NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
May 2009 South Island and Lower North Island Storm ( 2009-05-15 )
High winds, heavy rain and flooding occurred around the lower North Island and the South Island, affecting lifelines and causing some damage. In Canterbury, 34 people were evacuated due to flooding, and one person was injured on a flooded Otago road.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 15th to the 18th of May.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:24 pm 14-May-2009: Spells of heavy rain on the West Coast, stormy weather in the Southern Alps and gales in eastern areas. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:36 am 15-May-2009: Another prolonged period of heavy rain for Fiordland and Westland from tonight with significant spillover for the headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury rivers. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 12:02 pm 15-May-2009: Further heavy rain for Fiordland and Westland from tonight with significant spillover for the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury.also severe gales possible in eastern areas from Canterbury to southern Wairarapa including wellington during Saturday or early Sunday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland south of Otira, and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:53 pm 15-May-2009: Further heavy rain on the West Coast with significant spillover for the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury, stormy weather about the Southern Alps and damaging gales in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa including Wellington on the weekend. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and Buller, and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH issued at 08:41 am Saturday 16 May 2009 for: Westland.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:19 am 16-May-2009: Heavy rain on the West Coast with significant spillover for the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury, stormy weather about the Southern Alps and damaging gales in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa including Wellington. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and Buller, and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH issued at 02:09 pm Saturday 16 May 2009 for: Buller and Westland.
MetService SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH issued at 08:19 pm Saturday 16 May 2009 for: Buller and Westland.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:27 pm 16-May-2009: More heavy rain on the West Coast with significant spillover for the Canterbury headwaters, stormy weather about the Southern Alps and damaging gales in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa including Wellington. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, the ranges of Westland and Buller, the headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury lakes and rivers, also the ranges of Nelson and the Richmond Range; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:03 am 17-May-2009: Heavy rain on the West Coast and spillover in Canterbury and Otago headwaters has eased. Severe northwest gales have eased in Canterbury, Marlborough and much of Wellington and should ease soon in Wairarapa. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: near the Rimutaka Road summit and exposed areas of Wairarapa. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for Fiordland, ranges of Westland, Buller and Nelson, also spillover into Canterbury and Otago headwaters; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for Canterbury, Marlborough and Wellington south of the Rimutaka Road summit.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 1:17 pm 17-May-2009: Severe northwest gales about the Rimutaka summit and northern Wairarapa have eased somewhat. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Strong Wind Warnings lifted for near the Rimutaka Road summit and exposed areas of Wairarapa.
A cold front swept over the Tasman Sea, heading for the top of the South Island. The front moved towards the Central North Island on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
An active front brought gusty conditions to Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa on the 15th.
North Island
Heavy Rain
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North Island
There was a brief period of heavy, thundery rain in the Tararua Ranges on the morning of the 17th.
South Island
Flooding
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South Island
The high river levels were caused by high rainfall in the Southern Alps, combined with snow melt and an already wet catchment.
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
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White Pine Reserve
High winds blew a tree down across State Highway 2 at White Pines Bush at about 9am on the 17th. The road was reduced to one lane for about an hour.
Taranaki
Heavy Rain
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Mount Taranaki
Very heavy rain fell at Mt Taranaki overnight on the 16th/17th.
Tornado
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Opunake
A small tornado swept through Opunake at about 6am on the 17th.
On an Arawhata Road property the tornado flung a trampoline 40m through the air into a paddock, smashed windows and flattened about 20 30-metre-high trees. On a nearby property on Kina Road 15 trees were knocked over and a hay barn had three sides ripped off and was thrown 100m across a paddock.
Multi Hazard
The tornado was accompanied by hail and rain.
High Wind / Gust
High winds blew a tree down across Eltham Road.
Lightning
A series of lightning strikes downed powerlines on Namu Road and damaged transformers in the area. Power was cut to about 230 customers in the Opunake area on the morning of the 17th. Power was restored to 150 customers on Namu Road by 7:15am and to remaining customers by 1:30pm.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Multi Hazard
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Bulls
Strong westerlies and fierce rain were experienced on State Highway 1 near Bulls on the morning of the 17th.
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
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Wellington
Wellington was buffeted by strong winds on the mornings of the 15th and 17th.
High winds blew down trees, knocked over power lines and lifted the roofs of some homes.
High winds damaged power lines on the 17th, cutting power to about 2500 homes from 12.15am. Johnsonville, Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt were affected, but the main suburbs affected were Karori and Makara. Mostly consumers were reconnected within a couple of hours, while about 250 were without power until about 8.30am, and a further 10 houses were still without power at midday.
High winds were reported on State Highway 2 between Eketahuna and Masterton on the 15th.
Heavy Rain
A narrow rain band brought a short period of torrential rain across Wellington on the morning of the 18th. It moved over most of the wider Wellington area including Kelburn, Khandallah, Porirua and the central city.
The Wellington area received around 5 mm (0.5 cm) of rain within in a short period of time on the morning of the 18th.
Multi Hazard
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Cook Strait
A storm warning was in place for Cook Strait on the 15th.
High Wind / Gust
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Fernside
At a historic Fernside property, high winds on the 17th blew down five trees and lifted copper sheets from the roof of the main house. One of the trees fell onto a 110-year-old bridge used in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, partially destroying it. It would cost around $35,000 to replace the bridge.
High Wind / Gust
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Hataitai
Strong winds flung a trampoline 20 m through the air and wedged it against the back of a Matai Road house.
High Wind / Gust
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Lower Hutt
Power cuts on the 17th affected Gracefield in Lower Hutt.
High Wind / Gust
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Mount Kaukau
Mt Kau Kau recorded gusts of up to 129 km/hr on the morning of the 15th.
Multi Hazard
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Rimutaka Hill
High wind gusts on State Highway 2 on the Rimutaka Hill Road made driving hazardous on the morning of the 17th. Some small slips also occurred on the Upper Hutt side of the road. The road was reduced to one lane on the Upper Hutt side of the hill for a time.
High Wind / Gust
The automatic weather station broke down at around 4am on the 15th, but winds were gusting up to gale-force strength.
High Wind / Gust
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Upper Hutt
Power cuts on the 17th affected Brown Owl and Silverstream in Upper Hutt.
Flooding
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Wellington City
Surface flooding occurred in parts of the city centre on the morning of the 15th.
High Wind / Gust
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Wellington International Airport
Wellington Airport recorded gusts of up to 100 km/hr on the morning of the 15th.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
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Marlborough
Gales were blowing in exposed parts of Marlborough on the morning of the 15th.
Power was cut in some places from the night of the 16th after trees fell on powerlines. About 6000 customers were affected at some stage, in the areas of Onamalutu, Wairau Valley township, Spring Creek, Ngakuta (near Linkwater), Linkwater, Springlands, and areas in the Marlborough Sounds.
Beech trees were felled on State Highway 1 behind Renwick, State Highway 63, State Highway 6 west of Havelock, and the Marlborough Sounds behind Kenepuru Heads.
