Dunedin Thunderstorm

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Tue 08/02/2005 19:32

This thunderstorm looks like being one of the most significant thunderstorms of recent years in NZ. I heard an insurance assessor on the radio today suggesting the damage bill will run into the millions of dollars. One claim alone (retailer I think) was expected to exceed $500,000. All the damage was a result of flood waters. The 34mm in less than an hour has a return period for Dunedin of something like 200years.

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Tue 08/02/2005 20:56

I wonder if the central Dunedin CBD is especially prone to flooding damage from such storms as it's close to steep hills to the north and west, and receives the runoff from them in the heavy downpours.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Tue 08/02/2005 21:48

Yes, the steep landscape would have been a factor in the flood. But I don't recall the Dunedin DBD being flooded like that before. Particularly heavy rain is very rare in Dunedin and only occurs during summer thunderstorms which are normaly very brief when they do occur. I think this deluge was prolonged as it occured on a relatively slow moving convergence line over the area.

Fujita Phil · Unread post by **Fujita Phil** » Tue 08/02/2005 22:12

NZStorm wrote:One claim alone (retailer I think) was expected to exceed $500,000.

Heard one report (unofficial) that Smith City again (had major damage in the last storm) and will be closed for 4 days after this latest storm. That maybe the retail firm?

Correct, the water certainly had it's worst affect when it ran off the hills and down into the CBD

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Wed 09/02/2005 11:24

Mosgiel 10 km SW of Dunedin had flooding through some shops.
The roof of the National Bank there collapsed as it has a flat roof.

Compie · Unread post by **Compie** » Thu 10/02/2005 10:38

It's true we don't get thunderstorms too frequently, and downpours like that are with out a doubt exceptional. I watched our creek rise about 1 foot in less than an half an hour.

it was great viewing folks, warm warm evening with the most beatiful dark clouds over the city (I live on the peninsula and look directly back at the city facing southwards). Town dissapeared then we got it the sual 5 mins later. My bbq was almost runined.

The peninsula took a beating, stormwater drains became waterfalls over the peninsula road into the harbour, minor slips every 100m and debris everywhere.

As for town, the york place stormwater took the most of the damage, with a huge hole appearing where a drain once lived. Simply the typography is perfect to allow the runoff from the city rise to hit the cbd.

I'm sure the shop owners wouldn't really want rate rises to pay for expensive stormwater systems that are meant to handle 1 in 200 year events. Once again the media found a way to runi a great weather story and turn it into a who to blame economics/political story.

Paul