The Matata Debris Flows, 18 May 2005
Author(s)
T. Bassett
Abstract
In May 2005 the eastern Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand community
of Matata was hit by intense heavy rain that caused debris flows that cut major
transport links, destroyed homes and caused over $ 20 m (€ 11.3 m) of damage.
In close consultation with the local community the local Whakatane District
Council organised the disaster recovery process and co-ordinated various
investigations necessary to determine appropriate future hazard management and
risk mitigation strategies to protect lives and property. Three months after the
storm the Council adopted a strategy that included for various structural and non-structural
risk mitigation measures, with a total cost of $ 19.8 m (€ 11.2 m).
Keywords: extreme rainfall, debris flows, New Zealand, hazard management,
risk mitigation.
1 Introduction
On 18 May 2005 a band of intense rain passed over the hills behind Matata, a
residential town in the Bay of Plenty, on the east coast of the North Island of
New Zealand. The storm triggered debris avalanches on the steep catchment
slopes, which in turn set in motion debris flows along the stream valleys.
The debris flows and floods were delivered on to the fanhead on which the
town has been developed, flowing across a railway line and a state highway into
residential properties.
The railway and highway links were severed, with restricted heavy vehicle
use of the highway allowed after a week. Numerous dwellings were destroyed
and a large amount of debris spread though parts of the town and into lagoons
downstream on the coastal fringe. Remarkably there were no fatalities, nor even
serious injuries.
In the town and its near vicinity it is estimated that the total value of damage
in terms of immediate disaster recovery activities, insurance claims, lost
Keywords
extreme rainfall, debris flows, New Zealand, hazard management,
risk mitigation.
Related Book
Other papers in this volume
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