Heavy Rain
There was a brief period of heavy, thundery rain in the Marlborough Sounds on the morning of the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
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Linkwater
At Linkwater, three shed roofs were reported to have blown off. At one property, high winds at about 4:30am on the 17th uprooted a macrocarpa tree, which narrowly missed the house. A hayshed roof was hurled into a creek, a two-seater wooden swing was thrown 16 m away, and a wood-and-iron calf shed was thrown 600 m to the other side of the paddock. The conservatory was also damaged, with four sheets of heavy plastic bent back.
Power was cut in the Linkwater area from 3am to 7am on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
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Waikakaho River
At Waikakaho Valley, power was out for 14 hours from the night of the 16th until lunchtime on the 17th.
Trees were felled by the wind at Waikakaho Valley.
High Wind / Gust
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Wakamarina River
Trees were felled by the wind at Wakamarina.
Tasman-Nelson
High Wind / Gust
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Tasman-Nelson
Trees were uprooted in the Nelson area on the morning of the 17th.
Trees damaged power lines, cutting power to 651 Network Tasman customers in the Motueka and Brooklyn Valley from 2:58am on the 17th. Power was restored to 563 customers by 5:18am and the remaining customers by 8:58am.
High Wind / Gust
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Brooklyn
Trees were blown down in the Brooklyn area.
Heavy Rain
Brooklyn received 25.9 mm (2.6 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
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Havelock
High winds on State Highway 6 west of Havelock blew branches and debris on to the road on the night of the 16th. The next morning a tree blocked the highway near Havelock.
High Wind / Gust
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Nelson
Nelson Airport recorded a gust of 82 km/hr at 5:30am on the 17th.
West Coast
Lightning
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West Coast
There was a thunderstorm over the West Coast on the morning of the 15th. It started in the south at around 4am, reached Buller around dawn and finished at 7am.
About 450 lightning strikes an hour were recorded.
Multi Hazard
The West Coast experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms on the night of the 16th.
Flooding
There was surface flooding on several roads on the morning of the 17th. Extreme care was recommended on State Highway 6 between Whataroa and Franz Josef because of surface flooding.
High Wind / Gust
There were reports of rocks and trees blown onto state highways in Westland in the early hours of the 17th.
Heavy Rain
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Cropp River
The Cropp River site recorded 440 mm (44.0 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 16th.
The Cropp River site recorded 106 mm (10.6 cm) of rain in the seven hours from midnight on the 16th to 7am on the 17th.
Lightning
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Karamea
Lightning caused power to be cut to about 10 households in Karamea and Cape Foulwind for an hour on the morning of the 15th.
Landslide
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Omoto
A slip threatened the railway line at Omoto on the weekend, and took a few days to stabilise. High river levels had been threatening to undercut the riverbank.
Flooding
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Upper Buller Gorge
Surface flooding caused problems in the Upper Buller Gorge on the morning of the 17th.
Lightning
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Westport
Lightning on the morning of the 15th damaged the Buller Electricity Limited (BEL) transmission system in the hills behind Westport, causing severe damage to the Robertson Street unit controlling streetlights and hot-water heating.
Canterbury
High Wind / Gust
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Canterbury
Gales were blowing in exposed parts of Canterbury on the morning of the 15th. High winds were again experienced in places on the night of the 17th.
State Highway 77 from Darfield to Methven was closed to campervans and other high-sided vehicles on the 17th due to high winds.
There were reports from exposed areas that people could not stand upright on the 17th because of the strong winds.
Heavy Rain
The Southern Alps received up to 300 mm (30.0 cm) of rain from the 15th to the 17th.
Parts of the Mackenzie Country received about 70 mm (7.0 cm) of rain.
Flooding
The main South Island railway line between Temuka and the Rangitata River was closed by flooding and three washouts from 2pm on the 17th until 5:30pm on the 18th. Five freight services were delayed.
Multi Hazard
Extensive damage was done to High Country farm tracks, fencing and flood gates.
Flooding
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Ahuriri River
The Ahuriri River at South Diadem had a peak flow of 351 cumecs on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
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Arthur's Pass
On the 15th there were three crashes, in which two caravans and a high sided truck were blown over by the winds on State Highway 73 through Arthur's Pass, and at Rakaia gorge.
High Wind / Gust
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Cheviot
High winds blew debris on to State Highway 1 near Cheviot overnight on the 16th/17th.
Flooding
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Hinds
A section of State Highway 1 was under 1 m of water.
Multi Hazard
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Huxley Lodge
At Huxley Lodge, at the head of Lake Ohau, 17 school pupils and their teachers were left without access in or out of the area when the roads became too dangerous.
Flooding
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Kurow
The twin bridges on State Highway 82 at Kurow were closed from 6pm on the 17th to 7am on the 18th for safety reasons.
The Waitaki River at Kurow was flowing at 1415 cumecs at 3.30pm on the 17th.
Some Kurow properties were flooded.
The Waitaki River at Kurow had a peak flow of 1554 cumecs at 7:15am on the 19th. This was its highest flow since 1995.
Flooding
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Lake Benmore
Meridian Energy was forced to spill water from Lake Benmore on the 15th because of the high rainfall. It was the first time in 11 years that water had to be spilt at that time of the year.
Heavy Rain
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Mount Cook
More than 550 mm (55.0 cm) of rain fell in the Mt Cook area of the Southern Alps in the five days from the 14th to the 18th.
Mount Cook recorded 38.5 mm (3.9 cm) of rain on the 18th up to 5pm.
Landslide
A slip occurred on the Mt Cook Highway, just north of Peter's Lookout, on the 17th, and partially closed one lane.
Flooding
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Omarama
State Highway 83 between Otematata and Omarama was closed overnight on the 17th due to flooding.
The spilling of water from Lake Benmore caused the Omarama Stream to overflow at several points, leaving surface flooding around the nearby campground and golf course.
31 people were evacuated from the Omarama Top 10 Holiday Park at about 5.30am on the 17th after flood waters flowed into the grounds. Three residents were also evacuated from homes beside the camp.
Water flowed down State Highway 8 near Omarama. The Omarama Stream bridge on SH8 was closed for almost five hours from 9:20am due to a slump on the northern approach caused by flooding. It was expected to take a week to fully repair the bridge.
Omarama Stream at Wardells had a peak flow of 55.5 cumecs at 7.45am on the 17th, after rising from a flow of about 2 cumecs. This was a 40-year high.
Omarama Stream reached a 40-year peak.
The sewerage ponds were inundated, and some rural residents were isolated for a short time by flood waters.
Flood waters surrounded the Hot Tubs Omarama store and the owner's home. The business had to close temporarily while electrical equipment was repaired.
Water was ankle-deep in the main street and up to 1 m deep in other places.
A stopbank designed to withstand a 100-year flood was overtopped.
Flooding
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Opuha Dam
The fusible plug in the Opuha Dam's lower weir blew out at 6:10am on the 17th as a result of the massive volume of water being spilt. About 70 per cent of the fusible section was washed out. This was just the second time in the dam's 10-year history that the weir had been breached, the last time being on 13 January, 2002, when lake inflows peaked at 130 cumecs.
400 cumecs of water was being spilt at the time.
The dam was 393.2 m deep on the afternoon of the 17th, well above the depth of 390 m at which it is considered full.
