More Info →Flooding in Pencarrow Street

Sue Morrison and Barry Rosser grabbed a few belongings and canoed away from their flood stricken home rather than get wet.

The floods of July 1988 occurred after Palmerston North experienced the highest 24 hour rainfall on record. It fell mostly between 1pm and midnight 24 July. A state of emergency was declared. More than 1000 people were evacuated from 12 flooded streets when the Mangaone Stream and the Kawau Stream flowed at very high levels, closing trapdoors and storm water drains. Most of the flooded homes were in Amberley Avenue, Chadwick Place, Pencarrow Street and Cedar Grove.