NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
July 2007 Upper North Island Flooding and High Winds
(
2007-07-09
)
100 years
Heavy rain brought flooding to Northland and high winds also caused a lot of damage in Northland, Auckland and the Waikato.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 3 days - From the night of the 9th till the 11th of July.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 11:30am 09 July 2007. Heavy rain and damaging winds for the North of the North Island. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Northland, Auckland north of Orewa, and Coromandel Peninsula, Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland South of the Bay of Isalnds, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:38pm 09 July 2007.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:24pm 10 July 2007.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:28pm 10 July 2007. Severe gales and torrential rain have now eased over Northern half of Northland. Severe gales and heavy rain expected to continue through the night for many parts of Auckland Coromandel Peninsula and Hauraki Plains. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Northland south of Whangarei, Auckland north of Orewa, and Coromandel Peninsula. Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland South of the Whangarei, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 5:08pm 10 July 2007. Severe gales and torrential rain in far north easing this evening. Winds still strengthening in Auckland Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato with severe glaes this evening. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Northland from Bay of Islands southwards, Auckland north of Orewa, and Coromandel Peninsula. Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland from Bay of Islands southwards, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:17am 11 July 2007. Further severe gales for parts of Northland, Northern Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula today, and heavy rain and strong winds for northern parts of Gisborne. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Coromandel Peninsula, Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay. Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland from Bay of Islands southwards, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes.
On the 9th: A deepening depression, formed off the NSW coast the day before, moved eastwards towards the far north of the North Island, increasing an east to northeast flow over Northland. At the same time, an intense high to the south of the Tasman Sea pushed a strong ridge into the seas just east of the South Island. Rain became heavy as the flow strengthened. Air from high latitudes was trapped over the South Island by the ridge creating icy air.
The storm first hit the Far North before moving south and battering Auckland late on the afternoon of the 10th. The worst of the storm had cleared Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel on the night of the 11th.
The Police Northern Communications Centre in Auckland received more than 2500 calls in 10 hours on the night of the 10th. The Fire Service's northern communications centre received nearly 2000 emergency calls between noon and 10pm on the 10th. They had to call in extra staff to deal with the calls.
A Vector spokeswoman said 141,000 homes lost power at the height of the storm. Some homes were without power for mroe than a week. The hardest hit areas were Warkworth, Snells Beach, East Coast Bays up to Orewa, Waiheke Island and parts of West Auckland. 50 Telecom network sites were running on generators, with a further 82 portable generators delivered to support other sites. About 1000 properties remained without power on the 13th. By late on the 16th, power had been restored to all but 20 or 30 homes.
On the 11th, Telecom mobile phones at 25 sites in the upper North Island were out of service.
Hundreds of roads were closed or affected due to flooding, fallen trees and powerlines in the Far North, Whangarei, Auckland and north of Thames.
Ontrack placed a blanket 40 km/hr speed restriction on trains between Te Kauwhata in the south and Wellsford in the north from the afternoon of the 10th until the morning of the 11th. Trees fell across the lines in some areas.
The total insurance cost for the Far North, Auckland and Coromandel was $60.5 million. This was the second most expensive single weather event to date.
18,935 insurance claims were lodged.
Residential home and contents claims totalled $37,800,000.
Commercial claims totalled $17,300,000.
Business interruption/loss of profits totalled $1,000,000.
Motor vehicle claims totalled $1,300,000.
Severe weather in the North Island in July was expected to cost Tower $4 million in claims. This included the Taranaki tornadoes and flooding in Auckland, Northland and Coromandel in July.
Northland
Heavy Rain
at
Northland
Steady rain fell in parts of the Far North on the night of the 9th.
Northland had a month's worth of rain in 12 hours.
Flooding
There was some surface flooding in the Bay of Islands on the morning of the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
115,000 Northland homes were without power. Northpower, which services the Whangarei and Kaipara area, said 20% of its customers were without power after a main line on the East coast near Tutukaka was out. Northpower said the storm was more devastating to its power supply than Cyclone Bola in 1988. Far North power company Top Energy said about 1500 of its customers were without power overnight on the 10th. Areas affected included Whangarei Heads, Matapouri, Kawakawa, Russell, Haruru, Rawene, Kerikeri and Kaeo.
Phone and cellphone coverage was out out over large part of Northland. 25,000 people were without phones. Vodafone coverage was down on the eastern side of Northland from the Bay of Islands to Coopers Beach. Three Telecom sites lost service, affecting nearly 100 customers in Peria, Kaeo and Kaitaia.
About 60 trees were down on roads in the Far North on the morning of the 11th.
Multi Hazard
SH12 west of Kaikohe was closed. SH12 at Parora, Babylon and Mamaranui was closed. The coast road between Matauri Bay and Whangaroa was blocked. SH1 from the Brynderwyns to Whangarei was closed with slips and trees across the road. SH1 at Rangiahua and Mangamuka was closed.
Kaeo, Mangamuka, the Karikari Peninsula, Horeke, Pawarenga and Mitimiti were cut off after flooding, slips and falling trees created havoc on roads.
The Far North District Council declared 81 homes uninhabitable, most of them in and around Kaitaia, Totara North, Kaeo and Whangaroa.
In the Far North, 50 people were left homeless and hundreds were sheltering in a marae. More than a year later, 26 families were still homeless after the floods, including one home at Awanui, one at Paihia, and the rest at Kaeo, Matangirau, Pupuke, Totara North and Whangaroa. Some of the homeowners were so stressed they packed their belongings every time it rained. In 2009, 25 families were facing their third winter in damaged houses.
New Zealand Post cancelled all mail deliveries in Northland on the 11th.
Far North Mayor Yvonne Sharp declared a state of emergency at 4.30pm on the 10th. It was lifted at 3pm on the 13th.
Extensive repairs were needed on the region's roads and sewerage infrastructure.
The storm that broke over Northland on July 10th was the second extreme weather event in the region in just over three months.
The storm was described as a one in 100 year event.
The estimated cost of damage to council roads was at $6 million (80% for repairs to underslips).
The Whangarei District Council estimated the cost of storm damage to infrastructure was about $2.5 million. $1.3 million was caused to roading and wasterwater systems and property. The combined cost to the Whangarei District Council infrastructure from the March and July storms was up to $13 million, with many millions more in losses and damages to farmers and avocado growers.
