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Story: Southland region

Invercargill under water, 1984

Video file

Severe flooding affected Invercargill and many other parts of Southland in January 1984. In Invercargill the Waihopai River burst its banks. Around the region, nearly 4,000 people had to be evacuated from their houses, and 900 buildings and seven bridges were damaged. This silent video shows the extent of flooding in downtown Invercargill.

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How to cite this page

David Grant, Southland region – Climate, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/20093/invercargill-under-water-1984 (accessed 19 June 2026).

Story by David Grant, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 May 2015.