NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 1947 Waikato Flooding
(
1947-03-22
)
Heavy rain caused flooding in Thames and Whitianga.
Waikato
Heavy Rain
at
Coromandel
There was heavy rain in Coromandel on the 23rd and 24th.
Flooding
The creek which flows through the town became swollen and was backed up by the high tide. The flood broke through Coromandel on either side of the town bridge and flooded school grounds, four or five shops and some houses near the mouth of the stream.
Landslide
Roads in the north became deep with mud and minor slips occurred. There was a large slip on the Coroglen-Tapu highway.
Flooding
at
Kaimarama River
Kaimarama River rose 15 ft (4.57 m) in a very short time to become a raging muddy torrent which swept over the road and surrounding paddocks.
Heavy Rain
at
Kerepehi
Kerepehi recorded 2.20 in (5.59 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Kirikiri Stream
Kirikiri Stream rose and washed out several plantations of vegetables.
Heavy Rain
at
Morrinsville
Morrinsville recorded 2.00 in (5.08 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Paeroa
Paeroa recorded 4.60 in (11.68 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Aroha
Te Aroha recorded 5.55 in (14.10 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Multi Hazard
at
Thames
After abnormally dry weather for two or three months heavy rain combined with a high tide to cause severe flooding of the Kauaeranga River.
Heavy Rain
Thames recorded 5.94 in (15.09 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Thames recorded 6.75 in (17.15 cm) of rain in three days.
Flooding
Kauaeranga River overflowed its banks just after 9pm on the 23rd and continued to rise until the early hours of the 24th.
A large area at Parawai, at the southern end of Thames, was flooded. Several hundred acres of low-lying land was inundated.
At least four families had to be evacuated from their homes. Water invaded some houses in Parawai. Homes around Jellicoe Lane and Banks Street were surrounded by water.
Some areas were strewn with debris and the fences were flattened.
Some stock from the Kauaeranga Valley and lower areas were lost through drowning.
Floodwater caused damage to the Parawai sawmill when water swept through it.
The water pipe line across the river at Parawai was carried away and some parts of Parawai was without water on the 24th.
Hape Creek broke its banks and swept over paddocks.
The only road connecting Thames with the south became impassable on the approach to the Kauaeranga River bridge.
It was estimated that the Kauaeranga River rose approximately 15 ft (4.57 m) above normal. This was not quite as high as it rose during the flood of 1936.
Several dinghies anchored in the Kauaeranga River were swept away.
Heavy Rain
at
Turua
Turua recorded 3.30 in (8.38 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Turua recorded 3.88 in (9.86 cm) of rain in 48 hours from 9am on 22nd to 9am on the 24th.
Heavy Rain
at
Waihi
Waihi recorded 5.71 in (14.50 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Waiwawa River
Waiwawa River rose so quickly that several farmers lost valuable stock when paddocks became heavily inundated.
Multi Hazard
at
Whitianga
A storm broke over the Whitianga district on the 22nd and 23rd of March and was one of the worst storms experienced in many years. It followed a long period of hot, dry weather.
High Wind / Gust
High winds wrecked gardens and broke mature fruit trees like sticks.
Heavy Rain
The Whitianga School gauge recorded 11.00 in (27.94 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Torrential rain caused creeks and drains to rise and flood with unbelievable rapidity. At Coroglen and Kaimarama the Waiwawa and Kaimarama rivers rose rapidly causing severe flooding.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Headline: Severe Storm, Damage in Whitianga, Worst Flooding in Memory.
- Hauraki Plains and Mercury Bay Gazette, 2 April (Wednesday) 1947.
- Headline: Town Flooded, Storm at Coromandel, Creek Breaks its Banks.
- Hauraki Plains and Mercury Bay Gazette, 26 March (Wednesday) 1947.
- Headline: Flooding at Parawai, After Phenomenal Rain, Some families Leave Homes.
- Thames Star, 24 March (Monday) 1947.
- Headline: Damage at Coromandel, Heavy Weekend Rains.
- Thames Star, 25 March (Tuesday) 1947.
- Headline: Flood Aftermath, Mud and Slush Evident, Light Loss of Animals.
- Thames Star, 25 March (Tuesday) 1947.
- Headline: Flood at Thames, Water Round Houses, Large Area Affected.
- The New Zealand Herald, 25 March (Tuesday) 1947.