Repairing electricity lines could cost companies up to $300,000.
The cost of the storms and floods in Northland in March and July was approaching $100 million, with the Far North and Whangarei Councils still working out final costs.
Losses in the Far North were estimated to be $47.4 million to $52.9 million. That included $10.3 million damage to roads, $12 million losses to the wider economy, $4 million damage to farms and businesses and a $2 million loss in business revenue.
The storm caused an estimated $40 million damage to Northland avocado orchards.
Landslide
Six Northland communties were cut off by slips. A couple of hundred people were cut off from transport routes around the coastal settlements east of Kaeo because of slips.
Flooding
at
Cable Bay
A house near Cable Bay was flooded.
High Wind / Gust
at
Haruru
There were power outages in Haruru.
Flooding
at
Hikurangi Swamp
Hikurangi swamp farmers estimated their losses at about $15 million.
Multi Hazard
at
Kaeo
Kaeo was cut off, with flooding and slips closing the roads to the north and south of the town.
Flooding
In the approaches to Kaeo there were floodwaters 1m deep.
The Kaeo Rugby Club rooms were almost finished being repaired from the March 2007 flood when the even more devastating July storm struck.
At the Kaeo Rugby Club water was up to the tills inside or to a depth of 1.6m.
Water swept through homes and residents had to be rescued with inflatable rescue boats.
The township of Kaeo had at least 50 cm of water running through it.
Firefighter Alfred Hikuwai said it was the worst flooding in the township since the 1970s.
There was no water or sewerage services.
Heavy Rain
Kaeo recorded 273 mm (27.3 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Kaeo received about 213 mm (21.3 cm) of rain in 12 hours, equivalent to a one-in-150-year event.
Kaeo received 240 mm (24.0 cm) of rain in 15 hours.
Landslide
34 families on Matawherohia Rd were isolated by slips.
High Wind / Gust
There were power outages in Kaeo.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaikohe
Kaikohe received 153 mm (15.3 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
at
Kaitaia
The Tarawhaturoa Stream burst through stopbanks on the night of the 10th, flooding 25 council-owned units.
Floodwaters more than 1m high surged through the units.
120 elderly people were evacuated from homes in Kaitaia. More than 70 elderly residents were evacuated from the Switzer Residential Home and pensioners were evacuated from 14 council flats on Oxford St on the night of the 10th because of flooding.
About 160 people from the Kaitaia area were displaced because of damage to houses.
There were about 40 homes that had flooded in and around the town. The council flats on Oxford St may be damaged beyond repair.
The public pools in Kaitaia had a chlorine leak. About six feet of water over the pool triggered an alarm.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kawakawa
There were power outages in Kawakawa.
The water was cut off in Kawakawa.
An elderly woman on a ventilator had to be taken to hospital to be looked after without the threat of power cuts.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kerikeri
There were power outages in Kerikeri.
Flooding
A one-way bridge across the Kerikeri River was closed.
Heavy Rain
163 mm (16.3 cm) of rain was recorded on Kerikeri's western hills in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Flooding
at
Kirikopuni
Kirikopuni Bridge was washed out.
Heavy Rain
at
Mangamuka
166 mm (16.6 cm) of rain was recorded on the eastern Mangamuka Ranges in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Flooding
at
Mangonui
Flood waters reached 1m deep in the main street in Mangonui.
High Wind / Gust
at
Matapouri
There were power outages in Matapouri.
High Wind / Gust
at
Maungakaramea
The power outage shut down the main water pump in Maungakaramea, leaving residents without reticulated supplies.
Flooding
at
Moerewa
Four or five households were evacuated in Moerewa.
20 Moerewa residents were still without their water supply on the 12th.
Heavy Rain
at
Ohaeawai
Ohaeawai recorded 148 mm (14.8 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Multi Hazard
at
Omapere
There was storm damage to a house in Omapere.
Heavy Rain
at
Onerahi
Whangarei Airport received 194 mm (19.4 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Pacific Bay
In the normally placid Pacific Bay, there were waves of at least 2m high.
High Wind / Gust
The wind was gusting to well over 190 km/hr.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
Puhipuhi recorded 218 mm (21.8 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Multi Hazard
at
Rahiri
Rahiri was isolated.
High Wind / Gust
at
Rawene
There were power outages in Rawene.
High Wind / Gust
at
Russell
There were power outages in Russell.
Flooding
at
Taheke
SH12 was closed at Taheke.
Multi Hazard
at
Te Ngaere
12 families in Te Ngaere were isolated by road slips and flooding.
Flooding
at
Titoki
The Mangakahia River was 13.95m above normal at the Titoki Bridge early on the morning of the 11th, approximately 1m higher than floodwaters reached during Cyclone Bola.
Landslide
at
Totara North
A slip came down behind a Totara North house. The residents were not allowed to return home until it had been inspected.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tutukaka
A wind gust of 167 km/hr was recorded in Tutukaka.
Maritime / Coastal
A man was rescued minutes before his yacht, which was his home, was pounded to bits by huge seas and high winds in the Tutukaka Harbour on the 10th. All his possessions on the boat were also lost. He said it would cost him close to $200,000.
The waves were at least 3m high.
At the height of the storm 5-metre waves were breaking at the Tutukaka Harbour entrance.
Landslide
at
Waikare
Slips isolated the Waikare Marae, near Kawakawa. Locals had gathered there because of anticipated flooding in the area.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waipu
People in Waipu and Lands Beach were urged to conserve water as the supply was running critically low after power cuts.
Flooding
at
Whakapara
SH1 at Whakapara was closed.
Flooding
at
Whangarei
SH1 was closed at the Kamo Bypass.
Multi Hazard
Whangarei was completely blocked off by floodwaters and slips on the morning of the 11th. 27 Whangarei roads were closed. 22 roads were flooded and there were 60 reports of trees down blocking roads.
Whangarei's avocado orchardists lost almost their entire export crops, with losses of up to $20 million.
High Wind / Gust
Gale south easterlies continued to batter Whangarei on the 11th.
Many parts of Whangarei closed down early on the 10th because of power cuts and surges.
Heavy Rain
Whangarei recorded 181 mm (18.1 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Whangarei Heads
There were power outages in Whangarei Heads.
