NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
March 1981 Northland Flooding ( 1981-03-19 )
Extreme rainfall caused heavy flooding in the Kerikeri area. Houses were damaged and one person was killed.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Duration: 2 days - From the 19th to the 20th of March.
A large high was centred east of the South Island, with a weakly cyclonic easterly flow over Northland, but the air was moist and unstable. Heavy rain resulted from an outbreak of severe convection.
Insurance Industry Payouts for the Kerikeri Floods totalled $2,000,000 ($7,600,000 2008 dollars.)
Heavy Rain
at
Kerikeri
An extremely large cumulonimbus (thunderstorm cloud) grew to a large cluster over about ten hours.
F. Hunt recorded 448 mm (44.8 cm) of rain in 9.5 hours (Return Period well over 150 years).
F. Hunt recorded 174 mm (17.4 cm) of rain in 2.5 hours (Return Period well over 150 years) .
Kerikeri recorded 265 mm (26.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Lightning
The torrential rain was associated with thunderstorms.
Flooding
Severe flooding occurred in Kerikeri when floods struck the Waipapa and Kerikeri basins.
Rows of launches and yachts moored at the Waipapa Landing and at the Stone Store basin disappeared completely, about 50 having been torn from their moorings. Six vessels were missing and an estimated 20 were damaged.
Most of the river valleys at the northern end were scoured, and vegetation along the banks was totally cleaned out.
The Kerikeri basin bridge restricted the flood waters, and debris was lodged massively under the deck and amongst the upstream railings. This resulted in a water level that was 1m higher upstream than it would have been if no bridge was there.
Many houses were flooded.
Property damage was extensive. Two houses at the Waipapa Landing were swept away and six others were badly damaged. A garage was demolished and carried away, with a car missing.
This was the worst flood in memory for the Kerikeri district.
Families were left homeless.
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared on the 20th.
A man was swept out to sea when his house was demolished by the flood waters, and was later found clinging to a yacht.
A 63-year-old Kerikeri woman went missing.
State Highway 10 was closed.
Kerikeri schools were closed.
The water supply to Kerikeri was cut.
The flood rose more than 1 m at the Stone Store Basin in just minutes.
Petrol pumps near the Stone Store were submerged.
Kemp House had 1 m of water through it.
Three bridges were destroyed. Part of the bridges at the Stone Store and Waipapa Landing were swept away.
Two vehicles completely disappeared.
Flooding
at
Waitangi
There was a flash flood at Waitangi.
A Civil Defence Declaration was issued for Waitangi on the 20th.
References
- Gray, W. Overview of weather and coastal hazards in the Northland region, Part I: Weather hazards.
- Insurance Councils, The Cost of Weather Loses, Claim history (Updated 2004).
- Kooge, J.; Tasker, R.; Dymond, M. (1983). Ministry of Works and Development: A report on the flood at Kerikeri 19-20 March 1981.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall, Floods to 30 Sept 2005.
- New Zealand Meteorological Service. Meteorological Observations for 1981, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, and Antarctica.
- New Zealand Meteorological Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Woman feared swept away by torrent.
- The Northern Advocate, 20 March 1981.
- Headline: Woman missing, families homeless.
- The Northern Advocate, 20 March 1981.
March 1981 Northland Flooding ( 1981-03-19 )
Extreme rainfall caused heavy flooding in the Kerikeri area. Houses were damaged and one person was killed.
Northland
Multi Hazard
at
Northland
Duration: 2 days - From the 19th to the 20th of March.
A large high was centred east of the South Island, with a weakly cyclonic easterly flow over Northland, but the air was moist and unstable. Heavy rain resulted from an outbreak of severe convection.
Insurance Industry Payouts for the Kerikeri Floods totalled $2,000,000 ($7,600,000 2008 dollars.)
Heavy Rain
at
Kerikeri
An extremely large cumulonimbus (thunderstorm cloud) grew to a large cluster over about ten hours.
F. Hunt recorded 448 mm (44.8 cm) of rain in 9.5 hours (Return Period well over 150 years).
F. Hunt recorded 174 mm (17.4 cm) of rain in 2.5 hours (Return Period well over 150 years) .
Kerikeri recorded 265 mm (26.5 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Lightning
The torrential rain was associated with thunderstorms.
Flooding
Severe flooding occurred in Kerikeri when floods struck the Waipapa and Kerikeri basins.
Rows of launches and yachts moored at the Waipapa Landing and at the Stone Store basin disappeared completely, about 50 having been torn from their moorings. Six vessels were missing and an estimated 20 were damaged.
Most of the river valleys at the northern end were scoured, and vegetation along the banks was totally cleaned out.
The Kerikeri basin bridge restricted the flood waters, and debris was lodged massively under the deck and amongst the upstream railings. This resulted in a water level that was 1m higher upstream than it would have been if no bridge was there.
Many houses were flooded.
Property damage was extensive. Two houses at the Waipapa Landing were swept away and six others were badly damaged. A garage was demolished and carried away, with a car missing.
This was the worst flood in memory for the Kerikeri district.
Families were left homeless.
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared on the 20th.
A man was swept out to sea when his house was demolished by the flood waters, and was later found clinging to a yacht.
A 63-year-old Kerikeri woman went missing.
State Highway 10 was closed.
Kerikeri schools were closed.
The water supply to Kerikeri was cut.
The flood rose more than 1 m at the Stone Store Basin in just minutes.
Petrol pumps near the Stone Store were submerged.
Kemp House had 1 m of water through it.
Three bridges were destroyed. Part of the bridges at the Stone Store and Waipapa Landing were swept away.
Two vehicles completely disappeared.
Flooding
at
Waitangi
There was a flash flood at Waitangi.
A Civil Defence Declaration was issued for Waitangi on the 20th.
References
- Gray, W. Overview of weather and coastal hazards in the Northland region, Part I: Weather hazards.
- Insurance Councils, The Cost of Weather Loses, Claim history (Updated 2004).
- Kooge, J.; Tasker, R.; Dymond, M. (1983). Ministry of Works and Development: A report on the flood at Kerikeri 19-20 March 1981.
- Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall, Floods to 30 Sept 2005.
- New Zealand Meteorological Service. Meteorological Observations for 1981, Stations in New Zealand and Outlying Islands, and Antarctica.
- New Zealand Meteorological Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
- Headline: Woman feared swept away by torrent.
- The Northern Advocate, 20 March 1981.
- Headline: Woman missing, families homeless.
- The Northern Advocate, 20 March 1981.