Chart JSON
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"style": {
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}
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"subtitle": {
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},
"colors": [],
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"legend": {
"enabled": true,
"verticalAlign": "top",
"layout": "horizontal"
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"xAxis": [
{
"type": "",
"title": {
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"style": {
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},
"categories": [
"1976",
"1978",
"1980",
"1981",
"1983",
"1984",
"1985",
"1986",
"1988",
"1990",
"1991",
"1993",
"1994",
"1995",
"1997",
"1998",
"1999",
"2000",
"2001",
"2002",
"2003",
"2004",
"2005",
"2006",
"2007",
"2008",
"2010",
"2011",
"2013",
"2014",
"2015",
"2016",
"2017",
"2018",
"2019",
"2020",
"2021",
"2022",
"2023"
],
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"series": [
{
"name": "Cost ($m)",
"color": "#8ccaee",
"data": [
6.2,
10.3,
10.3,
9,
2.3,
51.1,
5.3,
19.3,
19.1,
1.8,
1.6,
7.6,
7.5,
12.6,
6.6,
11.8,
54.9,
9.5,
0.6,
22.7,
3.3,
22.4,
3.8,
4.5,
2.2,
0.8,
18.3,
49.9,
49.1,
58,
89.4,
48,
94.6,
33.3,
19.4,
166.9,
252.6,
187.4,
1957.6
]
},
{
"name": "Inflation adjusted cost ($m)*",
"color": "#2647c9",
"data": [
59,
78.1,
62.1,
48,
9.5,
202.8,
19.1,
59.8,
45,
3.8,
3.3,
15.1,
14.7,
24,
12.1,
21.3,
99.2,
16.9,
1,
38.1,
4.5,
36.1,
6,
6.8,
3.2,
1.1,
25.2,
65.6,
63.1,
73.4,
112.5,
60.2,
116.7,
40.5,
23,
195.2,
285.9,
200.3,
1995.7
]
}
]
}Select individual lines of data by clicking on the categories listed above the graph.
This graph shows the annual cost of floods over the period from 1976 to 2023, based on insurance payment data provided by the Insurance Council of New Zealand. Amounts are in New Zealand dollars and show both the annual cost and inflation adjusted cost as of 30 June 2023. Both figures are exclusive of GST.
Insurance payments for flood damage have increased significantly over the last five decades – $734 million (1982−2012) compared to over $3 billion (2013−2023) – as climate change impacted the frequency and ferocity of weather events. Damaging floods occurred in varying locations and affected most parts of the country. Floods in Southland (1984), West Coast (2021) and Auckland (2023) were particularly costly.
Using this item
Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Source: Cost of natural disasters, Insurance Council of New Zealand
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.