Residents were urged to stop using water if possible as the water reservoir was getting low and power had been cut to water pumping stations.
Landslide
at
Whangaroa
Three slips wiped out a Whnagaroa section and the council deemed a neighbouring home unsafe. The owner was still homeless almost 18 months later. The home was estimated to cost around $100,000 to fix.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Torrential rain and hurricane-force winds hit Auckland overnight on the 10th.
Strong winds and torrential rain caused trains to be cancelled or delayed on the 10th. Train services from Britomart was suspended at 6:15pm after trees fell across tracks at Parnell on the Southern Line and near Sylvia Park on the Eastern Line. All other train services experienced delays.
High Wind / Gust
90,000 Auckland homes were without power overnight on the 10th. 65,000 customers were without power in the Rodney district and 25,000 customers were without power on the North Shore. Places affected included Warkworth, Snells Beach, Wellsford, East Coast Bays through to Orewa, Helensville, Coatesville and Kumeu, Maraetai and Waiheke Island. About 140 homes in the Rodney District and the North Shore were still without power on the 17th.
Strong winds caused all Waiheke, Half Moon Bay and Pine Harbour ferries to be cancelled from 4:15pm on the 10th. The Birkenhead Wharf was closed at about 5pm and ferries were re-directed to Northcote Pt. About 1110 commuters were late home or unable to travel. About 15 people slept aboard the Waiheke ferry and others stayed in hotels at discounted prices courtesy of the company.
Powerlines and trees blocked roads.
1000 Vector customers on the North Shore were still without hot water on the 13th.
On the North Shore there were winds in excess of 150 km/hr.
Trees fell on houses and cars and roofs were damaged. The several buildings and homes that were damaged were mainly in Mt Eden, Symonds St, Auckland University and the North Shore. High winds on the North Shore caused damage to roofs and commercial properties in high value areas, likely to be on a par with those in Northland.
Flooding
The railway line north of Waitakere remained closed on the 11th due to flooding in Northland.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
The Sky Tower was closed to the public from 4pm.
Some corrugated sheets of metal blew down 14 stories from the Rydges Hotel.
50 residents were evacuated from Ohir apartments in Newton Road after a gust ripped the roof off the four storey apartment.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland Harbour Bridge
There were traffic delays on the Harbour Bidge on the 10th. The bridge was declared unsafe for motorcycles after two people were blown off their motorbikes within the space of 10 minutes on the 10th. Lights on the bridge also went out and the median lane barrier was knocked out of alignment. The bridge was still half in darkness on the morning of the 11th.
Maritime / Coastal
Waves were crashing onto the breakwater on the northern side of the bridge and spraying the motorway.
High Wind / Gust
at
Maraetai
Several cliff-side houses on Te Pene Rd had their windows blown in and one house lost a garage door.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mokohinau Islands
On the Mokohinau Islands a wind gust of 148 km/hr was recorded.
High Wind / Gust
at
Murray Bay
Winds were so strong that a buoy attached to a one-tonne slab of concrete was blown 1km from Murray Bay to Rothesay Bay.
High Wind / Gust
at
Newton
Ferocious winds on the night of the 10th tore the roof off a four-storey apartment block in Ophir St at about 6:45pm. Damage to the building was severe, with everything on the top floor destroyed.
Around 50 residents had to be evacuated from the apartments. The tenants in all but four apartments were allowed to return on the 11th, but they would all eventually have to move out as water was seeping through the walls.
Burglers targeted the damaged apartment block.
High Wind / Gust
at
Papakura
A sign was ripped from a shop roof in Papakura on the afternoon of the 10th and bounced over and smashed multiple cars below. One car passenger was showered with glass.
High Wind / Gust
at
Takapuna
In Takapuna, thieves took advantage of the power cut and broke into seven businesses.
High Wind / Gust
at
Taupaki
A Taupaki farmer had strong winds tear sheets of iron off his haybarn.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tiritiri Matangi Island
A wind gust of 180 km/hr was recorded at Tiritiri Matangi lighthouse.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waiake
Waiake was one of the worst affected areas in Auckland, where boats were washed up between park benches and rubbish bins.
An 80-year-old Norfolk pine was stripped of most of its branches. Two 60-year-old pines beside it were uprooted and their tops smashed into a public barbecue area.
High Wind / Gust
at
Warkworth
Strong winds pushed out of alignment one of two large satellite dishes at the Warkworth satellite station, affecting calls to and from Niue, Tokelau and the Chatham Islands.
Flooding
at
Wellsford
The railway line north of Wellsford was closed due to flooding.
Farms near Wellsford were still flooded on the 17th.
Waikato
High Wind / Gust
at
Waikato
On the night of the 10th, winds equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane swept across the Thames, Coromandel and Hauraki districts.
The winds lifted roofs, uprooted trees and damaged property.
Power outages affected 25,720 Powerco customers on the Coromandel Peninsula, the Hauraki Plains and Piako.
Sewerage systems throughout the Coromandel district, including those in Tairua-Pauanui, Whitianga, Coromandel and Thames, had to be pumped manually.
Heavy Rain
at
Castle Rock
Castle Rock received 121 mm (12.1 cm) of rain in 48 hours from the 9th till the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Coromandel
SH25 at Coromandel was blocked due to fallen trees on the morning of the 11th.
Four homes in the town of Coromandel had their roofs damaged.
The Coromandel Chief Fire Officer believed wind gusts had exceeded 180 km/hr.
The Coromandel firestation collapsed trapping fire engines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Coromandel Peninsula
Petrol pumps were not working after Coromandel petrol stations were hit by power cuts.
A Christian camp's gymnasium and sports centre was reduced to kindling. A number of houses lost their roofs and fences were damaged. Wind damage down the western side of the peninsula, from Coromandel to Te Aroha, appeared to have been the worst.
Power was out in all of the Coromandel Peninsula except Whangamata and Waihi. Towns on the east coast of the Peninsula lost power at about 5:30pm on the 10th.
Many people were not able to leave their homes on the morning of the 11th because of trees blocking driveways.
Flooding
The coromandel had extensive surface flooding. Swollen streams gushed form the hills into the Firth of Thames.
Flooding caused slips and road closures.