Flooding
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Otamatapaio River
The Otamatapaio River burst its banks upstream from the bridge on State Highway 83, cutting away the bank at the eastern approach almost to the edge of the seal. The road was reduced to one lane while it was repaired.
Flooding
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Rakaia River
The Raikaia River was running high on the 17th.
Flooding
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Rangitata
The Rangitata River burst its southern bank below the Arundel Bridge late on the morning of the 17th, flooding farmland and the highway.
Flood waters from the river flowed onto the Arundel-Rangitata Road and later onto State Highway 1. State Highway 1 was closed from Orari to Ealing on the afternoon of the 17th. It was reopened late that night.
The water was up to 1 m deep across the highway in places.
A car on the main road was washed into a property by the force of the flood waters, and the driver had to be rescued by locals.
The Chequered Flag cafe and bar was inundated by flood waters, which damaged carpets and gardens. The flood waters washed away fences on local farmland.
The Rangitata River near State Highway 1 peaked at about 2:30pm on the 17th.
Flooding
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Rangitata Gorge
The Rangitata River at the gorge had a peak flow of 1657 cumecs at 10.30am on the 17th.
Heavy Rain
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Rangitata River
Heavy rain fell in the headwaters of the Rangitata River on the weekend.
Flooding
The Rangitata River peaked at its highest level for about 15 years.
Flooding
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Skipton Reserve
The Opuha River at Skipton Bridge rose by about 500 mm (50.0 cm) after the breach in the Opuha Dam on the 17th.
Flooding
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Waimakariri River
The old Waimakariri River bridge was closed for a time on the 17th.
Flooding
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Waitaki River
Erosion occurred along the banks of the Waitaki River. In some places water found its way into old channels on farmland, particularly in the Duntroon and Ikawai areas.
Heavy Rain
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The Wolds station
The Wolds Station received about 100 mm (10.0 cm)of rain fell in three days.
Flooding
Some fences were damaged.
Otago
Landslide
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Otago
The Hawea-Makarora road on State Highway 6 was blocked by slips twice on the 16th.
Heavy Rain
at
Albert Burn
Albertburn received 109 mm (10.9 cm) of rain on the weekend (16th-17th).
Heavy Rain
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Alexandra
Heavy rain fell at Alexandra on the night of the 16th.
Flooding
In Alexandra, a park alongside the Clutha River was partly submerged by floodwaters on the 17th, and the boat ramp was under water. There was also water over a cycle track along the river banks between Alexandra and Clyde.
Landslide
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Arthurs Point
The Moonlight Track at Arthurs Point suffered slumping and a drop-out on the side of the road.
Flooding
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Balclutha
A second flood warning was issued for the Clutha River at Balclutha.
There was minor surface flooding in and around Balclutha.
High Wind / Gust
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Bannockburn
"Tornado-like" winds caused more than $10,000 of damage at a the Kingsmill Wines Ltd vineyard in Bannockburn on the 15th. The nets on about 1-2 acres [0.4ha-0.8ha] of vines were blown away, one being found on the top of a hill about 500m away and the others having vanished. Metal vineyard stakes were also bent.
Damage was done to vines but it was not considered major.
Flooding
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Barnego
150 sheep had to be rescued when they became stranded by the flooded Clutha River on a small island at Barnego, after the river rose rapidly on the night of the 17th.
Snow / Ice
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Cardrona Ski Field
Cardrona Ski Field received 15 cm of snow on the night of the 17th.
Flooding
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Clyde
A cyclist had to be rescued by the Clyde coastguard after he became trapped by rising waters from the Clutha River on the rail trail from Clyde to Alexandra.
Snow / Ice
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Coronet Peak Skifield
Coronet Peak Skifield received about 20 cm of snow at the base on the weekend.
Heavy Rain
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Cromwell
Heavy rain fell at Cromwell on the night of the 16th.
Flooding was reported on State Highway 6 near Cromwell in the early hours of the 17th.
Landslide
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Crown Terrace
Several boulders were dislodged by the rain and rolled onto the Crown Range road near Queenstown on the night of the 16th.
Heavy Rain
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Dart River
The headwaters of the Dart River received 54 mm (5.4 cm) of rain on the weekend (16th-17th).
Flooding
The Dart River near Glenorchy had a flow of more than 650 cumecs on the 17th.
Landslide
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Devils Staircase
A car was damaged by a falling rock on State Highway 6 near the Devil's Staircase, causing an oil spill that had to be cleared.
Flooding
at
Dunstan Creek
A first flood warning was issued for Dunstan Creek at Beattie Road.
Flooding
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Galloway
Parts of Galloway were flooded on the 17th when the Manuherikia River burst its banks in some places between 11am and 12pm. Many farms had most or all paddocks under water for a while.
Only four-wheel-drives could get through a flooded section of road between Galloway and the main highway into Alexandra on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Gibbston
A first flood warning was issued for the Clutha River at the Cardrona River confluence.
The Clutha River at the confluence with the Cardrona River had a flow of 714 cumecs on the 18th
Multi Hazard
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Glenorchy
Slips and washouts occurred in the Glenorchy area.
Landslide
A slip on Glenorchy Road, about 22km from Queenstown, blocked one lane of the road on the 17th.
Multi Hazard
at
Hawea Flat
There were minor washouts on Newcastle Road.
Flooding
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Kidds Bush
A bridge abutment was washed out on the Mead Road, closing the road.
Flooding
at
Lake Hawea
Lake Hawea was at a level of 346.25 m on the 17th.
Flooding
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Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu rose from a level of about 309 m to 310.5 m at the weekend - 30 cm below the first flood-warning level. It was about 20 cm shy below the first warning level on the night of the 18th.
Multi Hazard
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Lindis Pass
State Highway 8 through the Lindis Pass was closed at 8pm on the 16th due to flooding. A creek burst its banks 7 km south of the Dalrachney bridge and there was also a slip at Killermont. The road reopened at about midday on the 17th, but was closed again on the morning of the 18th after flooding made it imapssable.
Flooding
There was up to 1 m of water across the highway in some places.
Flooding
at
Manuherikia River
The Manuherikia River peaked at about 350 cumecs on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Matukituki River
A gravel road surrounding a bridge in the Matukituki valley was washed away on the night of the 16th.
Flooding
at
Ophir
A first flood warning was issued for the Manuherikia River at Ophir.
Flooding
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Paradise
Dans Paddock on Paradise Road was passable only by four-wheel drive.
Flooding
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Precipice Creek
Major bridge repairs were required at Precipice Creek.
Heavy Rain
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Queenstown
Queenstown recorded 29 mm (2.9 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 3pm on the 17th.
Queenstown received more than a month's rainfall in three days.
Multi Hazard
Heavy rain around the Wakatipu basin caused rocks to fall on roads and creeks and culverts to overflow in and around Queenstown on the 16th.
Flooding
Flooding occurred on Frankton Road on the 16th.
Snow / Ice
at
Remarkables Ski Field
The Remarkables Ski Field received 40- 50 cm of snow on the night of the 16th.
