1984 Southland floods

According to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), the lower South Island experienced a strong north-westerly airstream between 26 and 28 January 1984. Heavy rain was caused by a frontal band stalling over the lower South Island, which was reinforced by a very strong, warm moist pre-frontal flow and the orographic descent of moist low-level air over the Fiordland mountains. Rainfall values reached the high 30s at times. NIWA believed that the frontal band had originated in the tropical regions of north and north-western Australia. While the Canterbury and Otago regions also experienced heavy rainfall, the Southland and Fiordland bore the brunt of the wet weather front due to a deep layer of humid air during a 36-hour period between 26 and 27 January. In Southland's high country areas, the hills and mountains were inundated by the moist north-westerly airstream. This weather flow was met by a southerly front, resulting in heavy rainfall in the lower-lying parts of Southland.

While it was raining in Southland and Fiordland on the morning of 26 January, the rain was forecast to become heavy within 18 hours. Throughout the day the rain got stronger, and after meeting with a southerly front, the streets of Invercargill, Riverton, Bluff, Otautau and Tuatapere started to experience surface flooding at about 9{{Nbsp}}pm. The floodwaters continued to rise, river banks started overflowing, and houses were flooded. Sandbags and pumping were used to defend against the water, but this did not work well.{{Cite news |date=26 January 2024 |title=Southland remembers the 1984 floods |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350154294/southland-remembers-1984-floods |access-date=11 November 2024 |work=The Southland Times |archive-date=2 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302111843/https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350154294/southland-remembers-1984-floods |url-status=live }}

There was {{cvt|143|mm}} of rainfall in total, which was "almost twice as much" as the month's average. On 26 January, Invercargill had {{cvt|84.8|mm}} of rain. For the 24 hours before 9{{nbsp}}am on 27 January, Invercargill Airport had reported {{cvt|134|mm}} of rain.{{Cite web |date=April 2024 |title=Lessons from 1984 Southland flood still relevant today |url=https://www.es.govt.nz/about-us/envirosouth/2024-stories/april-2024/lessons-from-1984-southland-flood-still-relevant-today |access-date=11 November 2024 |publisher=Environment Southland |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240512115529/https://www.es.govt.nz/about-us/envirosouth/2024-stories/april-2024/lessons-from-1984-southland-flood-still-relevant-today|archive-date=12 May 2024|url-status=live}} According to NIWA, many areas in Southland experienced {{cvt|100|mm}} of rain, with 13 sites in the Southland plains reporting {{cvt|130|mm}} over a 24-hour period. Rainfall over much of the region exceeded the 100-year return period values. Some Fiordland mountains experienced heavy rainfall with return periods of between five and ten years.

The Otepuni Creek and Waihopai River overflowed, which caused the evacuation of about 5,000 people.{{Cite news |last1=Fox |first1=Rebecca |date=26 January 2009 |title=Some people 'never' recovered |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/some-people-never-recovered |access-date=11 November 2024 |work=Otago Daily Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240304120128/https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/some-people-never-recovered|archive-date=4 March 2024|url-status=live}}

Mayor Poole declared a state of emergency on 27 January at 4{{Nbsp}}am due to severe flooding. By this time entire streets had flooded and people throughout the town were evacuated from their homes. The flooding occurred throughout Southland so the state of emergency was extended to cover it at mid-morning. The rain stopped on the same day, but the flooding continued to get worse. At one point, Invercargill Airport was {{convert|3|m}} deep in water and 10 aeroplanes were partly submerged.

It took until 27 February for the state of emergency to be lifted. In addition, a Civil Defence declaration remained in force throughout much of Southland between 27 January and 9 February 1984.

In Invercargill, about 4,000 people were evacuated from 1,000 homes, and it took about a week for them to be able to return. Helicopters rescued a few people from rooftops. Some people had trouble evacuating because they did not want to leave their pets behind. In Otautau, 300 people were evacuated from 190 houses. In Tuatapere, 70 homes were evacuated and 37 were flooded. About 1,200 houses were condemned,{{Cite news |date=24 January 2024 |title=Southland council says more funding needed for flood protection |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/507430/southland-council-says-more-funding-needed-for-flood-protection|access-date=11 November 2024 |work=RNZ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003143409/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/507430/southland-council-says-more-funding-needed-for-flood-protection|archive-date=3 October 2024|url-status=live}} and roughly 5,000 tonnes of personal possessions had to be disposed of. Hundreds of flood-damaged vehicles were sold in Invercargill at public auction, and an endorsement of their flood-damaged status was added to their ownership papers.{{Cite news |date=11 February 1984 |title=Papers of flood vehicles endorsed |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840211.2.55 |access-date=14 November 2024 |work=The Press |via=PapersPast}}

There were no human fatalities, although over 12,000 sheep, 334 pigs, 100 cattle and 75 deer died or were 'lost'. In addition, {{cvt|170|km}} of fencing, 52 farm bridges and 234 culverts were destroyed.

In terms of transportation, all of Southland's roads and railways were flooded, cutting the region off from the rest of the country and 100 bridges were also damaged. Air services were also suspended.

Paid out insurance claims totalled $45.8 million (${{inflation|index=NZ|value=131|start_year=2009|r=0|fmt=}} million, adjusted for inflation), and damage was estimated from $50 million to $55 million (${{inflation|index=NZ|value=143|start_year=2009|r=0|fmt=}} million to ${{inflation|index=NZ|value=157.3|start_year=2009|r=0|fmt=}} million, adjusted for inflation). A public flood relief appeal raised NZ$6 million. A book of photographs of the flood, Southland's Black Friday, was published to support the appeal.{{Cite news |date=21 July 1984 |title=Southland's flood |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840721.2.115.12 |access-date=14 November 2024 |work=The Press |via=PapersPast}}{{Cite book |last=Lind |first=Clive |title=Southland's black Friday |publisher=Craig Printing |year=1984 |isbn=0908629133 |location=Invercargill}}

In two Invercargill streets 29 houses could not be protected from flooding and were to be relocated.{{Cite news |date=29 March 1984 |title=Flood relief $2.6M, but 'not enough' |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840329.2.35 |access-date=14 November 2024 |work=The Press}}{{Cite news |date=16 May 1984 |title=Flood funds approved |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840516.2.137 |access-date=14 November 2024 |work=The Press}}

In January 2024, Environment Southland described the event as a 'catalyst' for flood protection upgrades that were later done in the area.{{Cite news |date=25 January 2024 |title=1984 floods led to vital upgrades |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/southland/southland-express/1984-floods-led-vital-upgrades |access-date=11 November 2024 |work=Southland Express |publisher=Allied Press |archive-date=27 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127062951/https://www.odt.co.nz/southland/southland-express/1984-floods-led-vital-upgrades |url-status=live }}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Maf0Wa5T0BU 1984 Southland floods] on YouTube
• [https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/20093/invercargill-under-water-1984 Flooding in Invercargill video]

Category:1980s disasters in New Zealand

Category:Floods in New Zealand

Category:Weather events in New Zealand

Category:1984 in New Zealand

Category:January 1984 in Oceania

Category:History of the Southland Region