Maritime / Coastal
Boats were tossed on to rocks.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hauraki Plains
The area was strewn with uprooted trees, fences, plastic tanks and mangled road signs.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kauaeranga
At Kauaeranga Valley, a planation of approximately $150,000 worth of trees was flattened.
High Wind / Gust
at
Puriri
The roof of the fire station at Puriri collapsed, trapping the fire engines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tapu
A tree fell on a Tapu house around 8:30pm on the 10th and ripped the roof open, cutting the power supply.
The man living in the house was taken to hospital after the power outage cut off his oxgen machine.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tararu
In Tararu, boats were blown across the road by the wind. A yacht was impaled on a fence on the opposite side of the road and another ended up in a nearby tree.
High Wind / Gust
at
Te Puru
The Boomerang Takeaway and Dairy had its windows smashed and the verandah and roof torn off by ferocious winds at 8pm on the 10th. The dairy was left exposed to driving rain.
High Wind / Gust
at
Thames
Thames Hospital was running on a generator for power. All surgery was cancelled on the 11th.
Four homes lost their roofs in Thames. At the air strip, a maintenance hangar was left with a gaping hole in its side and rain sweeping in.
Winds gusted up to 150 km/hr in Thames. Anecdotal reports suggested there were wind gusts of up to 200 km/hr.
Heavy Rain
Thames received 63 mm (6.3 cm) of rain in 48 hours from the 10th till the 11th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
High Wind / Gust
at
Mount Ruapehu
Both skifields were forced to close on the 10th as winds whipped the snow into a blizzard. The slopes remained closed on the 11th.
There were winds up to 100 km/hr.
References
- Civil defence update, 11 July 2007,
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.), Newsletter 110, September 2007.
- Headline: Kaeo Cut Off As Floodwaters Rise In Far North.
- NewsRoom, 1:04pm, 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Civil Defence begins to assess Coromandel damage.
- NewsRoom, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Far North Mayor Declares State of Emergency.
- NewsRoom, 5:33pm, 10 July 2007.
- NIWA and GNS Science. (2007). Natural Hazards 2007, Insurance, 2007 - an expensive year for the insurance industry, p13.
- Headline: 40,000 Akl homes still powerless.
- NZ National News, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: House near Kaeo has collapsed as the township bears the brunt of severe weather in Northland
- NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Hurricane-force storm leaves 120,00 homes without power
- NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Whangarei isolated.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: More evacuations in far North
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: More payouts expected.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: Rugby club rising again - Wave of support after flooding.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 13 October 2008.
- Headline: Time, patience slip-sliding away.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 17 November 2008.
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- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 20 August 2007.
- Headline: Proposal to buy flood-prone homes at Kaeo. Imran Ali.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 21 May 2009.
- Headline: Anguish drags on for 26 homeless families.
- www.northerndvocate.co.nz, 23 July 2008.
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- www.nzherald.co.nz, 11 July 2007, 5:00am.
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- Headline: Storm-battered residents nearing end of their tethers in Far North.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Supplies dropped to flooded north.
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- Headline: Towns hit hard by the force of nature.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007, 5:00am.
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- Headline: Another test of character for flood-prone communities - Trail of destruction.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
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- www.nzherald.co.nz, 17 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Locals discuss moving town or raising some of its at risk buildings.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 17 July 2007.
- Headline: Home sweet home beckons for residents of flooded pensioner units.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Severe weather warning issues for Northland.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 9 July 2007.
- Headline: Rain lashes north as thaw begins in south.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Thousands without power, roads remain closed after storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 11 July 2007, 12:36pm.
- Headline: Thousands without power, roads remain closed after storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Storm destroys yachtie's home, thief takes clothes.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 13 July 2007, 4:35pm.
- Headline: Towns repeatedly hit by extreme weather may have to move - PM.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald, NZPA and Newstalk ZB, 11 July 2007, 7:20pm.
- Headline: North Island storm: latest updates.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald, NZPA and NewstalkZB, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Storm floods Far North, cuts power to 115,000 homes on way south.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA , 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Rescue drama as deluge cuts off town.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 11 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Far North state of emergency lifted.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 13 July 2007, 3:35pm.
- Headline: Linemen tramp into remote areas in battle to restore power.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 14 July 2007, 11:10am.
- Headline: Storm effects still being felt.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Network back to normal, Vector says.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 July 2007, 6:35pm.
- Headline: Tower says July weather claims $2.7m over budget.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 31 July 2007, 2:45pm.
- Headline: Regional council wants certainty before spending on Kaeo.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 3 March 2009, 5:08am.
- Headline: Council given hurry-up over flood victims by CD Minister.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 5 March 2009, 6:02am.
- Headline: Clean up begins as floodwaters abate.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: Northland recovers after wild weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: State of emergency lifted in far north.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 13 July 2007.
- Headline: Rain continues in Far North, but no major problems.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 15 July 2007.
- Headline: Kaeo staying put as rain continues.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 16 July 2007.
- Headline: Counting the cost of the storm.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 18 July 2007.
- Headline: After the storm, EW wiser in the ways of wilder weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 20 August 2007.
- Headline: Costly year for natural disasters.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 3 May 2008.
- Headline: Flood damage cost in Far North up to $50m.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA (Auckland) in Southland Times, 21 July 2007.
- Headline: Northland savaged by storm.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Storm causes chaos across top of country.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Extreme weather adds to insurance premiums.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Sunday Star Times, 9 March 2008.
- Headline: Insurers count cost of winter.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Dominion Post, 16 July 2007.
- Headline: Drenching boosts rainfall figures.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 2 August 2007.
- Headline: Storm Losses expected to top $60m.
- www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz, Source: Wanganui Chronicle and NZPA, 13 July 2007.
July 2007 Upper North Island Flooding and High Winds
(
2007-07-09
)
100 years
Heavy rain brought flooding to Northland and high winds also caused a lot of damage in Northland, Auckland and the Waikato.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 3 days - From the night of the 9th till the 11th of July.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 11:30am 09 July 2007. Heavy rain and damaging winds for the North of the North Island. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Northland, Auckland north of Orewa, and Coromandel Peninsula, Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland South of the Bay of Isalnds, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:38pm 09 July 2007.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:24pm 10 July 2007.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:28pm 10 July 2007. Severe gales and torrential rain have now eased over Northern half of Northland. Severe gales and heavy rain expected to continue through the night for many parts of Auckland Coromandel Peninsula and Hauraki Plains. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Northland south of Whangarei, Auckland north of Orewa, and Coromandel Peninsula. Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland South of the Whangarei, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 5:08pm 10 July 2007. Severe gales and torrential rain in far north easing this evening. Winds still strengthening in Auckland Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato with severe glaes this evening. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Northland from Bay of Islands southwards, Auckland north of Orewa, and Coromandel Peninsula. Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland from Bay of Islands southwards, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes.