The Remarkables Ski Field received 5-10 cm of snow on the night of the 17th.
Flooding
at
Saint Bathans
The road from Becks to St Bathans was closed on the morning of the 17th when the approach to the bridge over Dunstan Creek was washed out. The road remained closed on the 18th.
Phone services for 60 subscribers in the wider St Bathans district were cut by flood waters on the 17th. The services were restored by the night of the 18th.
Heavy Rain
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Shotover River
The headwaters of the Shotover River received 29 mm (2.9 cm) of rain on the weekend (16th-17th).
Flooding
The Shotover River was flowing at 500 cumecs on the night of the 16th.
Multi Hazard
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Skippers
The Skippers road was closed until further notice from the night of the 18th because of slips and washouts in various places. In some places the road was narrowed and there were drop-outs. The Blue Slip came down and was impassable, and there were also slips on Branches Road.
Flooding
at
Taieri Mouth
Two men were treated for hypothermia after their boat overturned when it was hit by a large wave near the sand bar at Taieri Mouth around 8am on the 17th.
Snow / Ice
at
Treble Cone Skifield
Treble Cone Skifield had 50 cm of snow in the car park on the morning of the 18th.
Up to 1 m of snow was thought to have fallen on the upper mountain.
Flooding
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Waitaki Bridge
Flood waters from the lower Waitaki River threatened some houses in the Waitaki Bridge camp around midday on the 18th. Water seeped into a low-lying paddock on the northern side of the camp and ponded, also entering the camp around three of the houses. The houses were protected by a barrier flood protection system brought down from Christchurch.
The water had been lapping nearly at floor level around one of the houses.
The Waitaki River was flowing at around 1400 cumecs for 24 hours from the afternoon of the 17th - about four times its normal flow.
Heavy Rain
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Wanaka
Wanaka recorded 22 mm (2.2 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 3pm on the 17th.
Wanaka received about 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain from the evening of the 14th to the 18th.
Wanaka received more than a month's rainfall in three days.
Flooding
Lake Wanaka was at a level of 278.3 m on the 17th.
Washouts occurred on Hawea Back Road, West Wanaka Road and Motatapu Road, which were passable only by four-wheel drives. There were also minor washouts on Mt Aspiring Road.
Flooding
at
Wilson Bay
A man was taken to hospital with chest pain after his vehicle aqua-planed on floodwaters into a tree on the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road near Wilson Bay on the afternoon of the 16th.
References
- Headline: Slip stabilised.
- www.greystar.co.nz, 20 May 2009.
- Headline: Wet, windy weekend ahead.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 15 May 2009, 7:26am.
- Headline: Wellington being buffeted by strong winds.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 15 May 2009, 8:33am.
- Headline: South Island expecting severe weather.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 16 May 2009, 2:32pm.
- Headline: Bad weather in many parts.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 16 May 2009, 9:12pm.
- Headline: Warning to drivers.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 16 May 2009, 10:40pm.
- Headline: Winds, rain dog motorists.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 6:28am.
- Headline: Weather makes motoring tough.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 8:01am.
- Headline: Driving conditions treacherous.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 9:12am.
- Headline: Lower North Island roads treacherous.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 1:28pm.
- Headline: Road warnings as bad weather sets in.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 6:12pm.
- Headline: Water spilled from hydro lakes.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:08am.
- Headline: Crews working to repair rail washouts.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 11:08am.
- Headline: Storm damage.
- The News,15 May 2009.
- Headline: High winds cause power outages in Wellington.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 15 May 2009, 11:40am.
- Headline: South braces for more heavy rain.
- www.odt.co.nz, 14 May 2009, 2:47pm.
- Headline: Close watch kept on rising Clutha River.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Farmland inundated when river breaches.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Kurow bridges closed for safety reasons.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Swollen stream forces campers to flee.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Lucky escape for fishermen as boat flips.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:01am.
- Headline: Latest: Floods close SH8.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: NZPA,18 May 2009, 11:20am.
- Headline: Farmers rescue 150 sheep stranded by flood.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Fronts bring mountains of snow.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: High flows expected 'for days, if not a week'.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Levels disrupt flood mitigation work.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Skippers closed by slips and washouts.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Roads damaged, rivers at alert level.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 9:07am.
- Headline: Warning as Waitaki flood continues.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: David Bruce, 20 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Flood protection keeps houses safe.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: David Bruce, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Vineyard damaged by wind.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Rosie Manins, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Changes to course, flood damage seen.
- www.odt.co.nz, 28 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Update on South Canterbury river flooding.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Environment Canterbury, 18 May 2009, 5:09pm.
- Headline: South Island weather warning to farmers.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Federated Farmers, 20 May 2009, 10:48am.
- Headline: Rough weather moves north.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 8:03pm.
- Headline: Roads reopen as South Island flooding recedes.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 9:18am.
- Headline: South Island cleans up after flooding.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 9:42pm.
- Headline: Mainland braces for rough weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 14 May 2009, 12:51pm.
- Headline: Expected rain puts lake watchers on alert.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times and Timaru Herald, 15 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Gales buffet North, South islands.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 15 May 2009, 8:21am.
- Headline: Severe weather moves up South Island.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 May 2009, 4:40pm.
- Headline: Winds, rain make driving hazardous.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 May 2009, 9:42am.
- Headline: Recently repaired bridge destroyed.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 2:17pm.
- Headline: Wellington gets weather beating.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 12:34pm.
- Headline: Wild weather sweeps country.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Storm, winds cause havoc.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Marlborough Express, 18 May 2009, 1:00pm.
- Headline: Winds fell trees, cut power to homes.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Nelson Mail, 18 May 2009, 1:37pm.
- Headline: Flooding and slips after deluge.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Snow on the way; Some South Island roads reopen.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 18 May 2009, 12:51pm.
- Headline: Township still under threat.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Flooding concerns recede for lakes.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 16 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Southland flooding not expected.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 16 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Cyclist survives torrent: Clyde coastguard comes to rescue as man stranded.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Roads closed, stock moved as deluge hits Central Otago.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Tornado leaves twisted mess.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: High flows may close bridges at night.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 16 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Wild weather hits South.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 17 May 2009, 2:17pm.
- Headline: Dam's weir blows after massive spillway dump.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Deluge brings chaos to region.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Police nab motorists found on closed roads.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Wintry weather expected to hit South Island.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 14 May 2009, 4:33pm.
- Headline: Flooding closes South Island roads, rail.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 May 2009, 9:43am.
- Headline: One lane of damaged bridge now open.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 18 May 2009, 12:50pm.
- MetService Email Lists
May 2009 South Island and Lower North Island Storm ( 2009-05-15 )
High winds, heavy rain and flooding occurred around the lower North Island and the South Island, affecting lifelines and causing some damage. In Canterbury, 34 people were evacuated due to flooding, and one person was injured on a flooded Otago road.
