NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 1944 Gisborne Flooding
(
1944-03-23
)
Further heavy rain lead to flooding in the Gisborne area for the second time in a fortnight.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
Duration: 2 days - Heavy rain fell on the 23rd of March leading to flooding on the 24th for the second time in a fortnight.
Flooding
A mile and a half of the railway track was under water near the mouth of the Waipaoa River and was impassable.
The railway road service buses between Auckland and Gisborne were unable to get through due to flooding between Opotiki and Gisborne.
Landslide
There was a few slips on the hill portion of the railway line between Gisborne and Wairoa. The branch line to Motuhora was blocked by slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne City
Gisborne recorded 3.09 in (7.85 cm) of rain overnight on the 23rd to the 24th.
Multi Hazard
The Gisborne district was completely isolated although most services were restored by the end of the day on the 24th.
Landslide
There were slips on the main north road which were cleaned up within a day. Outlets to the douth remained open as far as Wairoa, south of which further slipping occurred on the road.
High Wind / Gust
The storm in the coastal area was of great force, levelling trees and breaking phone lines in some places.
The electric-power supply to Gisborne was cut off by a break in the main transmission line from Tuai and the standing plant had to take the emergency load for six hours before the break was repaired.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Karaka
Te Karaka recorded 3.32 in (8.43 cm) of rain overnight on the 23rd to the 24th.
Heavy Rain
at
Tikitiki
Tikitiki recorded 6.06 in (15.39 cm) of rain overnight on the 23rd to the 24th.
Flooding
at
Waipaoa River
Waipaoa River broke its banks on the morning of the 24th of March for the second time in a fortnight.
The river first came through a breach in the stopbank at Waerengaahika which was made to drain water from the earlierflood. On the morning of the 24th water was spilling over the banks, while lower down it began sweeping across a portion of the flat land and covered a wide area near the mouth.
The flood level began to recede in the afternoon of the 24th.
There were no stock losses as farmers were warned in time.
Many farmers who had already resown pastures silted by the earlier flood had all their labour and money wiped out by further silting.
References
- Headline: Flooded Again, Areas About Gisborne, Heavy Falls of Rain.
- The New Zealand Herald, 25 March (Saturday) 1944.
March 1944 Gisborne Flooding
(
1944-03-23
)
Further heavy rain lead to flooding in the Gisborne area for the second time in a fortnight.
Gisborne
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne
Duration: 2 days - Heavy rain fell on the 23rd of March leading to flooding on the 24th for the second time in a fortnight.
Flooding
A mile and a half of the railway track was under water near the mouth of the Waipaoa River and was impassable.
The railway road service buses between Auckland and Gisborne were unable to get through due to flooding between Opotiki and Gisborne.
Landslide
There was a few slips on the hill portion of the railway line between Gisborne and Wairoa. The branch line to Motuhora was blocked by slips.
Heavy Rain
at
Gisborne City
Gisborne recorded 3.09 in (7.85 cm) of rain overnight on the 23rd to the 24th.
Multi Hazard
The Gisborne district was completely isolated although most services were restored by the end of the day on the 24th.
Landslide
There were slips on the main north road which were cleaned up within a day. Outlets to the douth remained open as far as Wairoa, south of which further slipping occurred on the road.
High Wind / Gust
The storm in the coastal area was of great force, levelling trees and breaking phone lines in some places.
The electric-power supply to Gisborne was cut off by a break in the main transmission line from Tuai and the standing plant had to take the emergency load for six hours before the break was repaired.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Karaka
Te Karaka recorded 3.32 in (8.43 cm) of rain overnight on the 23rd to the 24th.
Heavy Rain
at
Tikitiki
Tikitiki recorded 6.06 in (15.39 cm) of rain overnight on the 23rd to the 24th.
Flooding
at
Waipaoa River
Waipaoa River broke its banks on the morning of the 24th of March for the second time in a fortnight.
The river first came through a breach in the stopbank at Waerengaahika which was made to drain water from the earlierflood. On the morning of the 24th water was spilling over the banks, while lower down it began sweeping across a portion of the flat land and covered a wide area near the mouth.
The flood level began to recede in the afternoon of the 24th.
There were no stock losses as farmers were warned in time.
Many farmers who had already resown pastures silted by the earlier flood had all their labour and money wiped out by further silting.
References
- Headline: Flooded Again, Areas About Gisborne, Heavy Falls of Rain.
- The New Zealand Herald, 25 March (Saturday) 1944.