Severe weather warning issued by MetService at 8:17am 11 July 2007. Further severe gales for parts of Northland, Northern Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula today, and heavy rain and strong winds for northern parts of Gisborne. Heavy rain warning: Area afffected Coromandel Peninsula, Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay. Strong wind warning: Areas affected: Northland from Bay of Islands southwards, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and The Hauraki Plains, Complete forecast in notes.
On the 9th: A deepening depression, formed off the NSW coast the day before, moved eastwards towards the far north of the North Island, increasing an east to northeast flow over Northland. At the same time, an intense high to the south of the Tasman Sea pushed a strong ridge into the seas just east of the South Island. Rain became heavy as the flow strengthened. Air from high latitudes was trapped over the South Island by the ridge creating icy air.
The storm first hit the Far North before moving south and battering Auckland late on the afternoon of the 10th. The worst of the storm had cleared Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel on the night of the 11th.
The Police Northern Communications Centre in Auckland received more than 2500 calls in 10 hours on the night of the 10th. The Fire Service's northern communications centre received nearly 2000 emergency calls between noon and 10pm on the 10th. They had to call in extra staff to deal with the calls.
A Vector spokeswoman said 141,000 homes lost power at the height of the storm. Some homes were without power for mroe than a week. The hardest hit areas were Warkworth, Snells Beach, East Coast Bays up to Orewa, Waiheke Island and parts of West Auckland. 50 Telecom network sites were running on generators, with a further 82 portable generators delivered to support other sites. About 1000 properties remained without power on the 13th. By late on the 16th, power had been restored to all but 20 or 30 homes.
On the 11th, Telecom mobile phones at 25 sites in the upper North Island were out of service.
Hundreds of roads were closed or affected due to flooding, fallen trees and powerlines in the Far North, Whangarei, Auckland and north of Thames.
Ontrack placed a blanket 40 km/hr speed restriction on trains between Te Kauwhata in the south and Wellsford in the north from the afternoon of the 10th until the morning of the 11th. Trees fell across the lines in some areas.
The total insurance cost for the Far North, Auckland and Coromandel was $60.5 million. This was the second most expensive single weather event to date.
18,935 insurance claims were lodged.
Residential home and contents claims totalled $37,800,000.
Commercial claims totalled $17,300,000.
Business interruption/loss of profits totalled $1,000,000.
Motor vehicle claims totalled $1,300,000.
Severe weather in the North Island in July was expected to cost Tower $4 million in claims. This included the Taranaki tornadoes and flooding in Auckland, Northland and Coromandel in July.
Northland
Heavy Rain
at
Northland
Steady rain fell in parts of the Far North on the night of the 9th.
Northland had a month's worth of rain in 12 hours.
Flooding
There was some surface flooding in the Bay of Islands on the morning of the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
115,000 Northland homes were without power. Northpower, which services the Whangarei and Kaipara area, said 20% of its customers were without power after a main line on the East coast near Tutukaka was out. Northpower said the storm was more devastating to its power supply than Cyclone Bola in 1988. Far North power company Top Energy said about 1500 of its customers were without power overnight on the 10th. Areas affected included Whangarei Heads, Matapouri, Kawakawa, Russell, Haruru, Rawene, Kerikeri and Kaeo.
Phone and cellphone coverage was out out over large part of Northland. 25,000 people were without phones. Vodafone coverage was down on the eastern side of Northland from the Bay of Islands to Coopers Beach. Three Telecom sites lost service, affecting nearly 100 customers in Peria, Kaeo and Kaitaia.
About 60 trees were down on roads in the Far North on the morning of the 11th.
Multi Hazard
SH12 west of Kaikohe was closed. SH12 at Parora, Babylon and Mamaranui was closed. The coast road between Matauri Bay and Whangaroa was blocked. SH1 from the Brynderwyns to Whangarei was closed with slips and trees across the road. SH1 at Rangiahua and Mangamuka was closed.
Kaeo, Mangamuka, the Karikari Peninsula, Horeke, Pawarenga and Mitimiti were cut off after flooding, slips and falling trees created havoc on roads.
The Far North District Council declared 81 homes uninhabitable, most of them in and around Kaitaia, Totara North, Kaeo and Whangaroa.
In the Far North, 50 people were left homeless and hundreds were sheltering in a marae. More than a year later, 26 families were still homeless after the floods, including one home at Awanui, one at Paihia, and the rest at Kaeo, Matangirau, Pupuke, Totara North and Whangaroa. Some of the homeowners were so stressed they packed their belongings every time it rained. In 2009, 25 families were facing their third winter in damaged houses.
New Zealand Post cancelled all mail deliveries in Northland on the 11th.
Far North Mayor Yvonne Sharp declared a state of emergency at 4.30pm on the 10th. It was lifted at 3pm on the 13th.
Extensive repairs were needed on the region's roads and sewerage infrastructure.
The storm that broke over Northland on July 10th was the second extreme weather event in the region in just over three months.
The storm was described as a one in 100 year event.
The estimated cost of damage to council roads was at $6 million (80% for repairs to underslips).
The Whangarei District Council estimated the cost of storm damage to infrastructure was about $2.5 million. $1.3 million was caused to roading and wasterwater systems and property. The combined cost to the Whangarei District Council infrastructure from the March and July storms was up to $13 million, with many millions more in losses and damages to farmers and avocado growers.
Repairing electricity lines could cost companies up to $300,000.
The cost of the storms and floods in Northland in March and July was approaching $100 million, with the Far North and Whangarei Councils still working out final costs.
Losses in the Far North were estimated to be $47.4 million to $52.9 million. That included $10.3 million damage to roads, $12 million losses to the wider economy, $4 million damage to farms and businesses and a $2 million loss in business revenue.
The storm caused an estimated $40 million damage to Northland avocado orchards.