New Zealand
Multi Hazard
at
New Zealand
Duration: 4 days - From the 15th to the 18th of May.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:24 pm 14-May-2009: Spells of heavy rain on the West Coast, stormy weather in the Southern Alps and gales in eastern areas. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:36 am 15-May-2009: Another prolonged period of heavy rain for Fiordland and Westland from tonight with significant spillover for the headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury rivers. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 12:02 pm 15-May-2009: Further heavy rain for Fiordland and Westland from tonight with significant spillover for the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury.also severe gales possible in eastern areas from Canterbury to southern Wairarapa including wellington during Saturday or early Sunday. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland south of Otira, and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:53 pm 15-May-2009: Further heavy rain on the West Coast with significant spillover for the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury, stormy weather about the Southern Alps and damaging gales in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa including Wellington on the weekend. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and Buller, and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed parts of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH issued at 08:41 am Saturday 16 May 2009 for: Westland.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:19 am 16-May-2009: Heavy rain on the West Coast with significant spillover for the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury, stormy weather about the Southern Alps and damaging gales in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa including Wellington. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, ranges of Westland and Buller, and the headwaters of Otago and Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH issued at 02:09 pm Saturday 16 May 2009 for: Buller and Westland.
MetService SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH issued at 08:19 pm Saturday 16 May 2009 for: Buller and Westland.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 8:27 pm 16-May-2009: More heavy rain on the West Coast with significant spillover for the Canterbury headwaters, stormy weather about the Southern Alps and damaging gales in eastern areas from Canterbury to Wairarapa including Wellington. Includes HEAVY RAIN WARNING for: Fiordland, the ranges of Westland and Buller, the headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury lakes and rivers, also the ranges of Nelson and the Richmond Range; and STRONG WIND WARNING for: exposed areas of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 9:03 am 17-May-2009: Heavy rain on the West Coast and spillover in Canterbury and Otago headwaters has eased. Severe northwest gales have eased in Canterbury, Marlborough and much of Wellington and should ease soon in Wairarapa. Includes STRONG WIND WARNING for: near the Rimutaka Road summit and exposed areas of Wairarapa. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Heavy Rain Warnings lifted for Fiordland, ranges of Westland, Buller and Nelson, also spillover into Canterbury and Otago headwaters; and Strong Wind Warnings lifted for Canterbury, Marlborough and Wellington south of the Rimutaka Road summit.
MetService SEVERE WEATHER WARNING issued at 1:17 pm 17-May-2009: Severe northwest gales about the Rimutaka summit and northern Wairarapa have eased somewhat. WARNINGS NO LONGER IN FORCE: Strong Wind Warnings lifted for near the Rimutaka Road summit and exposed areas of Wairarapa.
A cold front swept over the Tasman Sea, heading for the top of the South Island. The front moved towards the Central North Island on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
An active front brought gusty conditions to Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa on the 15th.
North Island
Heavy Rain
at
North Island
There was a brief period of heavy, thundery rain in the Tararua Ranges on the morning of the 17th.
South Island
Flooding
at
South Island
The high river levels were caused by high rainfall in the Southern Alps, combined with snow melt and an already wet catchment.
Hawke's Bay
High Wind / Gust
at
White Pine Reserve
High winds blew a tree down across State Highway 2 at White Pines Bush at about 9am on the 17th. The road was reduced to one lane for about an hour.
Taranaki
Heavy Rain
at
Mount Taranaki
Very heavy rain fell at Mt Taranaki overnight on the 16th/17th.
Tornado
at
Opunake
A small tornado swept through Opunake at about 6am on the 17th.
On an Arawhata Road property the tornado flung a trampoline 40m through the air into a paddock, smashed windows and flattened about 20 30-metre-high trees. On a nearby property on Kina Road 15 trees were knocked over and a hay barn had three sides ripped off and was thrown 100m across a paddock.
Multi Hazard
The tornado was accompanied by hail and rain.
High Wind / Gust
High winds blew a tree down across Eltham Road.
Lightning
A series of lightning strikes downed powerlines on Namu Road and damaged transformers in the area. Power was cut to about 230 customers in the Opunake area on the morning of the 17th. Power was restored to 150 customers on Namu Road by 7:15am and to remaining customers by 1:30pm.
Manawatu-Wanganui
Multi Hazard
at
Bulls
Strong westerlies and fierce rain were experienced on State Highway 1 near Bulls on the morning of the 17th.
Wellington
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington
Wellington was buffeted by strong winds on the mornings of the 15th and 17th.
High winds blew down trees, knocked over power lines and lifted the roofs of some homes.
High winds damaged power lines on the 17th, cutting power to about 2500 homes from 12.15am. Johnsonville, Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt were affected, but the main suburbs affected were Karori and Makara. Mostly consumers were reconnected within a couple of hours, while about 250 were without power until about 8.30am, and a further 10 houses were still without power at midday.
High winds were reported on State Highway 2 between Eketahuna and Masterton on the 15th.
Heavy Rain
A narrow rain band brought a short period of torrential rain across Wellington on the morning of the 18th. It moved over most of the wider Wellington area including Kelburn, Khandallah, Porirua and the central city.
The Wellington area received around 5 mm (0.5 cm) of rain within in a short period of time on the morning of the 18th.
Multi Hazard
at
Cook Strait
A storm warning was in place for Cook Strait on the 15th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Fernside
At a historic Fernside property, high winds on the 17th blew down five trees and lifted copper sheets from the roof of the main house. One of the trees fell onto a 110-year-old bridge used in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, partially destroying it. It would cost around $35,000 to replace the bridge.
High Wind / Gust
at
Hataitai
Strong winds flung a trampoline 20 m through the air and wedged it against the back of a Matai Road house.
High Wind / Gust
at
Lower Hutt
Power cuts on the 17th affected Gracefield in Lower Hutt.
High Wind / Gust
at
Mount Kaukau
Mt Kau Kau recorded gusts of up to 129 km/hr on the morning of the 15th.
Multi Hazard
at
Rimutaka Hill
High wind gusts on State Highway 2 on the Rimutaka Hill Road made driving hazardous on the morning of the 17th. Some small slips also occurred on the Upper Hutt side of the road. The road was reduced to one lane on the Upper Hutt side of the hill for a time.
High Wind / Gust
The automatic weather station broke down at around 4am on the 15th, but winds were gusting up to gale-force strength.
High Wind / Gust
at
Upper Hutt
Power cuts on the 17th affected Brown Owl and Silverstream in Upper Hutt.
Flooding
at
Wellington City
Surface flooding occurred in parts of the city centre on the morning of the 15th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wellington International Airport
Wellington Airport recorded gusts of up to 100 km/hr on the morning of the 15th.
Marlborough
High Wind / Gust
at
Marlborough
Gales were blowing in exposed parts of Marlborough on the morning of the 15th.
Power was cut in some places from the night of the 16th after trees fell on powerlines. About 6000 customers were affected at some stage, in the areas of Onamalutu, Wairau Valley township, Spring Creek, Ngakuta (near Linkwater), Linkwater, Springlands, and areas in the Marlborough Sounds.
Beech trees were felled on State Highway 1 behind Renwick, State Highway 63, State Highway 6 west of Havelock, and the Marlborough Sounds behind Kenepuru Heads.
