Security of the town that night will never be forgotten – was checking buildings around council place, Hobson st etc. when the once a quiet creek became a torrent that broke its banks saw me running ahead of that torrent down manchester street. (feet do your duty!) It was a dreadful night the water caught up with me. the town was a wash.. It was indeed a long night and pitch black. Hope never to see a repeat.

It is quite easily the events of February 2004. Extreme and very costly.

We were caught up in the worst of the big snow of ’06 which left us isolated for days. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, felt like we were in another part of the world. I will never forget hearing torrential rain turning to loud thuds on the roof in the middle of Sunday night, and getting up to see what the noise was only to discover huge snowflakes falling. I have never heard falling snow make noise like that and doubt that I will again, and it did not let up for 13 hours, bringing down power poles and trees and causing buildings to collapse under the weight of snow. Although I do agree that the Manawatu floods were pretty extreme – it would have to be between these 2… hard to pick the worst. Any of the various weather bombs pale in comparison in my humble opinion.

I think the February 2004 flooding in the Manawatu area was.
The cleanup took such a long time, huge bridge supports from Ashhurst bridge were flung like matchsticks down the river. Daughter riding horse along farm driveway underestimated strength of waterflow and horse & rider got swept away. Luckily she caught hold of a tree and was subsequently rescued by helicoptor with difficulty.
Mud, so much mud left as river receeded. Some people lost homes.
Lots of suicides following the destruction of farms, but never talked about.