Landslide
Six Northland communties were cut off by slips. A couple of hundred people were cut off from transport routes around the coastal settlements east of Kaeo because of slips.
Flooding
at
Cable Bay
A house near Cable Bay was flooded.
High Wind / Gust
at
Haruru
There were power outages in Haruru.
Flooding
at
Hikurangi Swamp
Hikurangi swamp farmers estimated their losses at about $15 million.
Multi Hazard
at
Kaeo
Kaeo was cut off, with flooding and slips closing the roads to the north and south of the town.
Flooding
In the approaches to Kaeo there were floodwaters 1m deep.
The Kaeo Rugby Club rooms were almost finished being repaired from the March 2007 flood when the even more devastating July storm struck.
At the Kaeo Rugby Club water was up to the tills inside or to a depth of 1.6m.
Water swept through homes and residents had to be rescued with inflatable rescue boats.
The township of Kaeo had at least 50 cm of water running through it.
Firefighter Alfred Hikuwai said it was the worst flooding in the township since the 1970s.
There was no water or sewerage services.
Heavy Rain
Kaeo recorded 273 mm (27.3 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Kaeo received about 213 mm (21.3 cm) of rain in 12 hours, equivalent to a one-in-150-year event.
Kaeo received 240 mm (24.0 cm) of rain in 15 hours.
Landslide
34 families on Matawherohia Rd were isolated by slips.
High Wind / Gust
There were power outages in Kaeo.
Heavy Rain
at
Kaikohe
Kaikohe received 153 mm (15.3 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Flooding
at
Kaitaia
The Tarawhaturoa Stream burst through stopbanks on the night of the 10th, flooding 25 council-owned units.
Floodwaters more than 1m high surged through the units.
120 elderly people were evacuated from homes in Kaitaia. More than 70 elderly residents were evacuated from the Switzer Residential Home and pensioners were evacuated from 14 council flats on Oxford St on the night of the 10th because of flooding.
About 160 people from the Kaitaia area were displaced because of damage to houses.
There were about 40 homes that had flooded in and around the town. The council flats on Oxford St may be damaged beyond repair.
The public pools in Kaitaia had a chlorine leak. About six feet of water over the pool triggered an alarm.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kawakawa
There were power outages in Kawakawa.
The water was cut off in Kawakawa.
An elderly woman on a ventilator had to be taken to hospital to be looked after without the threat of power cuts.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kerikeri
There were power outages in Kerikeri.
Flooding
A one-way bridge across the Kerikeri River was closed.
Heavy Rain
163 mm (16.3 cm) of rain was recorded on Kerikeri's western hills in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Flooding
at
Kirikopuni
Kirikopuni Bridge was washed out.
Heavy Rain
at
Mangamuka
166 mm (16.6 cm) of rain was recorded on the eastern Mangamuka Ranges in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Flooding
at
Mangonui
Flood waters reached 1m deep in the main street in Mangonui.
High Wind / Gust
at
Matapouri
There were power outages in Matapouri.
High Wind / Gust
at
Maungakaramea
The power outage shut down the main water pump in Maungakaramea, leaving residents without reticulated supplies.
Flooding
at
Moerewa
Four or five households were evacuated in Moerewa.
20 Moerewa residents were still without their water supply on the 12th.
Heavy Rain
at
Ohaeawai
Ohaeawai recorded 148 mm (14.8 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Multi Hazard
at
Omapere
There was storm damage to a house in Omapere.
Heavy Rain
at
Onerahi
Whangarei Airport received 194 mm (19.4 cm) of rain in 48 hours.
Maritime / Coastal
at
Pacific Bay
In the normally placid Pacific Bay, there were waves of at least 2m high.
High Wind / Gust
The wind was gusting to well over 190 km/hr.
Heavy Rain
at
Puhipuhi
Puhipuhi recorded 218 mm (21.8 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
Multi Hazard
at
Rahiri
Rahiri was isolated.
High Wind / Gust
at
Rawene
There were power outages in Rawene.
High Wind / Gust
at
Russell
There were power outages in Russell.
Flooding
at
Taheke
SH12 was closed at Taheke.
Multi Hazard
at
Te Ngaere
12 families in Te Ngaere were isolated by road slips and flooding.
Flooding
at
Titoki
The Mangakahia River was 13.95m above normal at the Titoki Bridge early on the morning of the 11th, approximately 1m higher than floodwaters reached during Cyclone Bola.
Landslide
at
Totara North
A slip came down behind a Totara North house. The residents were not allowed to return home until it had been inspected.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tutukaka
A wind gust of 167 km/hr was recorded in Tutukaka.
Maritime / Coastal
A man was rescued minutes before his yacht, which was his home, was pounded to bits by huge seas and high winds in the Tutukaka Harbour on the 10th. All his possessions on the boat were also lost. He said it would cost him close to $200,000.
The waves were at least 3m high.
At the height of the storm 5-metre waves were breaking at the Tutukaka Harbour entrance.
Landslide
at
Waikare
Slips isolated the Waikare Marae, near Kawakawa. Locals had gathered there because of anticipated flooding in the area.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waipu
People in Waipu and Lands Beach were urged to conserve water as the supply was running critically low after power cuts.
Flooding
at
Whakapara
SH1 at Whakapara was closed.
Flooding
at
Whangarei
SH1 was closed at the Kamo Bypass.
Multi Hazard
Whangarei was completely blocked off by floodwaters and slips on the morning of the 11th. 27 Whangarei roads were closed. 22 roads were flooded and there were 60 reports of trees down blocking roads.
Whangarei's avocado orchardists lost almost their entire export crops, with losses of up to $20 million.
High Wind / Gust
Gale south easterlies continued to batter Whangarei on the 11th.
Many parts of Whangarei closed down early on the 10th because of power cuts and surges.
Heavy Rain
Whangarei recorded 181 mm (18.1 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Whangarei Heads
There were power outages in Whangarei Heads.
Residents were urged to stop using water if possible as the water reservoir was getting low and power had been cut to water pumping stations.
Landslide
at
Whangaroa
Three slips wiped out a Whnagaroa section and the council deemed a neighbouring home unsafe. The owner was still homeless almost 18 months later. The home was estimated to cost around $100,000 to fix.
