NZ Historic Weather Events Catalogue
September 1953 Waikato Flooding
(
1953-09-01
)
30 years
A severe storm caused flooding in Thames and Coromandel.
North Island
High Wind / Gust
at
North Island
On the 1st there was a brisk easterly gale, with winds up to 60 mph (97 km/hr) and heavy rain.
Northland
Flooding
at
Northland
Airports at Whangarei and Kaikohe were closed by flooding.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Waikato
A severe storm struck the Coromandel Peninsula on the 1st of September 1953.
The damage to Coromandel county roads amounted to £1360 ($66,400 2010 dollars).
Flooding
at
Colville
Colville River rose 12 ft (3.66 m) above normal at Colville.
There was considerable flooding in the Colville township.
A number of homes had water rising toward verandah level.
The road south to Coromandel was blocked.
Heavy Rain
at
Coromandel
There was a three day period of incessant rain in Coromandel.
Flooding
Coromandel township was extensively flooded and it was reported to be the worst flood in 30 years.
In the Hauraki Road area, homes were surrounded with water, and two homes on the Hauraki side of the creek were flooded. Lawns, gardens and buildings all suffered in the flood.
Children in at least two homes were evacuated.
Tiki Road and Tiki Bridge were inundated and impassable.
Flooding
at
Manaia
Manaia Flats were extensively flooded. The water on the flats was reported to be over 2 ft (0.61 m) deep.
Flooding
at
Thames
There was extensive flooding in Thames and flats around the town were inundated.
Two houses were evacuated.
A grocery store was forced to close.
Landslide
Slips occurred on some roads.
Heavy Rain
at
Waihi
Waihi recorded 4.22 in (10.72 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Several roads in the area covered by water.
Landslide
at
Waiomu
A slip at Waiomu disrupted traffic.
Bay of Plenty
Flooding
at
Lake Okareka
At Lake Okareka one county road was completely submerged. Around the other lakes erosion was eating away at lakefront sections and encroaching on some holiday baches.
Flooding
at
Lake Rotorua
Lake Rotorua rose to a height of 916.4 ft (279.3 m) which is only a few inches below the record height reached six weeks ago.
A strong wind from the north whipped up the lake and waves were beating along the shoreline.
The lake was washing over the pumice road by the Motutara golf course, scouring it badly.
Heavy Rain
at
Rotorua
There was steady rain in Rotorua over two days.
Flooding
The airport in Rotorua was closed by flooding.
The 12 main lakes in the Rotorua area rose to record levels and caused damage in the possibly thousands of pounds through erosion of property and roads.
Flooding
at
Tauranga
Heavy rain on the 1st flooded some business premises in Grey Street.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Headline: Worst Flood In 30 Years At Coromandel: Houses Inundated.
- Thames Star, 1 September (Tuesday) 1953.
- Headline: Coromandel Hit By Fierce Storm: Town Flooded, Road Blocked.
- Thames Star, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: Bad Flooding In Coromandel.
- The New Zealand Herald, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: Some Flooding Follows heavy Rain, Gale Ushers In September.
- The New Zealand Herald, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: South Pacific Weather Map.
- The New Zealand Herald, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: Floods in Colville: Township cut off by rising waters.
- The Waikato Times 1 September 1953.
- Headline: Three days of rain cause flooding in Coromandel Township.
- The Waikato Times 2 September 1953.
September 1953 Waikato Flooding
(
1953-09-01
)
30 years
A severe storm caused flooding in Thames and Coromandel.
North Island
High Wind / Gust
at
North Island
On the 1st there was a brisk easterly gale, with winds up to 60 mph (97 km/hr) and heavy rain.
Northland
Flooding
at
Northland
Airports at Whangarei and Kaikohe were closed by flooding.
Waikato
Multi Hazard
at
Waikato
A severe storm struck the Coromandel Peninsula on the 1st of September 1953.
The damage to Coromandel county roads amounted to £1360 ($66,400 2010 dollars).
Flooding
at
Colville
Colville River rose 12 ft (3.66 m) above normal at Colville.
There was considerable flooding in the Colville township.
A number of homes had water rising toward verandah level.
The road south to Coromandel was blocked.
Heavy Rain
at
Coromandel
There was a three day period of incessant rain in Coromandel.
Flooding
Coromandel township was extensively flooded and it was reported to be the worst flood in 30 years.
In the Hauraki Road area, homes were surrounded with water, and two homes on the Hauraki side of the creek were flooded. Lawns, gardens and buildings all suffered in the flood.
Children in at least two homes were evacuated.
Tiki Road and Tiki Bridge were inundated and impassable.
Flooding
at
Manaia
Manaia Flats were extensively flooded. The water on the flats was reported to be over 2 ft (0.61 m) deep.
Flooding
at
Thames
There was extensive flooding in Thames and flats around the town were inundated.
Two houses were evacuated.
A grocery store was forced to close.
Landslide
Slips occurred on some roads.
Heavy Rain
at
Waihi
Waihi recorded 4.22 in (10.72 cm) of rain in 24 hours.
Flooding
Several roads in the area covered by water.
Landslide
at
Waiomu
A slip at Waiomu disrupted traffic.
Bay of Plenty
Flooding
at
Lake Okareka
At Lake Okareka one county road was completely submerged. Around the other lakes erosion was eating away at lakefront sections and encroaching on some holiday baches.
Flooding
at
Lake Rotorua
Lake Rotorua rose to a height of 916.4 ft (279.3 m) which is only a few inches below the record height reached six weeks ago.
A strong wind from the north whipped up the lake and waves were beating along the shoreline.
The lake was washing over the pumice road by the Motutara golf course, scouring it badly.
Heavy Rain
at
Rotorua
There was steady rain in Rotorua over two days.
Flooding
The airport in Rotorua was closed by flooding.
The 12 main lakes in the Rotorua area rose to record levels and caused damage in the possibly thousands of pounds through erosion of property and roads.
Flooding
at
Tauranga
Heavy rain on the 1st flooded some business premises in Grey Street.
References
- Cowie, C.A., Attwood, A.K. (1957) Floods in New Zealand 1920-1953, The Soil Conservation Control Council, Wellington, New Zealand
- Headline: Worst Flood In 30 Years At Coromandel: Houses Inundated.
- Thames Star, 1 September (Tuesday) 1953.
- Headline: Coromandel Hit By Fierce Storm: Town Flooded, Road Blocked.
- Thames Star, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: Bad Flooding In Coromandel.
- The New Zealand Herald, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: Some Flooding Follows heavy Rain, Gale Ushers In September.
- The New Zealand Herald, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: South Pacific Weather Map.
- The New Zealand Herald, 2 September (Wednesday) 1953.
- Headline: Floods in Colville: Township cut off by rising waters.
- The Waikato Times 1 September 1953.
- Headline: Three days of rain cause flooding in Coromandel Township.
- The Waikato Times 2 September 1953.