NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
June 1976 Taranaki and Manawatu-Wanganui Storm ( 1976-06-28 )
Heavy rain, flooding, slips, high winds and lightning were experienced in Taranaki and Manawatu-Wanganui. A state of emergency was delcared for Feilding. Two children also drowned in a flooded creek in Auckland.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 28th to the 29th of June.
On the 28h, an anticyclone was moving off the north-east of the North Island and a slow moving cold front lay across the central districts of the country. A complex low pressure system covering much of the Tasman Sea was moving slowly eastwards. On the 29th, a cold front moved north-eastwards across the North Island, followed by a colder west to south-west airstream, which was spreading on to the South Island.
Auckland
Flooding
at
Otara
A 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy drowned in Otara Creek on the 29th after the very slow creek turned into a raging torrent.
The torrent was about 6 m across and several metres deep.
Taranaki
Heavy Rain
at
Taranaki
Torrential rain fell throughout Taranaki.
Lowland Taranaki recorded 88 mm (8.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
In lowland Taranaki, roads and rail links were closed on the 29th.
State Highway 40 between Ahititi and Ohura was closed due to flooding.
Landslide
Slips occurred in some places.
Three slips on the railway line between Te Wera and Taumarunui caused the cancellation of the rail service to Taumarunui.
Multi Hazard
Power cuts and electrical faults were experienced.
Telephone servcies were cut.
Flood waters and slips caused schools to close.
Lightning
Lightning struck telephone wires leading to a house at 4:14am on the 29th. Power was cut when the meter board flew to bits, and windows in the room fell in. The total damage to the house was in the hundreds of dollars. Five windows were blown out and the walls in several rooms were charred. The area where the telephone was connected with house was charred, and an electric motor caught fire.
Heavy Rain
at
Bell Block
Bell Block recorded 30.4 mm (3.0 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
East Emont
Stratford Mountain House, East Egmont, recorded 300 mm (30.0 cm) of rain overnight on the 28th/29th.
Flooding
at
Makahu
At Makahu, the Mangaehu and Makahu Streams rose more than 5 m.
20 families at the northern and southern end of Makahu Road were isolated by flooding.
Makahu School was closed.
Heavy Rain
at
Manaia
Waimate West Demonstration Farm recorded 64 mm (6.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth recorded 58mm (5.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Heavy rain formed a large lake, half submerging the New Plymouth City Council's sewer pump house at Ngamotu Beach.
A sewer pump at Ngamotu Beach was under 1.5 m of water.
There was surface flooding in parts of New Plymouth.
New Plymouth basements were filled with water, and a house on Devon Street West.
High Wind / Gust
New Plymouth Airport was closed because of strong cross winds.
Multi Hazard
at
Stratford
Stratford experienced high winds and rain.
Heavy Rain
Stratford recorded 88 mm (8.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
High Wind / Gust
The wind blew the roof off a cowshed.
Power cuts occurred after power lines were blown down.
Landslide
at
Tangarakau
State Highway 43 was closed at the Tangarakau Gorge between Stratford and Ohura due to slips.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Heavy Rain
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
Manawatu experienced the heaviest rain in 90 years.
Flooding
The rain brought flooding to the Manawatu.
Several bridges were washed away.
Landslide
The main trunk line was closed by a slip north of Marton.
Most passengers and goods trains were halted in the Mananwatu-Rangitikei areas after slips blocked most of the main trunk lines.
Heavy Rain
at
Bulls
Bulls recorded 90 mm (9.0 cm) of rain.
Flooding
at
Feilding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared for Feilding on the 29th due to rising flood waters.
Landslide
at
Manawatu Gorge
Manawatu Gorge was closed by slips, and the alternative saddle route was also closed for a short time.
Flooding
at
Palmerston North
Floodwaters surrounded and inundated homes in Palmerston North.
Flooding
at
Sanson
State Highway 1 at Sanson was closed.
References
- Headline: Children swept to death in torrent.
- The Chronicle, 30 June 1976.
- Civil Defence Declarations Since 1 January 1963, Declared Civil Defence Emergencies, 31 December 1999.
- McDonald, R. (1982). Flood Events in Taranaki, Part A: Historical Index. Taranaki Catchment Commission, Stratford, New Zealand, 49p.
- Headline: Classes again after floods.
- Taranaki Herald, 29 June 1976.
- Headline: Floods cut road and rail links.
- Taranaki Herald, 29 June 1976.
- Headline: The weather.
- Taranaki Herald, 29 June 1976.