Auckland
Multi Hazard
at
Auckland
Torrential rain and hurricane-force winds hit Auckland overnight on the 10th.
Strong winds and torrential rain caused trains to be cancelled or delayed on the 10th. Train services from Britomart was suspended at 6:15pm after trees fell across tracks at Parnell on the Southern Line and near Sylvia Park on the Eastern Line. All other train services experienced delays.
High Wind / Gust
90,000 Auckland homes were without power overnight on the 10th. 65,000 customers were without power in the Rodney district and 25,000 customers were without power on the North Shore. Places affected included Warkworth, Snells Beach, Wellsford, East Coast Bays through to Orewa, Helensville, Coatesville and Kumeu, Maraetai and Waiheke Island. About 140 homes in the Rodney District and the North Shore were still without power on the 17th.
Strong winds caused all Waiheke, Half Moon Bay and Pine Harbour ferries to be cancelled from 4:15pm on the 10th. The Birkenhead Wharf was closed at about 5pm and ferries were re-directed to Northcote Pt. About 1110 commuters were late home or unable to travel. About 15 people slept aboard the Waiheke ferry and others stayed in hotels at discounted prices courtesy of the company.
Powerlines and trees blocked roads.
1000 Vector customers on the North Shore were still without hot water on the 13th.
On the North Shore there were winds in excess of 150 km/hr.
Trees fell on houses and cars and roofs were damaged. The several buildings and homes that were damaged were mainly in Mt Eden, Symonds St, Auckland University and the North Shore. High winds on the North Shore caused damage to roofs and commercial properties in high value areas, likely to be on a par with those in Northland.
Flooding
The railway line north of Waitakere remained closed on the 11th due to flooding in Northland.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland City
The Sky Tower was closed to the public from 4pm.
Some corrugated sheets of metal blew down 14 stories from the Rydges Hotel.
50 residents were evacuated from Ohir apartments in Newton Road after a gust ripped the roof off the four storey apartment.
High Wind / Gust
at
Auckland Harbour Bridge
There were traffic delays on the Harbour Bidge on the 10th. The bridge was declared unsafe for motorcycles after two people were blown off their motorbikes within the space of 10 minutes on the 10th. Lights on the bridge also went out and the median lane barrier was knocked out of alignment. The bridge was still half in darkness on the morning of the 11th.
Maritime / Coastal
Waves were crashing onto the breakwater on the northern side of the bridge and spraying the motorway.
High Wind / Gust
at
Maraetai
Several cliff-side houses on Te Pene Rd had their windows blown in and one house lost a garage door.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mokohinau Islands
On the Mokohinau Islands a wind gust of 148 km/hr was recorded.
High Wind / Gust
at
Murray Bay
Winds were so strong that a buoy attached to a one-tonne slab of concrete was blown 1km from Murray Bay to Rothesay Bay.
High Wind / Gust
at
Newton
Ferocious winds on the night of the 10th tore the roof off a four-storey apartment block in Ophir St at about 6:45pm. Damage to the building was severe, with everything on the top floor destroyed.
Around 50 residents had to be evacuated from the apartments. The tenants in all but four apartments were allowed to return on the 11th, but they would all eventually have to move out as water was seeping through the walls.
Burglers targeted the damaged apartment block.
High Wind / Gust
at
Papakura
A sign was ripped from a shop roof in Papakura on the afternoon of the 10th and bounced over and smashed multiple cars below. One car passenger was showered with glass.
High Wind / Gust
at
Takapuna
In Takapuna, thieves took advantage of the power cut and broke into seven businesses.
High Wind / Gust
at
Taupaki
A Taupaki farmer had strong winds tear sheets of iron off his haybarn.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tiritiri Matangi Island
A wind gust of 180 km/hr was recorded at Tiritiri Matangi lighthouse.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waiake
Waiake was one of the worst affected areas in Auckland, where boats were washed up between park benches and rubbish bins.
An 80-year-old Norfolk pine was stripped of most of its branches. Two 60-year-old pines beside it were uprooted and their tops smashed into a public barbecue area.
High Wind / Gust
at
Warkworth
Strong winds pushed out of alignment one of two large satellite dishes at the Warkworth satellite station, affecting calls to and from Niue, Tokelau and the Chatham Islands.
Flooding
at
Wellsford
The railway line north of Wellsford was closed due to flooding.
Farms near Wellsford were still flooded on the 17th.
Waikato
High Wind / Gust
at
Waikato
On the night of the 10th, winds equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane swept across the Thames, Coromandel and Hauraki districts.
The winds lifted roofs, uprooted trees and damaged property.
Power outages affected 25,720 Powerco customers on the Coromandel Peninsula, the Hauraki Plains and Piako.
Sewerage systems throughout the Coromandel district, including those in Tairua-Pauanui, Whitianga, Coromandel and Thames, had to be pumped manually.
Heavy Rain
at
Castle Rock
Castle Rock received 121 mm (12.1 cm) of rain in 48 hours from the 9th till the 10th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Coromandel
SH25 at Coromandel was blocked due to fallen trees on the morning of the 11th.
Four homes in the town of Coromandel had their roofs damaged.
The Coromandel Chief Fire Officer believed wind gusts had exceeded 180 km/hr.
The Coromandel firestation collapsed trapping fire engines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Coromandel Peninsula
Petrol pumps were not working after Coromandel petrol stations were hit by power cuts.
A Christian camp's gymnasium and sports centre was reduced to kindling. A number of houses lost their roofs and fences were damaged. Wind damage down the western side of the peninsula, from Coromandel to Te Aroha, appeared to have been the worst.
Power was out in all of the Coromandel Peninsula except Whangamata and Waihi. Towns on the east coast of the Peninsula lost power at about 5:30pm on the 10th.
Many people were not able to leave their homes on the morning of the 11th because of trees blocking driveways.
Flooding
The coromandel had extensive surface flooding. Swollen streams gushed form the hills into the Firth of Thames.
Flooding caused slips and road closures.
Maritime / Coastal
Boats were tossed on to rocks.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hauraki Plains
The area was strewn with uprooted trees, fences, plastic tanks and mangled road signs.
High Wind / Gust
at
Kauaeranga
At Kauaeranga Valley, a planation of approximately $150,000 worth of trees was flattened.
