Otira flood, December 1957

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DescriptionOtira floodDate of Photo1957Map^[1]ContributorElizabeth Reid

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Location (city or town)OtiraEventOtira flood

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Category Tagflood

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Date Created29th October 2021CommentsLes Holmes Germanicus
I remember that storm like it happened yesterday. It blew out our tent camping at Hanmer and later driving into Nelson the waves were breaking right across the road and one nearly swamped the car.

Kathy Duthie
we lived there then, and got evacuated to greymouth to the duke hotelTalk about climate change\That must of been terrifying.

Elizabeth Reid
As a 5 year old it was terrifying. Like Laura said all women and children were evacuated to Greymouth. Train control lost the train on it's trip and they thought we had all gone into the river.

Stephen Wright
Alex Graham - a regular contact of mine on Otira history matters - explained that the photo was taken at the corner by the fire station looking towards Goat Hill. The former recreation ground is on the right-hand side of the photo, with the flood water flowing across that and down onto the road that leads to the Electricity substation. The building on the left was a surveyors' bach, used by itinerant New Zealand Railways civil engineering staff when working at Otira. During the repair works after the 1957 flood, a surveyor by the name of Tom Rogers occupied it for much of the time. He was also in charge of the completion works on the Otira stopbank which Eddie Evans carried out in 1959/60. Sometime in the first half of the 1970s, Herbie Vroblifski purchased it and shifted it to its present location (now part of Rata Lodge Backpackers).

Lauren Macdonald-Parker
Wow, thank you Stephen Wright & Alex Graham very comprehensive. Alex’s sister Janet was my best friend & I have very fond memories of times spent at their home behind the substation. Joyce Graham was particularly kind & loving I always felt really welcome

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Otira flood, December 1957

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