Lucky Escape

A sixty-miles-an-hour north-easter which hit Gisborne on Friday, July 13 — "Black Friday" — lashed the city and district with over 3 inches of rain in 12 hours.

Swollen to a height of 21 feet on the gauge at Kanakanaia, the Waipaoa River swept down to the Gisborne plain in an alarming "flash" flood which blocked both north and south road links.

Like the storm, the flood passed quickly, but it left farmers on the plain wondering what would have happened if the rain hadn't stopped when it did.

×

 

• 

On Manutuke highway, flood waters five feet deep swirl across bitumin in the new "cut"

×

 

• 

Water from the "cut" rejoins Waipaoa at head of Matawhero loop. Note 44-gallon drum adrift on river