March 1947 Waikato Flooding
(
1947-03-22
)
Heavy rain caused flooding in Thames and Whitianga.
Waikato
Heavy Rain
at
Coromandel
There was heavy rain in Coromandel on the 23rd and 24th.
Flooding
The creek which flows through the town became swollen and was backed up by the high tide. The flood broke through Coromandel on either side of the town bridge and flooded school grounds, four or five shops and some houses near the mouth of the stream.
Landslide
Roads in the north became deep with mud and minor slips occurred. There was a large slip on the Coroglen-Tapu highway.
Flooding
at
Kaimarama River
Kaimarama River rose 15 ft (4.57 m) in a very short time to become a raging muddy torrent which swept over the road and surrounding paddocks.
Heavy Rain
at
Kerepehi
Kerepehi recorded 2.20 in (5.59 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Kirikiri Stream
Kirikiri Stream rose and washed out several plantations of vegetables.
Heavy Rain
at
Morrinsville
Morrinsville recorded 2.00 in (5.08 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Paeroa
Paeroa recorded 4.60 in (11.68 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Te Aroha
Te Aroha recorded 5.55 in (14.10 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Multi Hazard
at
Thames
After abnormally dry weather for two or three months heavy rain combined with a high tide to cause severe flooding of the Kauaeranga River.
Heavy Rain
Thames recorded 5.94 in (15.09 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Thames recorded 6.75 in (17.15 cm) of rain in three days.
Flooding
Kauaeranga River overflowed its banks just after 9pm on the 23rd and continued to rise until the early hours of the 24th.
A large area at Parawai, at the southern end of Thames, was flooded. Several hundred acres of low-lying land was inundated.
At least four families had to be evacuated from their homes. Water invaded some houses in Parawai. Homes around Jellicoe Lane and Banks Street were surrounded by water.
Some areas were strewn with debris and the fences were flattened.
Some stock from the Kauaeranga Valley and lower areas were lost through drowning.
Floodwater caused damage to the Parawai sawmill when water swept through it.
The water pipe line across the river at Parawai was carried away and some parts of Parawai was without water on the 24th.
Hape Creek broke its banks and swept over paddocks.
The only road connecting Thames with the south became impassable on the approach to the Kauaeranga River bridge.
It was estimated that the Kauaeranga River rose approximately 15 ft (4.57 m) above normal. This was not quite as high as it rose during the flood of 1936.
Several dinghies anchored in the Kauaeranga River were swept away.
Heavy Rain
at
Turua
Turua recorded 3.30 in (8.38 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Turua recorded 3.88 in (9.86 cm) of rain in 48 hours from 9am on 22nd to 9am on the 24th.
Heavy Rain
at
Waihi
Waihi recorded 5.71 in (14.50 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Waiwawa River
Waiwawa River rose so quickly that several farmers lost valuable stock when paddocks became heavily inundated.
Multi Hazard
at
Whitianga
A storm broke over the Whitianga district on the 22nd and 23rd of March and was one of the worst storms experienced in many years. It followed a long period of hot, dry weather.
High Wind / Gust
High winds wrecked gardens and broke mature fruit trees like sticks.
Heavy Rain
The Whitianga School gauge recorded 11.00 in (27.94 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Torrential rain caused creeks and drains to rise and flood with unbelievable rapidity. At Coroglen and Kaimarama the Waiwawa and Kaimarama rivers rose rapidly causing severe flooding.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Headline: Severe Storm, Damage in Whitianga, Worst Flooding in Memory.
- Hauraki Plains and Mercury Bay Gazette, 2 April (Wednesday) 1947.
- Headline: Town Flooded, Storm at Coromandel, Creek Breaks its Banks.
- Hauraki Plains and Mercury Bay Gazette, 26 March (Wednesday) 1947.
- Headline: Flooding at Parawai, After Phenomenal Rain, Some families Leave Homes.
- Thames Star, 24 March (Monday) 1947.
- Headline: Damage at Coromandel, Heavy Weekend Rains.
- Thames Star, 25 March (Tuesday) 1947.
- Headline: Flood Aftermath, Mud and Slush Evident, Light Loss of Animals.
- Thames Star, 25 March (Tuesday) 1947.
- Headline: Flood at Thames, Water Round Houses, Large Area Affected.
- The New Zealand Herald, 25 March (Tuesday) 1947.