NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
July 1973 Northland Flooding
(
1973-07-16
)
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Whangarei District, causing damage to properties and roads.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Duration: 1 day -
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Whangarei and Hikurangi on the 16th.
The Oakleigh-Paparoa road was closed. The Waipu-Mangawhai road was closed.
Landslide
Whakapara-Russell Road was blocked by slips.
Flooding
at
Hikurangi
Flood waters poured through buildings in a stretch of about 200 yards (183 m) along the main street of Hikurangi.
The flood was worse than the one in 1956.
The flood waters left a layer of silt and rubbish through houses, shops and other buildings. At Hikurangi Primary School people worked to clean three junior classrooms.
The damage was estimated at $100,000 ($1,037,000 2008 dollars).
Landslide
Hikurangi-Marua Road was blocked by a slip.
Flooding
at
Hikurangi Swamp
Hikurangi swamp was flooded.
Flooding
at
Langs Beach
At Langs Beach, the bridge approaches were washed out.
Flooding
at
Ngunguru
The Ngunguru telephone exchange was isolated due to washed out poles.
Multi Hazard
Ngunguru Road was closed.
Landslide
at
Owhiwa
Mount Tiger Road was blocked by a slip on the Parua Bay side of the hill.
Flooding
at
Pipiwai
Wrights Road at Pipiwai was flooded and impassable.
Multi Hazard
at
Ruakaka
Bream Bay College was closed.
Multi Hazard
at
Waiotira
The Waiotira telephone exchange was isolated.
Flooding
at
Waipu
Waipu residents were cut off when the local cable over the highway bridge was washed out.
Part of the township was without water after the water main and a footbridge were swept away during the night.
Multi Hazard
South Road at Waipu was closed.
Waipu Primary School was closed.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei recorded 195 mm (19.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 16th.
Onerahi recorded 159.2 mm (15.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 16th.
Flooding
Kirikiri, Raumanga, and Waiarohia Streams became raging torrents, and broke their banks in several places.
Twelve business premises were flooded. Several houses and flats had water seeping through the floorboards.
There was up to 2 ft (60 cm) of water inside business premises.
Six flats were inundated with water up to 3 in (7.6 cm) deep.
The Whau Valley Dam rose 5.08 m in 24 hours.
Flooding caused thousands of dollars of damage to the Mid-Northland Dairy Company's property.
Kirikiri Stream rose from 10 in (25 cm) to 10 ft (3.0 m) deep in less than 10 hours.
Damage was done to a bakery when 2 ft (60 cm) of water swept silt and debris through it, destroying $1000 ($10,000 2008 dollars) of stock.
In one business, water ruined $3000 worth of carpet and $4000 of stock (a total of $72,600 2008 dollars).
Multi Hazard
Many roads were blocked by flood waters, slips, washouts and fallen trees.
Power and telephone lines came down in places.
Whangarei lost both its north and south rail links.
High Wind / Gust
Onerahi recorded winds of 24 knots (44 km/hr).
Multi Hazard
at
Whangarei Heads
The Whangarei Heads Road was impassable.
References
- Gray, W. Overview of weather and coastal hazards in the Northland region, Part I: Weather hazards.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall, Floods to 30 Sept 2005.
- Headline: $100,000 damage.
- The Northern Advocate, 17 July 1973.
- Headline: Hikurangi hard hit.
- The Northern Advocate, 17 July 1973.
July 1973 Northland Flooding
(
1973-07-16
)
Heavy rain brought flooding to the Whangarei District, causing damage to properties and roads.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Duration: 1 day -
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in Whangarei and Hikurangi on the 16th.
The Oakleigh-Paparoa road was closed. The Waipu-Mangawhai road was closed.
Landslide
Whakapara-Russell Road was blocked by slips.
Flooding
at
Hikurangi
Flood waters poured through buildings in a stretch of about 200 yards (183 m) along the main street of Hikurangi.
The flood was worse than the one in 1956.
The flood waters left a layer of silt and rubbish through houses, shops and other buildings. At Hikurangi Primary School people worked to clean three junior classrooms.
The damage was estimated at $100,000 ($1,037,000 2008 dollars).
Landslide
Hikurangi-Marua Road was blocked by a slip.
Flooding
at
Hikurangi Swamp
Hikurangi swamp was flooded.
Flooding
at
Langs Beach
At Langs Beach, the bridge approaches were washed out.
Flooding
at
Ngunguru
The Ngunguru telephone exchange was isolated due to washed out poles.
Multi Hazard
Ngunguru Road was closed.
Landslide
at
Owhiwa
Mount Tiger Road was blocked by a slip on the Parua Bay side of the hill.
Flooding
at
Pipiwai
Wrights Road at Pipiwai was flooded and impassable.
Multi Hazard
at
Ruakaka
Bream Bay College was closed.
Multi Hazard
at
Waiotira
The Waiotira telephone exchange was isolated.
Flooding
at
Waipu
Waipu residents were cut off when the local cable over the highway bridge was washed out.
Part of the township was without water after the water main and a footbridge were swept away during the night.
Multi Hazard
South Road at Waipu was closed.
Waipu Primary School was closed.
Heavy Rain
at
Whangarei
Whangarei recorded 195 mm (19.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 16th.
Onerahi recorded 159.2 mm (15.9 cm) of rain in 24 hours on the 16th.
Flooding
Kirikiri, Raumanga, and Waiarohia Streams became raging torrents, and broke their banks in several places.
Twelve business premises were flooded. Several houses and flats had water seeping through the floorboards.
There was up to 2 ft (60 cm) of water inside business premises.
Six flats were inundated with water up to 3 in (7.6 cm) deep.
The Whau Valley Dam rose 5.08 m in 24 hours.
Flooding caused thousands of dollars of damage to the Mid-Northland Dairy Company's property.
Kirikiri Stream rose from 10 in (25 cm) to 10 ft (3.0 m) deep in less than 10 hours.
Damage was done to a bakery when 2 ft (60 cm) of water swept silt and debris through it, destroying $1000 ($10,000 2008 dollars) of stock.
In one business, water ruined $3000 worth of carpet and $4000 of stock (a total of $72,600 2008 dollars).
Multi Hazard
Many roads were blocked by flood waters, slips, washouts and fallen trees.
Power and telephone lines came down in places.
Whangarei lost both its north and south rail links.
High Wind / Gust
Onerahi recorded winds of 24 knots (44 km/hr).
Multi Hazard
at
Whangarei Heads
The Whangarei Heads Road was impassable.
References
- Gray, W. Overview of weather and coastal hazards in the Northland region, Part I: Weather hazards.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall, Floods to 30 Sept 2005.
- Headline: $100,000 damage.
- The Northern Advocate, 17 July 1973.
- Headline: Hikurangi hard hit.
- The Northern Advocate, 17 July 1973.