Heavy Rain
There was a brief period of heavy, thundery rain in the Marlborough Sounds on the morning of the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Linkwater
At Linkwater, three shed roofs were reported to have blown off. At one property, high winds at about 4:30am on the 17th uprooted a macrocarpa tree, which narrowly missed the house. A hayshed roof was hurled into a creek, a two-seater wooden swing was thrown 16 m away, and a wood-and-iron calf shed was thrown 600 m to the other side of the paddock. The conservatory was also damaged, with four sheets of heavy plastic bent back.
Power was cut in the Linkwater area from 3am to 7am on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Waikakaho River
At Waikakaho Valley, power was out for 14 hours from the night of the 16th until lunchtime on the 17th.
Trees were felled by the wind at Waikakaho Valley.
High Wind / Gust
at
Wakamarina River
Trees were felled by the wind at Wakamarina.
Tasman-Nelson
High Wind / Gust
at
Tasman-Nelson
Trees were uprooted in the Nelson area on the morning of the 17th.
Trees damaged power lines, cutting power to 651 Network Tasman customers in the Motueka and Brooklyn Valley from 2:58am on the 17th. Power was restored to 563 customers by 5:18am and the remaining customers by 8:58am.
High Wind / Gust
at
Brooklyn
Trees were blown down in the Brooklyn area.
Heavy Rain
Brooklyn received 25.9 mm (2.6 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Havelock
High winds on State Highway 6 west of Havelock blew branches and debris on to the road on the night of the 16th. The next morning a tree blocked the highway near Havelock.
High Wind / Gust
at
Nelson
Nelson Airport recorded a gust of 82 km/hr at 5:30am on the 17th.
West Coast
Lightning
at
West Coast
There was a thunderstorm over the West Coast on the morning of the 15th. It started in the south at around 4am, reached Buller around dawn and finished at 7am.
About 450 lightning strikes an hour were recorded.
Multi Hazard
The West Coast experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms on the night of the 16th.
Flooding
There was surface flooding on several roads on the morning of the 17th. Extreme care was recommended on State Highway 6 between Whataroa and Franz Josef because of surface flooding.
High Wind / Gust
There were reports of rocks and trees blown onto state highways in Westland in the early hours of the 17th.
Heavy Rain
at
Cropp River
The Cropp River site recorded 440 mm (44.0 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to midnight on the 16th.
The Cropp River site recorded 106 mm (10.6 cm) of rain in the seven hours from midnight on the 16th to 7am on the 17th.
Lightning
at
Karamea
Lightning caused power to be cut to about 10 households in Karamea and Cape Foulwind for an hour on the morning of the 15th.
Landslide
at
Omoto
A slip threatened the railway line at Omoto on the weekend, and took a few days to stabilise. High river levels had been threatening to undercut the riverbank.
Flooding
at
Upper Buller Gorge
Surface flooding caused problems in the Upper Buller Gorge on the morning of the 17th.
Lightning
at
Westport
Lightning on the morning of the 15th damaged the Buller Electricity Limited (BEL) transmission system in the hills behind Westport, causing severe damage to the Robertson Street unit controlling streetlights and hot-water heating.
Canterbury
High Wind / Gust
at
Canterbury
Gales were blowing in exposed parts of Canterbury on the morning of the 15th. High winds were again experienced in places on the night of the 17th.
State Highway 77 from Darfield to Methven was closed to campervans and other high-sided vehicles on the 17th due to high winds.
There were reports from exposed areas that people could not stand upright on the 17th because of the strong winds.
Heavy Rain
The Southern Alps received up to 300 mm (30.0 cm) of rain from the 15th to the 17th.
Parts of the Mackenzie Country received about 70 mm (7.0 cm) of rain.
Flooding
The main South Island railway line between Temuka and the Rangitata River was closed by flooding and three washouts from 2pm on the 17th until 5:30pm on the 18th. Five freight services were delayed.
Multi Hazard
Extensive damage was done to High Country farm tracks, fencing and flood gates.
Flooding
at
Ahuriri River
The Ahuriri River at South Diadem had a peak flow of 351 cumecs on the 17th.
High Wind / Gust
at
Arthur's Pass
On the 15th there were three crashes, in which two caravans and a high sided truck were blown over by the winds on State Highway 73 through Arthur's Pass, and at Rakaia gorge.
High Wind / Gust
at
Cheviot
High winds blew debris on to State Highway 1 near Cheviot overnight on the 16th/17th.
Flooding
at
Hinds
A section of State Highway 1 was under 1 m of water.
Multi Hazard
at
Huxley Lodge
At Huxley Lodge, at the head of Lake Ohau, 17 school pupils and their teachers were left without access in or out of the area when the roads became too dangerous.
Flooding
at
Kurow
The twin bridges on State Highway 82 at Kurow were closed from 6pm on the 17th to 7am on the 18th for safety reasons.
The Waitaki River at Kurow was flowing at 1415 cumecs at 3.30pm on the 17th.
Some Kurow properties were flooded.
The Waitaki River at Kurow had a peak flow of 1554 cumecs at 7:15am on the 19th. This was its highest flow since 1995.
Flooding
at
Lake Benmore
Meridian Energy was forced to spill water from Lake Benmore on the 15th because of the high rainfall. It was the first time in 11 years that water had to be spilt at that time of the year.
Heavy Rain
at
Mount Cook
More than 550 mm (55.0 cm) of rain fell in the Mt Cook area of the Southern Alps in the five days from the 14th to the 18th.
Mount Cook recorded 38.5 mm (3.9 cm) of rain on the 18th up to 5pm.
Landslide
A slip occurred on the Mt Cook Highway, just north of Peter's Lookout, on the 17th, and partially closed one lane.
Flooding
at
Omarama
State Highway 83 between Otematata and Omarama was closed overnight on the 17th due to flooding.
The spilling of water from Lake Benmore caused the Omarama Stream to overflow at several points, leaving surface flooding around the nearby campground and golf course.
31 people were evacuated from the Omarama Top 10 Holiday Park at about 5.30am on the 17th after flood waters flowed into the grounds. Three residents were also evacuated from homes beside the camp.
Water flowed down State Highway 8 near Omarama. The Omarama Stream bridge on SH8 was closed for almost five hours from 9:20am due to a slump on the northern approach caused by flooding. It was expected to take a week to fully repair the bridge.
Omarama Stream at Wardells had a peak flow of 55.5 cumecs at 7.45am on the 17th, after rising from a flow of about 2 cumecs. This was a 40-year high.
Omarama Stream reached a 40-year peak.
The sewerage ponds were inundated, and some rural residents were isolated for a short time by flood waters.
Flood waters surrounded the Hot Tubs Omarama store and the owner's home. The business had to close temporarily while electrical equipment was repaired.
Water was ankle-deep in the main street and up to 1 m deep in other places.
A stopbank designed to withstand a 100-year flood was overtopped.
Flooding
at
Opuha Dam
The fusible plug in the Opuha Dam's lower weir blew out at 6:10am on the 17th as a result of the massive volume of water being spilt. About 70 per cent of the fusible section was washed out. This was just the second time in the dam's 10-year history that the weir had been breached, the last time being on 13 January, 2002, when lake inflows peaked at 130 cumecs.
