While the Greens, MSM and other panicked people are citing “climate change” as responsible for the sudden flooding of Auckland and Northland, it’s worth considering the history of such events in our fair isles. These records are from the government’s own history website.
In 1863:
Approximately 25 gold miners died on the Arrow diggings, north-east of Queenstown, in a series of flash floods and slips caused by 24 hours of heavy rain. It was the worst day of a brutal winter during which an estimated 100 miners were drowned, buried by mudslides or died of exposure.
Just five years later, in 1868:
An ex-tropical cyclone swept south across the country from Saturday 1st. By the time it moved away on Tuesday 4th, more than 40 people had died. […]
There was also widespread damage to property, with crops washed away and thousands of livestock lost. A contemporary estimate costed the damage at between £500,000 and £1 million ($60–120 million in today’s values).
1984:
Local waterways soon overflowed, and by 4 am, a state of emergency had been declared. By morning, streets, houses, shops and factories were under water, and local streams sent torrents of water through Invercargill. Levels rose further still as high tide prevented floodwater from draining into Invercargill estuary. Invercargill airport was flooded by water that was 3 m deep inside the terminal. […]
Floodwaters left around 1200 homes uninhabitable and forced the evacuation of more than 4000 people. No people died, but livestock losses were heavy – more than 12,000 sheep, 330 pigs, 100 cattle and 75 deer drowned.
And, Cyclone Bola in 1998:
The ensuing floods overwhelmed river stopbanks, damaged houses, knocked out bridges and sections of roads and railway lines, and destroyed parts of Gisborne’s main water pipeline. Three people died in a car swept away by floodwaters, and thousands were evacuated from their homes.
Horticulture and farming losses amounted to $90 million (equivalent to more than $180 million today). Farmers lost large tracts of grazing land, and thick sediment from the ebbing floods smothered pastures, orchards and crops. The government’s repair bill for the cyclone was more than $111 million ($225 million).
NZHistory.govt.nz
Of course, there have been many, many floods over the years that have wiped out bridges, highways, houses and lives around New Zealand. It happens. But perhaps, if it is not in Auckland, then Auckland doesn’t notice. With so many affected, it’s an ideal opportunity to push the climate change agenda.
These tweets highlight some of the alarmism and politicisation being made of this unfortunate weather event.
And from Green MP Chloe Swarbrick:
This is what climate change looks like. It isn’t abstract. It looks like ever more unpredictable weather events, displacement of people, food insecurity and infrastructure under strain. Climate change exacerbates already existing inequalities.
Facebook/Chloe Swarbrick
If you need a sanity boost, here’s an essay calling out the pseudoscience from the former director general of New Zealand’s Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). It’s an interesting read.
Discuss it on The BFD.