NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
November 1973 West Coast Flooding
(
1973-11-21
)
100
Heavy flooding occurred in the West Coast. Karamea was most affected. One man died on Haast Ridge from an avalanche.
West Coast
Flooding
at
West Coast
Duration: 2 days - From the 21st to the 22nd of November.
There were thousands of dollars worth of damage to roads, bridges and private property.
36 of the 51 toll circuits linking West Coast with the east coast were knocked out.
Heavy Rain
at
Grey County
Heavy rain lashed the Grey area.
The heavy rain made Big and Little Grey Rivers break their banks and inundate acres of farmland.
Flooding
There was damaged and washed out roads.
There were power and telephone cuts.
There were slips and flooding in many areas.
Greymouth-Reefton highway was closed due to washed out approaches at Callaghans Creek Bridge at Matai.
Greenstone-Umara road was closed due to a washed out at a small bridge.
Bell Hill-Kopara Road was blocked.
Arnold Valley Road was blocked.
Kotuku-Bell Hill Road was closed due to scouring.
Atarau Road was closed due to flooding at Slately Creek bridge.
Grey River was 16.5 ft (5.03 m) above normal at Dobson Station.
Grey County suffered the worst damage.
A preliminary estimate for restoration work was $25,000 to $30,000 ($257,500 - $309,000 2009 dollars).
Floodwaters entered the post office.
It was described as the worst flood in years.
Fences were flattened by the floodwaters and newly sown grass was swept away.
A holiday bach was flooded.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 57 mm (5.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Hokitika
In the business area of Hokitika, about 100 toll circuits were cut.
Hokitika airport was closed.
Flooding
at
Ikamatua
One foot (0.30 m) of water from Rough River covered the county road.
Stock losses were heavy. One farmer lost about 200 hoggets in the Ikamatua area.
There were power cuts in the Ikamatua region.
Flooding
at
Karamea
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared on the 21st and was lifted at 9am on the 22nd.
A major stopbank breached near the Karamea township.
One of the three telephone circuits to Karamea were out.
Several families were evacuated.
The estimated return period for the flood was 100 years.
Karamea suffered its worst flood in 40 years.
At the main Karamea intersection water depth was 6.1 cm.
The whole of the Karamea Valley floor was covered by floodwaters which were heavily silted.
Karamea River was discharging approximately 3680 cumecs.
Water was waist deep in some houses.
Townships of Seddonville and Waimarie were also affected by the flooding.
The highway between Westport and Karamea was blocked at Mokihinui.
Floodwater covered the roads.
Stock losses were extimated at 100 cows and 50 calves.
There was damage to roads.
The homes of 66 families were damaged. 16 farms and 8 businesses were affected.
Flooding
at
Mokihinui
Several families left their Mokihinui area homes.
Flooding
at
Omoto
The racetrack was completely covered by waters backing up from the Grey River.
Water was knee deep.
Heavy Rain
at
Otira
Otira recorded 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Rahu Saddle
Rahu Saddle recorded 150 mm (15.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Seddonville
A hotel at Seddonville was entered by floodwaters.
Flooding
at
Westland County
Westland county suffered less than $4000 ($41,200 2009 dollars) damage.
Flooding
at
Westport
The Westport airport was closed.
Canterbury
Landslide
at
Haast Ridge, near Mt Cook
A 44 year old man killed by an avalanche shortly after 9am on the 21st. Two men had been climbing near the Haast Ridge at 7000 ft.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Breaksea Sound
There was a search for a missing Riverton fisherman on the 21st, whose wrecked boat was found at Breaksea Sound, Fiordland. The missing man was Kingi Arrta Keiha.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- Headline: Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963.
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Headline: Roads Out, Planes Stop, Widespread Storm Leaves Mark On West Coast.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 21 November 1973.
- Headline: Rstorm's Far-Flung Consequences.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 21 November 1973.
- Headline: Avalanche Victim Is Named.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Flood Clean-up Will Leave Coast A Big Bill.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Karamea families start mopping up after flood.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Race Track Survives Total Inundation.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Stock losses surprisingly high in sudden storm.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1973.
November 1973 West Coast Flooding
(
1973-11-21
)
100
Heavy flooding occurred in the West Coast. Karamea was most affected. One man died on Haast Ridge from an avalanche.