400 cumecs of water was being spilt at the time.
The dam was 393.2 m deep on the afternoon of the 17th, well above the depth of 390 m at which it is considered full.
Flooding
at
Otamatapaio River
The Otamatapaio River burst its banks upstream from the bridge on State Highway 83, cutting away the bank at the eastern approach almost to the edge of the seal. The road was reduced to one lane while it was repaired.
Flooding
at
Rakaia River
The Raikaia River was running high on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Rangitata
The Rangitata River burst its southern bank below the Arundel Bridge late on the morning of the 17th, flooding farmland and the highway.
Flood waters from the river flowed onto the Arundel-Rangitata Road and later onto State Highway 1. State Highway 1 was closed from Orari to Ealing on the afternoon of the 17th. It was reopened late that night.
The water was up to 1 m deep across the highway in places.
A car on the main road was washed into a property by the force of the flood waters, and the driver had to be rescued by locals.
The Chequered Flag cafe and bar was inundated by flood waters, which damaged carpets and gardens. The flood waters washed away fences on local farmland.
The Rangitata River near State Highway 1 peaked at about 2:30pm on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Rangitata Gorge
The Rangitata River at the gorge had a peak flow of 1657 cumecs at 10.30am on the 17th.
Heavy Rain
at
Rangitata River
Heavy rain fell in the headwaters of the Rangitata River on the weekend.
Flooding
The Rangitata River peaked at its highest level for about 15 years.
Flooding
at
Skipton Reserve
The Opuha River at Skipton Bridge rose by about 500 mm (50.0 cm) after the breach in the Opuha Dam on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Waimakariri River
The old Waimakariri River bridge was closed for a time on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Waitaki River
Erosion occurred along the banks of the Waitaki River. In some places water found its way into old channels on farmland, particularly in the Duntroon and Ikawai areas.
Heavy Rain
at
The Wolds station
The Wolds Station received about 100 mm (10.0 cm)of rain fell in three days.
Flooding
Some fences were damaged.
Otago
Landslide
at
Otago
The Hawea-Makarora road on State Highway 6 was blocked by slips twice on the 16th.
Heavy Rain
at
Albert Burn
Albertburn received 109 mm (10.9 cm) of rain on the weekend (16th-17th).
Heavy Rain
at
Alexandra
Heavy rain fell at Alexandra on the night of the 16th.
Flooding
In Alexandra, a park alongside the Clutha River was partly submerged by floodwaters on the 17th, and the boat ramp was under water. There was also water over a cycle track along the river banks between Alexandra and Clyde.
Landslide
at
Arthurs Point
The Moonlight Track at Arthurs Point suffered slumping and a drop-out on the side of the road.
Flooding
at
Balclutha
A second flood warning was issued for the Clutha River at Balclutha.
There was minor surface flooding in and around Balclutha.
High Wind / Gust
at
Bannockburn
"Tornado-like" winds caused more than $10,000 of damage at a the Kingsmill Wines Ltd vineyard in Bannockburn on the 15th. The nets on about 1-2 acres [0.4ha-0.8ha] of vines were blown away, one being found on the top of a hill about 500m away and the others having vanished. Metal vineyard stakes were also bent.
Damage was done to vines but it was not considered major.
Flooding
at
Barnego
150 sheep had to be rescued when they became stranded by the flooded Clutha River on a small island at Barnego, after the river rose rapidly on the night of the 17th.
Snow / Ice
at
Cardrona Ski Field
Cardrona Ski Field received 15 cm of snow on the night of the 17th.
Flooding
at
Clyde
A cyclist had to be rescued by the Clyde coastguard after he became trapped by rising waters from the Clutha River on the rail trail from Clyde to Alexandra.
Snow / Ice
at
Coronet Peak Skifield
Coronet Peak Skifield received about 20 cm of snow at the base on the weekend.
Heavy Rain
at
Cromwell
Heavy rain fell at Cromwell on the night of the 16th.
Flooding was reported on State Highway 6 near Cromwell in the early hours of the 17th.
Landslide
at
Crown Terrace
Several boulders were dislodged by the rain and rolled onto the Crown Range road near Queenstown on the night of the 16th.
Heavy Rain
at
Dart River
The headwaters of the Dart River received 54 mm (5.4 cm) of rain on the weekend (16th-17th).
Flooding
The Dart River near Glenorchy had a flow of more than 650 cumecs on the 17th.
Landslide
at
Devils Staircase
A car was damaged by a falling rock on State Highway 6 near the Devil's Staircase, causing an oil spill that had to be cleared.
Flooding
at
Dunstan Creek
A first flood warning was issued for Dunstan Creek at Beattie Road.
Flooding
at
Galloway
Parts of Galloway were flooded on the 17th when the Manuherikia River burst its banks in some places between 11am and 12pm. Many farms had most or all paddocks under water for a while.
Only four-wheel-drives could get through a flooded section of road between Galloway and the main highway into Alexandra on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Gibbston
A first flood warning was issued for the Clutha River at the Cardrona River confluence.
The Clutha River at the confluence with the Cardrona River had a flow of 714 cumecs on the 18th
Multi Hazard
at
Glenorchy
Slips and washouts occurred in the Glenorchy area.
Landslide
A slip on Glenorchy Road, about 22km from Queenstown, blocked one lane of the road on the 17th.
Multi Hazard
at
Hawea Flat
There were minor washouts on Newcastle Road.
Flooding
at
Kidds Bush
A bridge abutment was washed out on the Mead Road, closing the road.
Flooding
at
Lake Hawea
Lake Hawea was at a level of 346.25 m on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu rose from a level of about 309 m to 310.5 m at the weekend - 30 cm below the first flood-warning level. It was about 20 cm shy below the first warning level on the night of the 18th.
Multi Hazard
at
Lindis Pass
State Highway 8 through the Lindis Pass was closed at 8pm on the 16th due to flooding. A creek burst its banks 7 km south of the Dalrachney bridge and there was also a slip at Killermont. The road reopened at about midday on the 17th, but was closed again on the morning of the 18th after flooding made it imapssable.
Flooding
There was up to 1 m of water across the highway in some places.
Flooding
at
Manuherikia River
The Manuherikia River peaked at about 350 cumecs on the 17th.
Flooding
at
Matukituki River
A gravel road surrounding a bridge in the Matukituki valley was washed away on the night of the 16th.
Flooding
at
Ophir
A first flood warning was issued for the Manuherikia River at Ophir.
Flooding
at
Paradise
Dans Paddock on Paradise Road was passable only by four-wheel drive.
Flooding
at
Precipice Creek
Major bridge repairs were required at Precipice Creek.
Heavy Rain
at
Queenstown
Queenstown recorded 29 mm (2.9 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 3pm on the 17th.
Queenstown received more than a month's rainfall in three days.
Multi Hazard
Heavy rain around the Wakatipu basin caused rocks to fall on roads and creeks and culverts to overflow in and around Queenstown on the 16th.
Flooding
Flooding occurred on Frankton Road on the 16th.
Snow / Ice
at
Remarkables Ski Field
The Remarkables Ski Field received 40- 50 cm of snow on the night of the 16th.
