There was flooding on the 26th July 1985 in Gisborne.

Insurance industry payouts for this event was $1,700,000 in 1985 ($3,978,800 2010 dollars) excuding EQC.

People in rural areas near Waimata, Hangaroa, Ruakituri, Okitu were isolated.

One breeder lost 75 ram-hoggets. Losses put at $12,000 - $15,000 ($28,100-$35,100 2010 dollars). The same breeder also lost a two-tooth stud sire worth $2000 ($4700 2010 dollars).

Floodwaters swept through the city. All areas of Gisborne were affected by flooding.

Taruheru River was swollen. At Thompson Road the river was up to the front porch of the houses. Fergusson Drive was worst hit by Taruheru River and there was water inside many homes. Along Ormond Road, the flats and low-lying farmland was mostly underwater and many houses and farm buildings were completely surrounded.

Sewers opened up into Waimata and Taraheru Rivers. There were hundreds of sewerage overflows onto lawns.

The Campion Road footbridge was closed.

Fergusson Drive was the worst hit area of city. 12 homes were evacuated and the street was blocked.

Waimata River rose 11 metres covering Goodwins Road bridge.

Waimata River flooded low-lying houses in the suburb of Kaiti and some houses were evacuated.

Roads were blocked by flooding in the suburb of Te Hapara.

The golf course in Te Hapara was a lake.

No lives were lost during this event.

The natural gas supply was cut off to the industrial area after floodwaters removed soil and scoured the pipeline.

Many horticultural properties on the flats were hit hard by flooding and silting.

The flood was the worst since 1948.

On the flats there are possible losses in vineyard and kiwifruit production. Citris in some areas took a hammering with some trees losing half their crop.

The township of Makaraka was hard hit by flooding.

State Highway 2 was blocked.

Farms merged into one large lake.

Makaraka racecourse was underwater.

Te Arai River turned into a raging torrent.

Many houses were surrounded by water and people were cut off.

Stock losses were high. One farmer lost 150 sheep in one paddock.

Water on many farms was running fence high and there were drowned sheep sprawled along fence lines.

Several homes were devastated in the Ngatapa Valley.

A house in the valley was surrounded by water and debris from landslips.

A Patutahi farmer described the scene as the worst flood since the 1948 flood.

There was a Civil Defence Emergency declared from 6:20am to 4:20pm on the 26th.

Approximately 100 people were evacuated.

Agricultural assistance totalled $950,000 in 1991 dollars ($1,415,000 2010 dollars).

The annual recurrance interval for the amount of rainfall was over 100 years.

Farmlands suffered incalculable damage

The worst affected areas were Muriwai, Waingake, Pehiri, Ngatapa, Waerengaokuri, Patutahi.

Stock losses were high. High numbers of sheep drowned on the flats. Stock losses were atleast as bad as the stock losses during the flood of 1977.

There was extensive flooding and silting on Poverty Bay flats over thousands of hectares.

Repongaere settlers were isolated by the floodwaters.

Waipaoa River rose 7 metres at Kanakanaia Bridge at Te Karaka.

Waingaromia River rose 2.9 metres.

There were problems with drinking water and sewerage.

A Whangara farmer said he had never seen the Pakarae River so high.

Flood damage in the northern areas totalled $30,000 ($70,200 2010 dollars).

Flood damage in the central area totalled $180,000 ($421,300 2010 dollars).

Flood damage in the southern area totalled $90,000 ($210,600 2010 dollars).

Awanui Stream had a discharge of 35 cumecs at Crystall Road.

Tutaekuri River overflowed at Dartmoor and water over one metre deep flowed down Dartmoor Road.

There was some fence damage in the area.

Esk River was in high flood.

The Esk River motor camp was evacuated.

Two houses and the admin building of the Whirinaki Timber Mill flooded on banks of the Esk River.

Ngarururo River had a discharge of 1200 cumecs at Fernhill.

Karamu Stream had a discharge of 195 cumecs at the floodgates.

Karewarewa Stream had a discharge of 30 cumecs at Turamoe Road.

Kopuawhara Stream had a discharge of 280 cumecs at Paritu Loop.

Ngaruroro River had a discharge of 700 cumecs at Whanawhana.

Sandy Creek had a discharge of 30-35 cumecs at SH2.

Tukipo River had a discharge of 150 cumecs at SH50.

There was significant fence damage along Tukituki River.

Tukituki River had a discharge of 82 cumecs at SH50.

Wairoa was cut off by road from the north and the south.

There was extensive surface water flooding.

Porangahau River had a discharge of 200 cumecs at Wallingford.