Wanganui floods. Kowhai Park and its mini railway under water.
On Saturday, June 20, one month's worth of rain fell on Wanganui in 24 hours.
That night and early Sunday morning the surging Whananui River brought the worst flooding on record.
The resultant flood saw the city cut off and about 400 people evacuated mainly in Putiki, Aramoho and Wanganui East.
The Whanganui River breached its banks around midnight on Saturday, spilling floodwater into the central business district.
Wanganui Chronicle published a special edition focusing on the floods with all proceeds going to the Mayoral Flood Relief Fund.
We take a look back at some of the events which lead to this once in a lifetime event.
No warning
MetService had not issued a severe weather warning because there had been no indication the rain would be so heavy.
Between 142.8mm and 197mm of heavy rain battered Wanganui and Raetihi, causing the Whanganui River to burst its banks and forcing hundreds of residents to head for higher ground.
It was unexpected - the rain was heavier and stayed around for longer than expected
In Rangitikei water levels started rising quickly. The Tutaenui Stream breached its banks just before midnight on Saturday.
Horizons Regional Council recorded the Whanganui River reaching a peak of 9.1 metres at Town Bridge at 3am, with a flow rate of 4,690 cubic metres per second.
In Waitotara police and fire brigade staff told residents they had five minutes to grab whatever they wanted and then they had to leave.
There was no warning - we had to evacuate.
Cut off
Overnight flooding had split the city in two because all bridges were closed for safety reasons.
All roads in and out of Wanganui were eventually closed due to severe weather conditions.
Climbing above Whanganui airport in a helicopter brought home how widespread the flooding was.
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Wanganui District Council Civil Defence asked people to stay indoors and not travel unless they absolutely had to.
Civil Defence declared a state of emergency as more and more people were forced to evacuate.
Pulling together
As floodwaters rose, small acts of heroism were reported in the region. The Wanganui Pound opened their doors to stranded dogs.
At Kauangaroa, the Cranstones had 10 unexpected guests after three vehicles became stranded after the road became impassable.
Friends rallied round sharemilkers Lyall and Sindy Hooper to help them move equipment as the waters rose across their farm in the lower Waitotara Valley.
Many Wanganui St John officers worked without a break to help out during the flooding.
In Marton staff were faced with the challenge of trying to get a woman who had apparently gone into labour to safety.
The CBD was cordoned off and a sticker system implemented on affected properties.
Local photographer Mark Brimblecombe managed to circumnavigate the cordons put into place to capture the devastation first hand, upsetting some locals in the process.
Counting the cost
When people were finally allowed back into their homes and businesses they were met with scenes of devastation.
Owners of properties along Anzac Parade were overcome with emotion as they saw the damage caused by the floodwaters.
In Whangaehu the McDonnell family have had to deal with four floods in the past 11 years but the latest flood could be the last straw .
It's broken me. It's the one that's broken the camel's back.
At the Aramoho Wanganui Rowing Club, the building and its contents came off second best. Although insurance will cover a lot of the damage, the club still needs to cover the $25k excess. The club hopes putting their story out there will bring in some help.
The club has done Wanganui proud over many, many years and it would be nice to think people could help us get back up and running if they are able,
Playgrounds and parks were swamped with mud and water. Kowhai Park was swallowed by half a metre of silt. Check out the photos of the clean up here.
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Excess water at Kowhai Park has now fully drained away but Wanganui District Council workers say it could take months to complete the clean-up.
So far in Wanganui, 256 insurance claims have been submitted due to flooding. This may not be enough to cover damages.
An initial assessment of the economic impact around the region has put the estimated cost of flood recovery at $120million.
Climate change responsible?
Many tried to find a reason behind the event with some blaming climate change.
Wanganui writer Frank Greenall blamed the river, despite its innocent exterior.
Could be the river got down and dirty again 'cos somehow most of its catchment cloak got trashed back when
Experts are now looking for a solution to prevent such devastation from happening again.
Rangitikei mayor Andy Watson says there are lessons to be learned from the mass flooding.
To be honest, there have been a few hiccups and there are things we will learn from it through the debrief process
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Picking up the pieces
The Grand Hotel Wanganui has already run two fundraising quizzes to help out with flood relief, raising $800.
Mayor Annette Main said she was overwhelmed by the generosity shown to those affected by the record-breaking floods which hit the city.
The people putting on food, the local businesses offering physical support and cash ... they're just doing it for their community.
The Whangarei District Council has donated $7500 to help victims of the floods that hit the city and district.
New apps are being designed that will help compile government data and present it in a useful way. This could include ways to match people in need to those who can help them in time of a natural disaster.
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Now business is getting back to normal in Wanganui. The flood-hit rail link between Marton and New Plymouth is now back in business.
The state of emergency may have been lifted but for many residents the events of the weekend of June 20 2015 will stay with them for a long time to come.
'We’ve got our enforcement teams and where we can, we’ll track them down.'
