NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
June 1963 Hawke's Bay Flooding
(
1963-06-02
)
Hawke's Bay experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall especially in the Tangoio Valley where residents were isolated for two days.
Hawke's Bay
Multi Hazard
at
Hawke's Bay
Duration: 3 days - Hawke's Bay experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall swept in by a strong south-easterly wind from the 2nd to the 4th of June. There was severe flooding in Hawke's Bay from the 3rd.
A deep, complex low moved eastwards over northern New Zealand.
Flooding
Rivers rose suddenly.
Rainfall had an annual recurrance interval of over 100 years.
All communications between Napier and Wairoa and Napier and Taupo ceased.
Traffic on these roads was particularly heavy and hundreds of motorists were weatherbound.
Residents of two Napier suburbs were evacuated.
Heavy Rain
at
Apley Hill
Apley recorded 305 mm (30.5 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
Flatrock station
Flatrock Station received an estimated 365 mm (36.5 cm) of rain in 15 hours to 6pm on the 4th.
Heavy Rain
at
Tangoio
The Tangoio catchment area received 16 in (40.64 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Tangoio Valley was completely isolated for two days.
The river flooded settlements on the valley floor. About 40 houses were flooded to window-sill level.
There were no casualities.
There were heavy losses among livestock.
Thousands of acres of farmland was inundated. Tangoio Valley was filled with a swirling torrent of water almost half a mile wide, carrying trees and other debris.
After the flood, Tangoio Valley was declared unsafe for habitation.
Landslide
The worst damage occurred when the steep surrounding hillsides slipped into the valley below.
Heavy Rain
at
Tareha
Tareha recorded 310 mm (31.0 cm) of rain in 48 hours (which has a return period of approximately 100 years).
Tareha recorded 195 mm (19.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of approximately 100 years).
References
- A.H.McLintock (ed.) (1966). An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. 'Tangoio Valley Flood, 1963'.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS and HIGH RAINFALL, Floods to 30 Sep 2005
- New Zealand Evacuations from 1 January 1886 to 1 January 2000
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
June 1963 Hawke's Bay Flooding
(
1963-06-02
)
Hawke's Bay experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall especially in the Tangoio Valley where residents were isolated for two days.
Hawke's Bay
Multi Hazard
at
Hawke's Bay
Duration: 3 days - Hawke's Bay experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall swept in by a strong south-easterly wind from the 2nd to the 4th of June. There was severe flooding in Hawke's Bay from the 3rd.
A deep, complex low moved eastwards over northern New Zealand.
Flooding
Rivers rose suddenly.
Rainfall had an annual recurrance interval of over 100 years.
All communications between Napier and Wairoa and Napier and Taupo ceased.
Traffic on these roads was particularly heavy and hundreds of motorists were weatherbound.
Residents of two Napier suburbs were evacuated.
Heavy Rain
at
Apley Hill
Apley recorded 305 mm (30.5 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
Flatrock station
Flatrock Station received an estimated 365 mm (36.5 cm) of rain in 15 hours to 6pm on the 4th.
Heavy Rain
at
Tangoio
The Tangoio catchment area received 16 in (40.64 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Tangoio Valley was completely isolated for two days.
The river flooded settlements on the valley floor. About 40 houses were flooded to window-sill level.
There were no casualities.
There were heavy losses among livestock.
Thousands of acres of farmland was inundated. Tangoio Valley was filled with a swirling torrent of water almost half a mile wide, carrying trees and other debris.
After the flood, Tangoio Valley was declared unsafe for habitation.
Landslide
The worst damage occurred when the steep surrounding hillsides slipped into the valley below.
Heavy Rain
at
Tareha
Tareha recorded 310 mm (31.0 cm) of rain in 48 hours (which has a return period of approximately 100 years).
Tareha recorded 195 mm (19.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours (which has a return period of approximately 100 years).
References
- A.H.McLintock (ed.) (1966). An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. 'Tangoio Valley Flood, 1963'.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, FLOODS and HIGH RAINFALL, Floods to 30 Sep 2005
- New Zealand Evacuations from 1 January 1886 to 1 January 2000
- NZ Met Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).