June 1976 Taranaki and Manawatu-Wanganui Storm ( 1976-06-28 )
Heavy rain, flooding, slips, high winds and lightning were experienced in Taranaki and Manawatu-Wanganui. A state of emergency was delcared for Feilding. Two children also drowned in a flooded creek in Auckland.
North Island
Multi Hazard
at
North Island
Duration: 2 days - From the 28th to the 29th of June.
On the 28h, an anticyclone was moving off the north-east of the North Island and a slow moving cold front lay across the central districts of the country. A complex low pressure system covering much of the Tasman Sea was moving slowly eastwards. On the 29th, a cold front moved north-eastwards across the North Island, followed by a colder west to south-west airstream, which was spreading on to the South Island.
Auckland
Flooding
at
Otara
A 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy drowned in Otara Creek on the 29th after the very slow creek turned into a raging torrent.
The torrent was about 6 m across and several metres deep.
Taranaki
Heavy Rain
at
Taranaki
Torrential rain fell throughout Taranaki.
Lowland Taranaki recorded 88 mm (8.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
In lowland Taranaki, roads and rail links were closed on the 29th.
State Highway 40 between Ahititi and Ohura was closed due to flooding.
Landslide
Slips occurred in some places.
Three slips on the railway line between Te Wera and Taumarunui caused the cancellation of the rail service to Taumarunui.
Multi Hazard
Power cuts and electrical faults were experienced.
Telephone servcies were cut.
Flood waters and slips caused schools to close.
Lightning
Lightning struck telephone wires leading to a house at 4:14am on the 29th. Power was cut when the meter board flew to bits, and windows in the room fell in. The total damage to the house was in the hundreds of dollars. Five windows were blown out and the walls in several rooms were charred. The area where the telephone was connected with house was charred, and an electric motor caught fire.
Heavy Rain
at
Bell Block
Bell Block recorded 30.4 mm (3.0 cm) of rain.
Heavy Rain
at
East Emont
Stratford Mountain House, East Egmont, recorded 300 mm (30.0 cm) of rain overnight on the 28th/29th.
Flooding
at
Makahu
At Makahu, the Mangaehu and Makahu Streams rose more than 5 m.
20 families at the northern and southern end of Makahu Road were isolated by flooding.
Makahu School was closed.
Heavy Rain
at
Manaia
Waimate West Demonstration Farm recorded 64 mm (6.4 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
New Plymouth
New Plymouth recorded 58mm (5.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Heavy rain formed a large lake, half submerging the New Plymouth City Council's sewer pump house at Ngamotu Beach.
A sewer pump at Ngamotu Beach was under 1.5 m of water.
There was surface flooding in parts of New Plymouth.
New Plymouth basements were filled with water, and a house on Devon Street West.
High Wind / Gust
New Plymouth Airport was closed because of strong cross winds.
Multi Hazard
at
Stratford
Stratford experienced high winds and rain.
Heavy Rain
Stratford recorded 88 mm (8.8 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
High Wind / Gust
The wind blew the roof off a cowshed.
Power cuts occurred after power lines were blown down.
Landslide
at
Tangarakau
State Highway 43 was closed at the Tangarakau Gorge between Stratford and Ohura due to slips.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Heavy Rain
at
Manawatu-Wanganui
Manawatu experienced the heaviest rain in 90 years.
Flooding
The rain brought flooding to the Manawatu.
Several bridges were washed away.
Landslide
The main trunk line was closed by a slip north of Marton.
Most passengers and goods trains were halted in the Mananwatu-Rangitikei areas after slips blocked most of the main trunk lines.
Heavy Rain
at
Bulls
Bulls recorded 90 mm (9.0 cm) of rain.
Flooding
at
Feilding
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared for Feilding on the 29th due to rising flood waters.
Landslide
at
Manawatu Gorge
Manawatu Gorge was closed by slips, and the alternative saddle route was also closed for a short time.
Flooding
at
Palmerston North
Floodwaters surrounded and inundated homes in Palmerston North.
Flooding
at
Sanson
State Highway 1 at Sanson was closed.
References
- Headline: Children swept to death in torrent.
- The Chronicle, 30 June 1976.
- Civil Defence Declarations Since 1 January 1963, Declared Civil Defence Emergencies, 31 December 1999.
- McDonald, R. (1982). Flood Events in Taranaki, Part A: Historical Index. Taranaki Catchment Commission, Stratford, New Zealand, 49p.
- Headline: Classes again after floods.
- Taranaki Herald, 29 June 1976.
- Headline: Floods cut road and rail links.
- Taranaki Herald, 29 June 1976.
- Headline: The weather.
- Taranaki Herald, 29 June 1976.