NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
July 2004 Bay of Plenty Flooding and Landslides
(
2004-07-15
)
100+ years
Heavy rain resulted in extensive flooding and slips in the Whakatane and Opotiki Districts. Lifelines were affected, and millions of dollars of damage was done to properties and farmland. Two people were killed, one in a landslide at Ohiwa and the other was killed when a tree fell on a car.
Bay of Plenty
Multi Hazard
at
Bay of Plenty
Duration: 4 days - From the 15th to the 18th of July.
On the 15th, a front moved east onto the North Island. On the 16th, the front became stationary over the Bay of Plenty region as it ran into a blocking high to the east of the country.
A low-level convergence zone stalled over the area. A frontal band approached from the west, preceded by a moist northerly flow. Heavy rain started in eastern Bay of Plenty well before the front arrived. The front then became slow-moving over the region, blocked by a high to the east. To the north, a subtropical low was developing. A broad trough developed, extending from the central North Island northwards, with a second shallow low centre developing in the Waikato area. The sub-tropical low, moving south-southeastwards, gradually became the dominant feature, and the flow over Bay of Plenty gradually turned to a light easterly. During this time, a narrow band of heavy rain persisted over eastern Bay of Plenty.
Even after the northerlies had gone, the zone of low-level convergence persisted, between north-easterlies and southeasterlies. Aloft, a major cut-off low lay slow-moving to the west of central New Zealand. A forward-tilting trough, with associated CVA, moved around the low onto the North Island during the 17th, with the cut-off low then crossing the North Island on the 18th.
Prolonged rainfall from the 15th to the 18th resulted in severe flooding and landslides.
Heavy rain and rising river levels prompted Environment Bay of Plenty to issue flood warnings.
There were numerous road closures due to floods and slips. State Highway 2 was blocked in the Whakatane District.
Widespread water and power disruptions occurred in the Opotiki District.
There were widespread road, infrastructure, water, power, and sewage disruptions throughout the Whakatane district.
More than 17,000 people faced shortages of drinking water.
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared for the Waiotahi Ward of the Opotiki District at 5:00pm on the 17th and lasted until the 23rd.
A Civil Defence emergency was declared for the Whakatane urban area of the Whakatane District at 9:47pm on the 17th and lasted until the 30th, due to concern about further adverse weather forecasts.
MCDEM appointed a Recovery Coordinator.
3200 homes were evacuated.
Over 1300 pepole were evacuated in the Whakatane District. A further 2000 people were on evacuation standby.
At the end of the month, 500 evacuees were unable to return home.
By 9th August, 374 homes in the Opotiki and Whakatane districts had been assessed for flood and landslip damage.
211 homes were declared uninhabitable or unable to be reoccupied until repairs were carried out, as a result of the flooding and earthquakes in July. 201 of those houses were in the Whakatane district, and the other ten were in the Opotiki District. Three of the ten houses in the Opotiki district were condemned.
In the in Whakatane and Opotiki Districts, 450 farms and 15 orchards were damaged.
The damage was estimated at $45 million ($51,500,000 2008 dollars) .
The damage to roads was at least $5.5 million ($6,300,000 2008 dollars), for 47 main roads and 34 bridges.
Insurance Industry Payouts for the Eastern Bay of Plenty Floods (and earthquakes) totalled $17,600,000 ($20,100,000 2008 dollars).
There were 500 insurance claims for flooding and 1500 for earthquake damage.
Heavy Rain
Heavy rain lashed Western Bay of Plenty overnight on the 16th/17th.
There were three days of heavy rain in Edgecumbe, Whakatane and Opotiki.
The heaviest falls were on the coast around Whakatane.
Flooding
Rain caused widespread surface flooding across roads.
Sports grounds were closed and outdoor events were abandoned.
Many homes and properties were flooded. A total of 700 homes were flooded or water-affected.
The Rangataiki River burst its banks, flooding large areas of farmland.
The flood in the Rangitaiki River was almost exactly a 100-year flood.
The flood had impacts mainly in the Edgecumbe and Whakatane urban areas, in Te Teko and in vast rural areas, due to the Whakatane River breaching its stopbanks.
The Whakatane River inundated more than 15,000 ha of farmland.
The Whakatane River exceeded its 100-year flow by a considerable margin.
It was said to be the worst flooding in living memory.
17,000 ha of farmland was under water.
At the end of the month, large areas of low-lying farmland remained swamped. The last pockets of water were being pumped off the Rangitaiki Plains more than two weeks after they were flooded.
The initial costs of the pumping were likely to total more than $300,000 ($230,000 2008 dollars).