The Remarkables Ski Field received 5-10 cm of snow on the night of the 17th.
Flooding
at
Saint Bathans
The road from Becks to St Bathans was closed on the morning of the 17th when the approach to the bridge over Dunstan Creek was washed out. The road remained closed on the 18th.
Phone services for 60 subscribers in the wider St Bathans district were cut by flood waters on the 17th. The services were restored by the night of the 18th.
Heavy Rain
at
Shotover River
The headwaters of the Shotover River received 29 mm (2.9 cm) of rain on the weekend (16th-17th).
Flooding
The Shotover River was flowing at 500 cumecs on the night of the 16th.
Multi Hazard
at
Skippers
The Skippers road was closed until further notice from the night of the 18th because of slips and washouts in various places. In some places the road was narrowed and there were drop-outs. The Blue Slip came down and was impassable, and there were also slips on Branches Road.
Flooding
at
Taieri Mouth
Two men were treated for hypothermia after their boat overturned when it was hit by a large wave near the sand bar at Taieri Mouth around 8am on the 17th.
Snow / Ice
at
Treble Cone Skifield
Treble Cone Skifield had 50 cm of snow in the car park on the morning of the 18th.
Up to 1 m of snow was thought to have fallen on the upper mountain.
Flooding
at
Waitaki Bridge
Flood waters from the lower Waitaki River threatened some houses in the Waitaki Bridge camp around midday on the 18th. Water seeped into a low-lying paddock on the northern side of the camp and ponded, also entering the camp around three of the houses. The houses were protected by a barrier flood protection system brought down from Christchurch.
The water had been lapping nearly at floor level around one of the houses.
The Waitaki River was flowing at around 1400 cumecs for 24 hours from the afternoon of the 17th - about four times its normal flow.
Heavy Rain
at
Wanaka
Wanaka recorded 22 mm (2.2 cm) of rain in the 24 hours to 3pm on the 17th.
Wanaka received about 80 mm (8.0 cm) of rain from the evening of the 14th to the 18th.
Wanaka received more than a month's rainfall in three days.
Flooding
Lake Wanaka was at a level of 278.3 m on the 17th.
Washouts occurred on Hawea Back Road, West Wanaka Road and Motatapu Road, which were passable only by four-wheel drives. There were also minor washouts on Mt Aspiring Road.
Flooding
at
Wilson Bay
A man was taken to hospital with chest pain after his vehicle aqua-planed on floodwaters into a tree on the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road near Wilson Bay on the afternoon of the 16th.
References
- Headline: Slip stabilised.
- www.greystar.co.nz, 20 May 2009.
- Headline: Wet, windy weekend ahead.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 15 May 2009, 7:26am.
- Headline: Wellington being buffeted by strong winds.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 15 May 2009, 8:33am.
- Headline: South Island expecting severe weather.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 16 May 2009, 2:32pm.
- Headline: Bad weather in many parts.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 16 May 2009, 9:12pm.
- Headline: Warning to drivers.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 16 May 2009, 10:40pm.
- Headline: Winds, rain dog motorists.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 6:28am.
- Headline: Weather makes motoring tough.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 8:01am.
- Headline: Driving conditions treacherous.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 9:12am.
- Headline: Lower North Island roads treacherous.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 1:28pm.
- Headline: Road warnings as bad weather sets in.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 6:12pm.
- Headline: Water spilled from hydro lakes.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:08am.
- Headline: Crews working to repair rail washouts.
- www.newstalkzb.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 11:08am.
- Headline: Storm damage.
- The News,15 May 2009.
- Headline: High winds cause power outages in Wellington.
- www.nzherald.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 15 May 2009, 11:40am.
- Headline: South braces for more heavy rain.
- www.odt.co.nz, 14 May 2009, 2:47pm.
- Headline: Close watch kept on rising Clutha River.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Farmland inundated when river breaches.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Kurow bridges closed for safety reasons.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Swollen stream forces campers to flee.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Lucky escape for fishermen as boat flips.
- www.odt.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:01am.
- Headline: Latest: Floods close SH8.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: NZPA,18 May 2009, 11:20am.
- Headline: Farmers rescue 150 sheep stranded by flood.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Fronts bring mountains of snow.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: High flows expected 'for days, if not a week'.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Levels disrupt flood mitigation work.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Skippers closed by slips and washouts.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Roads damaged, rivers at alert level.
- www.odt.co.nz, 19 May 2009, 9:07am.
- Headline: Warning as Waitaki flood continues.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: David Bruce, 20 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Flood protection keeps houses safe.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: David Bruce, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Vineyard damaged by wind.
- www.odt.co.nz, Source: Rosie Manins, 21 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Changes to course, flood damage seen.
- www.odt.co.nz, 28 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Update on South Canterbury river flooding.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Environment Canterbury, 18 May 2009, 5:09pm.
- Headline: South Island weather warning to farmers.
- www.scoop.co.nz, Source: Federated Farmers, 20 May 2009, 10:48am.
- Headline: Rough weather moves north.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 8:03pm.
- Headline: Roads reopen as South Island flooding recedes.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 9:18am.
- Headline: South Island cleans up after flooding.
- www.radionz.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 9:42pm.
- Headline: Mainland braces for rough weather.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 14 May 2009, 12:51pm.
- Headline: Expected rain puts lake watchers on alert.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Southland Times and Timaru Herald, 15 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Gales buffet North, South islands.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 15 May 2009, 8:21am.
- Headline: Severe weather moves up South Island.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 16 May 2009, 4:40pm.
- Headline: Winds, rain make driving hazardous.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 May 2009, 9:42am.
- Headline: Recently repaired bridge destroyed.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 17 May 2009, 2:17pm.
- Headline: Wellington gets weather beating.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 12:34pm.
- Headline: Wild weather sweeps country.
- www.stuff.co.nz, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Storm, winds cause havoc.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Marlborough Express, 18 May 2009, 1:00pm.
- Headline: Winds fell trees, cut power to homes.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Nelson Mail, 18 May 2009, 1:37pm.
- Headline: Flooding and slips after deluge.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Snow on the way; Some South Island roads reopen.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 18 May 2009, 12:51pm.
- Headline: Township still under threat.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Press, 19 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Flooding concerns recede for lakes.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 16 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Southland flooding not expected.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 16 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Cyclist survives torrent: Clyde coastguard comes to rescue as man stranded.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Roads closed, stock moved as deluge hits Central Otago.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: The Southland Times, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Tornado leaves twisted mess.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: High flows may close bridges at night.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 16 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Wild weather hits South.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 17 May 2009, 2:17pm.
- Headline: Dam's weir blows after massive spillway dump.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Deluge brings chaos to region.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Police nab motorists found on closed roads.
- www.stuff.co.nz, Source: Timaru Herald, 18 May 2009, 5:00am.
- Headline: Wintry weather expected to hit South Island.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 14 May 2009, 4:33pm.
- Headline: Flooding closes South Island roads, rail.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: NZPA, 17 May 2009, 9:43am.
- Headline: One lane of damaged bridge now open.
- tvnz.co.nz, Source: ONE News, 18 May 2009, 12:50pm.
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