West Coast
Flooding
at
West Coast
Duration: 2 days - From the 21st to the 22nd of November.
There were thousands of dollars worth of damage to roads, bridges and private property.
36 of the 51 toll circuits linking West Coast with the east coast were knocked out.
Heavy Rain
at
Grey County
Heavy rain lashed the Grey area.
The heavy rain made Big and Little Grey Rivers break their banks and inundate acres of farmland.
Flooding
There was damaged and washed out roads.
There were power and telephone cuts.
There were slips and flooding in many areas.
Greymouth-Reefton highway was closed due to washed out approaches at Callaghans Creek Bridge at Matai.
Greenstone-Umara road was closed due to a washed out at a small bridge.
Bell Hill-Kopara Road was blocked.
Arnold Valley Road was blocked.
Kotuku-Bell Hill Road was closed due to scouring.
Atarau Road was closed due to flooding at Slately Creek bridge.
Grey River was 16.5 ft (5.03 m) above normal at Dobson Station.
Grey County suffered the worst damage.
A preliminary estimate for restoration work was $25,000 to $30,000 ($257,500 - $309,000 2009 dollars).
Floodwaters entered the post office.
It was described as the worst flood in years.
Fences were flattened by the floodwaters and newly sown grass was swept away.
A holiday bach was flooded.
Heavy Rain
at
Greymouth
Greymouth recorded 57 mm (5.7 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Hokitika
In the business area of Hokitika, about 100 toll circuits were cut.
Hokitika airport was closed.
Flooding
at
Ikamatua
One foot (0.30 m) of water from Rough River covered the county road.
Stock losses were heavy. One farmer lost about 200 hoggets in the Ikamatua area.
There were power cuts in the Ikamatua region.
Flooding
at
Karamea
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared on the 21st and was lifted at 9am on the 22nd.
A major stopbank breached near the Karamea township.
One of the three telephone circuits to Karamea were out.
Several families were evacuated.
The estimated return period for the flood was 100 years.
Karamea suffered its worst flood in 40 years.
At the main Karamea intersection water depth was 6.1 cm.
The whole of the Karamea Valley floor was covered by floodwaters which were heavily silted.
Karamea River was discharging approximately 3680 cumecs.
Water was waist deep in some houses.
Townships of Seddonville and Waimarie were also affected by the flooding.
The highway between Westport and Karamea was blocked at Mokihinui.
Floodwater covered the roads.
Stock losses were extimated at 100 cows and 50 calves.
There was damage to roads.
The homes of 66 families were damaged. 16 farms and 8 businesses were affected.
Flooding
at
Mokihinui
Several families left their Mokihinui area homes.
Flooding
at
Omoto
The racetrack was completely covered by waters backing up from the Grey River.
Water was knee deep.
Heavy Rain
at
Otira
Otira recorded 100 mm (10.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Heavy Rain
at
Rahu Saddle
Rahu Saddle recorded 150 mm (15.0 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
at
Seddonville
A hotel at Seddonville was entered by floodwaters.
Flooding
at
Westland County
Westland county suffered less than $4000 ($41,200 2009 dollars) damage.
Flooding
at
Westport
The Westport airport was closed.
Canterbury
Landslide
at
Haast Ridge, near Mt Cook
A 44 year old man killed by an avalanche shortly after 9am on the 21st. Two men had been climbing near the Haast Ridge at 7000 ft.
Southland
Multi Hazard
at
Breaksea Sound
There was a search for a missing Riverton fisherman on the 21st, whose wrecked boat was found at Breaksea Sound, Fiordland. The missing man was Kingi Arrta Keiha.
References
- Ben, J.L. (1990). A Chronology of Flooding on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand 1846-1990.
- Headline: Civil Defence Declarations since 1 January 1963.
- Declared Civil Defence Emergencies,
- Headline: Roads Out, Planes Stop, Widespread Storm Leaves Mark On West Coast.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 21 November 1973.
- Headline: Rstorm's Far-Flung Consequences.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 21 November 1973.
- Headline: Avalanche Victim Is Named.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Flood Clean-up Will Leave Coast A Big Bill.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Karamea families start mopping up after flood.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Race Track Survives Total Inundation.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1973.
- Headline: Stock losses surprisingly high in sudden storm.
- The Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1973.