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https://theconversation.com/an-ordinary-storm-with-extraordinary-impacts-what-made-wellingtons-deluge-so-intense-281016>
"At their most intense, the downpours that drove widespread flash flooding
across Wellington early on Monday morning would have counted as extreme even by
tropical standards.
But here in 2026, it is part of an increasingly familiar pattern reminding us
that our communities and infrastructure aren’t yet prepared to cope with what a
warmer, wilder future holds.
Over a 48-hour window, the capital saw rainfall totals that nearly tripled
monthly averages, with some residents describing it as the worst flooding event
since Wellington’s disastrous 1976 storm.
MetService reported that more than 70mm of rain fell in just one hour in parts
of southern Wellington early on Monday morning. That is more than half the
total rainfall typically recorded at the city’s Botanical Gardens over the
whole of April.
Impacts were immediate and severe. In some suburbs, entire streets were
flooded. Vehicles were left floating in floodwaters; others were simply carried
away.
Local emergency services were stretched, responding to more than 150
weather-related calls in a single morning, as hubs were set up in the suburb of
Lower Hutt to support displaced residents.
Infrastructure across the region struggled to cope. Multiple sections of local
state highways were forced closed by flooding and slips, with continuing
disruption to Metlink transport services.
Wellington’s 1976 disaster cost tens of millions of dollars. The bill for this
one is now being counted."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