High Wind / Gust
at
Puriri
The roof of the fire station at Puriri collapsed, trapping the fire engines.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tapu
A tree fell on a Tapu house around 8:30pm on the 10th and ripped the roof open, cutting the power supply.
The man living in the house was taken to hospital after the power outage cut off his oxgen machine.
High Wind / Gust
at
Tararu
In Tararu, boats were blown across the road by the wind. A yacht was impaled on a fence on the opposite side of the road and another ended up in a nearby tree.
High Wind / Gust
at
Te Puru
The Boomerang Takeaway and Dairy had its windows smashed and the verandah and roof torn off by ferocious winds at 8pm on the 10th. The dairy was left exposed to driving rain.
High Wind / Gust
at
Thames
Thames Hospital was running on a generator for power. All surgery was cancelled on the 11th.
Four homes lost their roofs in Thames. At the air strip, a maintenance hangar was left with a gaping hole in its side and rain sweeping in.
Winds gusted up to 150 km/hr in Thames. Anecdotal reports suggested there were wind gusts of up to 200 km/hr.
Heavy Rain
Thames received 63 mm (6.3 cm) of rain in 48 hours from the 10th till the 11th.
Manawatu-Wanganui
High Wind / Gust
at
Mount Ruapehu
Both skifields were forced to close on the 10th as winds whipped the snow into a blizzard. The slopes remained closed on the 11th.
There were winds up to 100 km/hr.
References
- Civil defence update, 11 July 2007,
- Meteorological Society of New Zealand (Inc.), Newsletter 110, September 2007.
- Headline: Kaeo Cut Off As Floodwaters Rise In Far North.
- NewsRoom, 1:04pm, 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Civil Defence begins to assess Coromandel damage.
- NewsRoom, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Far North Mayor Declares State of Emergency.
- NewsRoom, 5:33pm, 10 July 2007.
- NIWA and GNS Science. (2007). Natural Hazards 2007, Insurance, 2007 - an expensive year for the insurance industry, p13.
- Headline: 40,000 Akl homes still powerless.
- NZ National News, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: House near Kaeo has collapsed as the township bears the brunt of severe weather in Northland
- NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Hurricane-force storm leaves 120,00 homes without power
- NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Whangarei isolated.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: More evacuations in far North
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: More payouts expected.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: Rugby club rising again - Wave of support after flooding.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 13 October 2008.
- Headline: Time, patience slip-sliding away.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 17 November 2008.
- Headline: Storm bills nudge $100m.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 20 August 2007.
- Headline: Proposal to buy flood-prone homes at Kaeo. Imran Ali.
- www.northernadvocate.co.nz, 21 May 2009.
- Headline: Anguish drags on for 26 homeless families.
- www.northerndvocate.co.nz, 23 July 2008.
- Headline: Storms blast growers' profits.
- www.northerndvocate.co.nz, 29 July 2008.
- Headline: Commuters stranded as wild weather hits Auckland.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 10 July 2007, 8:25pm.
- Headline: Sign 'attacks' Auckland woman during storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 11 July 2007, 3:45pm.
- Headline: Wild weather: Stranded? Sleep on board.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 11 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Battered and drenched.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: North Shore starts on storm clean-up.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Storm-battered residents nearing end of their tethers in Far North.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Supplies dropped to flooded north.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Towns hit hard by the force of nature.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: After the storm... the bill - Insurance premiums set to rise as cost of damage tops tens of millions.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: Another test of character for flood-prone communities - Trail of destruction.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: More rain spells worse days ahead for Far North.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 16 July2007.
- Headline: Experts called in to help solve Kaeo's flooding dilemma.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 17 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Locals discuss moving town or raising some of its at risk buildings.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 17 July 2007.
- Headline: Home sweet home beckons for residents of flooded pensioner units.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 19 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Severe weather warning issues for Northland.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, 9 July 2007.
- Headline: Rain lashes north as thaw begins in south.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Thousands without power, roads remain closed after storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 11 July 2007, 12:36pm.
- Headline: Thousands without power, roads remain closed after storm.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Storm destroys yachtie's home, thief takes clothes.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald and NZPA, 13 July 2007, 4:35pm.
- Headline: Towns repeatedly hit by extreme weather may have to move - PM.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald, NZPA and Newstalk ZB, 11 July 2007, 7:20pm.
- Headline: North Island storm: latest updates.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZ Herald, NZPA and NewstalkZB, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Storm floods Far North, cuts power to 115,000 homes on way south.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA , 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Rescue drama as deluge cuts off town.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 11 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Far North state of emergency lifted.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 13 July 2007, 3:35pm.
- Headline: Linemen tramp into remote areas in battle to restore power.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 14 July 2007, 11:10am.
- Headline: Storm effects still being felt.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 July 2007, 5:00am.
- Headline: Network back to normal, Vector says.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 July 2007, 6:35pm.
- Headline: Tower says July weather claims $2.7m over budget.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 31 July 2007, 2:45pm.
- Headline: Regional council wants certainty before spending on Kaeo.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 3 March 2009, 5:08am.
- Headline: Council given hurry-up over flood victims by CD Minister.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 5 March 2009, 6:02am.
- Headline: Clean up begins as floodwaters abate.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: Northland recovers after wild weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 12 July 2007.
- Headline: State of emergency lifted in far north.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 13 July 2007.
- Headline: Rain continues in Far North, but no major problems.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 15 July 2007.
- Headline: Kaeo staying put as rain continues.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 16 July 2007.
- Headline: Counting the cost of the storm.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 18 July 2007.
- Headline: After the storm, EW wiser in the ways of wilder weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 20 August 2007.
- Headline: Costly year for natural disasters.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 3 May 2008.
- Headline: Flood damage cost in Far North up to $50m.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA (Auckland) in Southland Times, 21 July 2007.
- Headline: Northland savaged by storm.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 10 July 2007.
- Headline: Storm causes chaos across top of country.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 11 July 2007.
- Headline: Extreme weather adds to insurance premiums.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Sunday Star Times, 9 March 2008.
- Headline: Insurers count cost of winter.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Dominion Post, 16 July 2007.
- Headline: Drenching boosts rainfall figures.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Waikato Times, 2 August 2007.
- Headline: Storm Losses expected to top $60m.
- www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz, Source: Wanganui Chronicle and NZPA, 13 July 2007.