Thursday, July 31, 2008

The Big Wet

A storm has been travelling the length of New Zealand, creating havoc with high winds and heavy rain. Trees and power lines have come down, seaside homes have been encroached on by wild seas, and rivers have burst their banks all over the North Island, and upper South Island.

Last night, the storm reached Canterbury, and while we didn't get any of the gale force easterly winds (I live in an inland town), we certainly got the rain. North Canterbury doesn't get a lot of rain normally, so I wasn't expecting anything major. My side of town was apparently a swamp at one time but with moderate rainfall, this is not a problem. However, the clay pan underneath has not been able to handle the solid rain we've had over the past 30 hours.
This is the front lawn this morning. It's lower than the driveway so the water is deepest there. The back lawn is a bit higher in the middle, though the water is ankle deep on the paths. Getting firewood from the woodshed means wading through cold water, but at least I have dry firewood.

I'm working from home today but if the drains back up any more, I may have to go into work.

6 comments:

Vicki W said...

Holy cow! The "big wet" indeed! I hope it stops soon.

Featheronawire Sally Bramald said...

Poor you, if the drains back up it would be awful.
Places all over the world are suffering things out of the normal. It really hits home quite literally when it's your home involved.

Julie said...

Eeeek! That looks very worrying. I used to live on an island as a child (my Mum still lives there) and it's very alarming watching the water rise up to your doorstep. I hope it eases off.

Ali Honey said...

It certainly has been turning it on hasn't it. Last night's TV viewing was a horror story - so many places with houses slipping away or ripped apart or flooded or with huge trees dropped agaist them.
We have some minor damage compared with that and some flooding across one kiwifruit block (that happens from time to time). As always there is plenty of cleaning up to do; of leaves small branches, tree ferns etc, but we are still getting wind gusts so it is too soon to begin .
Glad you have dry wood - so have we, lots of it.

The Idaho Beauty said...

Looks like the dogs could go swimming...what do they think?

Doespins said...

Yep, thats what our garden's looking like too, just been out for a wade to the woodshed. Still pouring with rain.
clare has fingers crossed for no school tomorrow.
Cheers, Doe