in (7.04 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Marlborough
Heavy Rain
at
Marlborough
Marlborough was stormy for two days from the 25th to the 26th of July.
Flooding
In the country districts some flooding occurred, especialy where the rainfall was heavy.
Both road and rail communications to the south were severed by a series of slips and washouts.
The damage to Marlborough county main highways was £2628 ($171,600 2009 dollars).
Flooding
at
Blenheim
Taylor River rose to very high level. Its peak water level was 3.5 ft (1.07 m) from the top of the new stop banks (which made the river level 13 ft (3.96 m) above normal).
Backing up of stormwater drains caused water to flow across the streets in the business area. Water was flowing across the streets to a depth of about 2 ft (0.61 m).
Low-lying parts of Springlands and other residential areas were flooded by overflowing creeks and surface water. Several houses were invaded by floodwaters.
Some houses had to be evacuated.
Omaka and Opawa Rivers rose to 13 ft (3.96 m) above normal.
Large areas of the district were underwater.
Several of the main thoroughfares were blocked.
Many shops were isolated.
All communications by road and rail out from Blenheim was cut.
The approach to the Ure bridge was washed out, blocking the main road south and the rail link.
Landslide
25 slips caused blockages to rail communications between Blenhem and Ward. Trains could not go south of Blenheim.
There were more than 26 slips between Blenheim and Parnassus, which blocked the main north railway line.
The main highway was also blocked by a landslide and smaller slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Hapuku
Hapuku recorded 7.99 in (20.29 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Picton
Picton recorded 2.32 in (5.89 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Ward
Ward recorded 5.51 in (14.0 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Ward recorded 3.17 in (8.05 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Canterbury
Heavy Rain
at
Canterbury
The foothills of the on the seaward side of the Kaikoura Ranges received approximately 13 in (33.02 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending at 9:00am on the 26th.
Landslide
at
Clarence
A large slip came down in Clarence, temporarily blocking the river. The slip was estimated to be 100 ft high (30.5 m) and 750 ft (229 m) wide.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaikoura
Kaikoura recorded 7.5 in (19.05 cm) of rain in three days ending 9:00am on the 26th.
Kaikoura recorded 5.89 in (14.96 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Lyell Creek threatened to break it banks but then subsided without causing damage.
Minor flooding occurred in the Kaikoura township.
The damage to Kaikoura county roads was £3350 ($218,800 2009 dollars).
Landslide
Roads were blocked by slips to the north and south of Kaikoura.
References
- Cowie, C.A.: Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand, p.239.
- Headline: Flood Threat, town of Blenheim.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 26 July 1948.
- Headline: Blenheim Flood, An Exciting Time.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 27 July 1948.
- Headline: Flood Threat.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 27 July 1948.
- Headline: Road and rail blockage, landslide and slips.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 27 July 1949.
July 1948 Upper South Island Flooding
(
1948-07-25
)
Heavy rain caused landslides in Tasman-Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury which blocked roads and railway lines.
Tasman-Nelson
Heavy Rain
at
Tasman-Nelson
On the 25th of July there was heavy rain across the province.
Flooding
There were interruptions to air and rail services.
Landslide
Roads were blocked by slips in a number of places.
Flooding
at
Motueka
Motueka was threatened with flooding.
There was extensive erosion along the Motueka River.
Landslide
at
Takaka Hill
The main damage occurred at Takaka Hill where two slips blocked the road.
Heavy Rain
at
Wai-iti
Wai-iti recorded 2.77 in (7.04 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Marlborough
Heavy Rain
at
Marlborough
Marlborough was stormy for two days from the 25th to the 26th of July.
Flooding
In the country districts some flooding occurred, especialy where the rainfall was heavy.
Both road and rail communications to the south were severed by a series of slips and washouts.
The damage to Marlborough county main highways was £2628 ($171,600 2009 dollars).
Flooding
at
Blenheim
Taylor River rose to very high level. Its peak water level was 3.5 ft (1.07 m) from the top of the new stop banks (which made the river level 13 ft (3.96 m) above normal).
Backing up of stormwater drains caused water to flow across the streets in the business area. Water was flowing across the streets to a depth of about 2 ft (0.61 m).
Low-lying parts of Springlands and other residential areas were flooded by overflowing creeks and surface water. Several houses were invaded by floodwaters.
Some houses had to be evacuated.
Omaka and Opawa Rivers rose to 13 ft (3.96 m) above normal.
Large areas of the district were underwater.
Several of the main thoroughfares were blocked.
Many shops were isolated.
All communications by road and rail out from Blenheim was cut.
The approach to the Ure bridge was washed out, blocking the main road south and the rail link.
Landslide
25 slips caused blockages to rail communications between Blenhem and Ward. Trains could not go south of Blenheim.
There were more than 26 slips between Blenheim and Parnassus, which blocked the main north railway line.
The main highway was also blocked by a landslide and smaller slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Hapuku
Hapuku recorded 7.99 in (20.29 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Picton
Picton recorded 2.32 in (5.89 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Ward
Ward recorded 5.51 in (14.0 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Ward recorded 3.17 in (8.05 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Canterbury
Heavy Rain
at
Canterbury
The foothills of the on the seaward side of the Kaikoura Ranges received approximately 13 in (33.02 cm) of rain in 48 hours ending at 9:00am on the 26th.
Landslide
at
Clarence
A large slip came down in Clarence, temporarily blocking the river. The slip was estimated to be 100 ft high (30.5 m) and 750 ft (229 m) wide.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaikoura
Kaikoura recorded 7.5 in (19.05 cm) of rain in three days ending 9:00am on the 26th.
Kaikoura recorded 5.89 in (14.96 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Lyell Creek threatened to break it banks but then subsided without causing damage.
Minor flooding occurred in the Kaikoura township.
The damage to Kaikoura county roads was £3350 ($218,800 2009 dollars).
Landslide
Roads were blocked by slips to the north and south of Kaikoura.
References
- Cowie, C.A.: Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-53, The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand, p.239.
- Headline: Flood Threat, town of Blenheim.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 26 July 1948.
- Headline: Blenheim Flood, An Exciting Time.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 27 July 1948.
- Headline: Flood Threat.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 27 July 1948.
- Headline: Road and rail blockage, landslide and slips.
- The Nelson Evening Mail, 27 July 1949.