Landslide
Western Bay of Plenty was hit by slips.
30 people were evacuated in the Opotiki District due to landslides.
A motorist was killed when a tree fell on a car.
The landslips were aggravated by an earthquake swarm of over 200 shallow earthquakes around Lake Rotoehu, coinciding with the flood impact.
Heavy Rain
at
Edgecumbe
Edgecumbe recorded 257 mm (25.7 cm) of rain in three days (Return Period 40 years).
Flooding
A 100-metre stretch of protective embankment on the Rangitaiki River broke just above Edgecumbe. The protective works were built in the 1970s to withhold a 100-year flood.
River water engulfed farmland, parts of the urban area and the Fonterra factory.
The flood was the biggest since 1944.
Tornado
at
Mount Maunganui
A small tornado hit a house in Oceanbeach Road, Mt Maunganui, at 3am on the 17th. It ripped the conservatory off a verandah.
Landslide
at
Ohiwa
One person was killed by a landslide at Ohiwa Beach.
A couple were forced out of their Ohiwa home after heavy floods caused a slip, leaving it teetering on the edge of a cliff. Their neighbours also lost pohutukawa trees from their section.
Heavy Rain
at
Opotiki
Opotiki recorded 280 mm (28.0 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Whakatane
Whakatane Airport recorded 140 mm (14.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Whakatane Airport recorded 246 mm (24.6 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Whakatane recorded 249 mm (24.9 cm) of rain in two days (Return Period 100 years).
References
- Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963.
- Insurance Councils. The Cost of Weather Loses, Claims history (Updated 2004).
- www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 98, September 2004.
- Headline: Mini tornado and floods hit Bay of Plenty.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Bay of Plenty Times, 17 July 2004.
- Headline: Pumping out last of flood.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 3 August 2004.
- Headline: Over 200 houses uninhabitable as a result of floods.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 9 August 2004, 4:00pm.
- Headline: The bright side: Landslip victims feeling positive.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 24 December 2004.
- Headline: Bay of Plenty flood - flood's litany of destruction and expense.
- The New Zealand Herald, 24 May 2005.
- Headline: $13m plan to prevent repeat of disaster.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Alanah May Eriksen, 25 June 2009, 4:00am.
- New Zealand Meteorological Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
July 2004 Bay of Plenty Flooding and Landslides
(
2004-07-15
)
100+ years
Heavy rain resulted in extensive flooding and slips in the Whakatane and Opotiki Districts. Lifelines were affected, and millions of dollars of damage was done to properties and farmland. Two people were killed, one in a landslide at Ohiwa and the other was killed when a tree fell on a car.
Bay of Plenty
Multi Hazard
at
Bay of Plenty
Duration: 4 days - From the 15th to the 18th of July.
On the 15th, a front moved east onto the North Island. On the 16th, the front became stationary over the Bay of Plenty region as it ran into a blocking high to the east of the country.
A low-level convergence zone stalled over the area. A frontal band approached from the west, preceded by a moist northerly flow. Heavy rain started in eastern Bay of Plenty well before the front arrived. The front then became slow-moving over the region, blocked by a high to the east. To the north, a subtropical low was developing. A broad trough developed, extending from the central North Island northwards, with a second shallow low centre developing in the Waikato area. The sub-tropical low, moving south-southeastwards, gradually became the dominant feature, and the flow over Bay of Plenty gradually turned to a light easterly. During this time, a narrow band of heavy rain persisted over eastern Bay of Plenty.
Even after the northerlies had gone, the zone of low-level convergence persisted, between north-easterlies and southeasterlies. Aloft, a major cut-off low lay slow-moving to the west of central New Zealand. A forward-tilting trough, with associated CVA, moved around the low onto the North Island during the 17th, with the cut-off low then crossing the North Island on the 18th.
Prolonged rainfall from the 15th to the 18th resulted in severe flooding and landslides.
Heavy rain and rising river levels prompted Environment Bay of Plenty to issue flood warnings.
There were numerous road closures due to floods and slips. State Highway 2 was blocked in the Whakatane District.
Widespread water and power disruptions occurred in the Opotiki District.
There were widespread road, infrastructure, water, power, and sewage disruptions throughout the Whakatane district.
More than 17,000 people faced shortages of drinking water.
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared for the Waiotahi Ward of the Opotiki District at 5:00pm on the 17th and lasted until the 23rd.
A Civil Defence emergency was declared for the Whakatane urban area of the Whakatane District at 9:47pm on the 17th and lasted until the 30th, due to concern about further adverse weather forecasts.
