Blizzard and flood of 1863

The blizzard and flood of 1863 was a series of consecutive natural disasters in Central Otago in New Zealand's South Island.

Sources using the earliest reports of loss of life tend to greatly overstate the numbers who died.

[4] Into July there was still no significant change from the routine weather patterns with snow building up in the higher country, although to a lesser extent than normal.

All the rivers in the area; the Clutha (Molyneux), the Kawarau, the Shotover, the Arrow, the Manuherikia, the Bannockburn, and numerous streams flooded.

Overall the flooding was reported as being worse than the early July event with Lake Wakatipu rising 2 metres (6.6 ft).

[16] From 13 to 15 August blizzards and heavy snows swept through inland Otago from the Taieri Plains to the lakes.

In the vicinity of Black Ball and Drunken Woman's Creek a party of 16 were thought to have perished, but this too later proved inaccurate.

[27] Nicholas Cordts' body was found at the end of October in Potters Gulley and John Stewart's at the beginning of November in Pomahawka Creek.

[28][29] A skeleton was found in January 1864 near the Timber Gully to Teviot track and the person's cause of death was attributed to being most likely the August blizzard.

On 23 September, a police party was caught in a heavy snow storm in the Kakanui Range near Naseby.

There a number of reports that greatly exaggerated the suspected death toll in the period leading up to the diggings becoming accessible again.