NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue

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May 1975 Northland Flooding ( 1975-05-30 )

Extreme rainfall brought flooding and slips to the Whangarei and Kaipara districts. One man drowned near Matakohe.

Northland

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Northland
Duration:   1  day -
Comments:

CauseA low was situated west of Northland, with a slow moving front over the area. Strong low level convergence was a major factor, and also significant upper level divergence.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentTorrential rain fell in Northland on the 30th.

AreaHeavy rain fell from Onerahi to Sandy Bay.

CommentMost of the rain fell in two distinct events, with durations of 2.5 hours and 4.5 hours.

Physical CharacteristicAt the storm centre, an estimated 335 mm (33.5 cm) of rain fell in eight hours (Return Period well over 150 years).

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineRoads were impassable.

ImpactLow-lying properties were inundated by flood waters.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Dargaville
Map Location: -35.944137 173.869958
Comments:

Affected LifelineOn State Highway 14 a tree fell across telephone lines, cutting circuits to Dargaville.

FloodingFlooding at Matakohe
Map Location: -36.131128 174.1725
Comments:

CasualtiesA 21-year-old man drowned when he was trapped inside his car after rolling into a flooded creek near Matakohe.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Matapouri
Map Location: -35.564979 174.493979
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMatapouri recorded 277 mm (27.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours (Return Period more than 150 years).

FloodingFlooding at Maungakaramea
Map Location: -35.844153 174.205054
Comments:

Affected LifelineMaungakaramea Road was blocked due to flood waters.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Ngunguru
Map Location: -35.631206 174.495416
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicNgunguru recorded 145.5 mm (14.6 cm) of rain in the eight hours to 3pm on the 30th (Return Period 30 years).

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

ImpactNgunguru School was closed.

FloodingFlooding at Otaika
Map Location: -35.786112 174.306319
Comments:

Affected LifelineOtaika Road was blocked due to flood waters.

FloodingFlooding at Tutukaka
Map Location: -35.608793 174.518108
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicA shop at Tutukaka was more than 1m deep in water.

Affected LifelineTelephone communications ceased at Tutukaka.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Whangarei
Map Location: -35.719519 174.298397
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWhangarei Airport recorded 309 mm (30.9 cm) of rain (ARI 100+ year rainfall event).

Physical CharacteristicWhangarei recorded 127 mm (12.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard
Comments:

DamageThe most severe damage was restricted to a 60km^2 area south-east of Whangarei. Considerable damage was done over a 230km^2 area.

LandslideLandslide
Comments:

Property DamageTwo houses were demolished by slips.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Property DamageSix houses were flooded.

Stock DamageThere were some stock losses.

Total DamageThe damage totalled $150,000 ($1,260,000 2008 dollars).

References

Gray, W. Overview of weather and coastal hazards in the Northland region, Part I: Weather hazards.
Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall, Floods to 30 Sept 2005 .
New Zealand Meteorological Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
Headline: Floods claim one life, cause widespread damage.
The Northern Advocate, 31 May 1975.

May 1975 Northland Flooding ( 1975-05-30 )

Extreme rainfall brought flooding and slips to the Whangarei and Kaipara districts. One man drowned near Matakohe.

Northland

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Northland
Duration:   1  day -
Comments:

CauseA low was situated west of Northland, with a slow moving front over the area. Strong low level convergence was a major factor, and also significant upper level divergence.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain
Comments:

CommentTorrential rain fell in Northland on the 30th.

AreaHeavy rain fell from Onerahi to Sandy Bay.

CommentMost of the rain fell in two distinct events, with durations of 2.5 hours and 4.5 hours.

Physical CharacteristicAt the storm centre, an estimated 335 mm (33.5 cm) of rain fell in eight hours (Return Period well over 150 years).

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Affected LifelineRoads were impassable.

ImpactLow-lying properties were inundated by flood waters.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard at Dargaville
Map Location: -35.944137 173.869958
Comments:

Affected LifelineOn State Highway 14 a tree fell across telephone lines, cutting circuits to Dargaville.

FloodingFlooding at Matakohe
Map Location: -36.131128 174.1725
Comments:

CasualtiesA 21-year-old man drowned when he was trapped inside his car after rolling into a flooded creek near Matakohe.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Matapouri
Map Location: -35.564979 174.493979
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicMatapouri recorded 277 mm (27.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours (Return Period more than 150 years).

FloodingFlooding at Maungakaramea
Map Location: -35.844153 174.205054
Comments:

Affected LifelineMaungakaramea Road was blocked due to flood waters.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Ngunguru
Map Location: -35.631206 174.495416
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicNgunguru recorded 145.5 mm (14.6 cm) of rain in the eight hours to 3pm on the 30th (Return Period 30 years).

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

ImpactNgunguru School was closed.

FloodingFlooding at Otaika
Map Location: -35.786112 174.306319
Comments:

Affected LifelineOtaika Road was blocked due to flood waters.

FloodingFlooding at Tutukaka
Map Location: -35.608793 174.518108
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicA shop at Tutukaka was more than 1m deep in water.

Affected LifelineTelephone communications ceased at Tutukaka.

Heavy RainHeavy Rain at Whangarei
Map Location: -35.719519 174.298397
Comments:

Physical CharacteristicWhangarei Airport recorded 309 mm (30.9 cm) of rain (ARI 100+ year rainfall event).

Physical CharacteristicWhangarei recorded 127 mm (12.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours.

Multi HazardMulti Hazard
Comments:

DamageThe most severe damage was restricted to a 60km^2 area south-east of Whangarei. Considerable damage was done over a 230km^2 area.

LandslideLandslide
Comments:

Property DamageTwo houses were demolished by slips.

FloodingFlooding
Comments:

Property DamageSix houses were flooded.

Stock DamageThere were some stock losses.

Total DamageThe damage totalled $150,000 ($1,260,000 2008 dollars).

References

Gray, W. Overview of weather and coastal hazards in the Northland region, Part I: Weather hazards.
Major weather events in New Zealand, Floods and High Rainfall, Floods to 30 Sept 2005 .
New Zealand Meteorological Service. (2008). Meteorology of Extreme Rainfalls in New Zealand (Mark Pascoe, Ed.).
Headline: Floods claim one life, cause widespread damage.
The Northern Advocate, 31 May 1975.