MCDEM appointed a Recovery Coordinator.
3200 homes were evacuated.
Over 1300 pepole were evacuated in the Whakatane District. A further 2000 people were on evacuation standby.
At the end of the month, 500 evacuees were unable to return home.
By 9th August, 374 homes in the Opotiki and Whakatane districts had been assessed for flood and landslip damage.
211 homes were declared uninhabitable or unable to be reoccupied until repairs were carried out, as a result of the flooding and earthquakes in July. 201 of those houses were in the Whakatane district, and the other ten were in the Opotiki District. Three of the ten houses in the Opotiki district were condemned.
In the in Whakatane and Opotiki Districts, 450 farms and 15 orchards were damaged.
The damage was estimated at $45 million ($51,500,000 2008 dollars) .
The damage to roads was at least $5.5 million ($6,300,000 2008 dollars), for 47 main roads and 34 bridges.
Insurance Industry Payouts for the Eastern Bay of Plenty Floods (and earthquakes) totalled $17,600,000 ($20,100,000 2008 dollars).
There were 500 insurance claims for flooding and 1500 for earthquake damage.
Heavy Rain
Heavy rain lashed Western Bay of Plenty overnight on the 16th/17th.
There were three days of heavy rain in Edgecumbe, Whakatane and Opotiki.
The heaviest falls were on the coast around Whakatane.
Flooding
Rain caused widespread surface flooding across roads.
Sports grounds were closed and outdoor events were abandoned.
Many homes and properties were flooded. A total of 700 homes were flooded or water-affected.
The Rangataiki River burst its banks, flooding large areas of farmland.
The flood in the Rangitaiki River was almost exactly a 100-year flood.
The flood had impacts mainly in the Edgecumbe and Whakatane urban areas, in Te Teko and in vast rural areas, due to the Whakatane River breaching its stopbanks.
The Whakatane River inundated more than 15,000 ha of farmland.
The Whakatane River exceeded its 100-year flow by a considerable margin.
It was said to be the worst flooding in living memory.
17,000 ha of farmland was under water.
At the end of the month, large areas of low-lying farmland remained swamped. The last pockets of water were being pumped off the Rangitaiki Plains more than two weeks after they were flooded.
The initial costs of the pumping were likely to total more than $300,000 ($230,000 2008 dollars).
Landslide
Western Bay of Plenty was hit by slips.
30 people were evacuated in the Opotiki District due to landslides.
A motorist was killed when a tree fell on a car.
The landslips were aggravated by an earthquake swarm of over 200 shallow earthquakes around Lake Rotoehu, coinciding with the flood impact.
Heavy Rain
at
Edgecumbe
Edgecumbe recorded 257 mm (25.7 cm) of rain in three days (Return Period 40 years).
Flooding
A 100-metre stretch of protective embankment on the Rangitaiki River broke just above Edgecumbe. The protective works were built in the 1970s to withhold a 100-year flood.
River water engulfed farmland, parts of the urban area and the Fonterra factory.
The flood was the biggest since 1944.
Tornado
at
Mount Maunganui
A small tornado hit a house in Oceanbeach Road, Mt Maunganui, at 3am on the 17th. It ripped the conservatory off a verandah.
Landslide
at
Ohiwa
One person was killed by a landslide at Ohiwa Beach.
A couple were forced out of their Ohiwa home after heavy floods caused a slip, leaving it teetering on the edge of a cliff. Their neighbours also lost pohutukawa trees from their section.
Heavy Rain
at
Opotiki
Opotiki recorded 280 mm (28.0 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Whakatane
Whakatane Airport recorded 140 mm (14.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Whakatane Airport recorded 246 mm (24.6 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Whakatane recorded 249 mm (24.9 cm) of rain in two days (Return Period 100 years).
References
- Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963.
- Insurance Councils. The Cost of Weather Loses, Claims history (Updated 2004).
- www.metservice, notable weather events.govt.nz.
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). Newsletter 98, September 2004.
- Headline: Mini tornado and floods hit Bay of Plenty.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Bay of Plenty Times, 17 July 2004.
- Headline: Pumping out last of flood.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 3 August 2004.
- Headline: Over 200 houses uninhabitable as a result of floods.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 9 August 2004, 4:00pm.
- Headline: The bright side: Landslip victims feeling positive.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 24 December 2004.
- Headline: Bay of Plenty flood - flood's litany of destruction and expense.
- The New Zealand Herald, 24 May 2005.
- Headline: $13m plan to prevent repeat of disaster.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: Alanah May Eriksen, 25 June 2009, 4:00am.
- New Zealand Meteorological Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).