1971 Canberra flood
Encyclopedia
The 1971 Canberra flood was a flash flood
that occurred on Australia Day
, 26 January 1971, in the Woden Valley
of Canberra
, Australia
. The flood killed seven people including four children, injured 15 and affected 500 people. The insurance damage was estimated at A$
9 million. It was estimated that around 95 mm of rain fell in one hour during this event. The Yarralumla Creek drainage channel peak rate of flow measured 186,891 litres per second at the Carruthers Street pluviograph near Yarra Glen at around 8:50pm.
The force of the water was strong enough to move a bus 180 degrees on Melrose Drive south east of the intersection with Yarra Glen. The intersection was covered to a depth of an estimated 1.83m and the floodwaters spread an estimated 183m wide, east to west across the intersection of Yamba Drive, Melrose Drive and Yarra Glen. A number of people and cars were swept in to the Yarralumla Creek drainage channel from a low level crossing at the junction of Yamba Drive, Melrose Drive and . Yamba Drive was covered in fast flowing water to at least 275m south of the Hindmarsh Drive intersection where a white car and the driver were swept into the Long Gully drainage channel.
The 1971 Canberra flood victims names and ages:
One Australian Police Officer, Constable Jeff Brown, was six months later awarded the British Empire Medal for Gallantry
for rescue efforts during the event. Four Australian Police Officers were later awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct
for rescue efforts during the event.
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
that occurred on Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
, 26 January 1971, in the Woden Valley
Woden Valley
Woden Valley is a district of Canberra, the capital city of Australia. Its name is taken from the name of a nearby homestead owned by Dr James Murray who named the homestead after the Old English god Woden in October 1837. He named it this as he was to spend his life in the pursuit of wisdom and...
of Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The flood killed seven people including four children, injured 15 and affected 500 people. The insurance damage was estimated at A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
9 million. It was estimated that around 95 mm of rain fell in one hour during this event. The Yarralumla Creek drainage channel peak rate of flow measured 186,891 litres per second at the Carruthers Street pluviograph near Yarra Glen at around 8:50pm.
The force of the water was strong enough to move a bus 180 degrees on Melrose Drive south east of the intersection with Yarra Glen. The intersection was covered to a depth of an estimated 1.83m and the floodwaters spread an estimated 183m wide, east to west across the intersection of Yamba Drive, Melrose Drive and Yarra Glen. A number of people and cars were swept in to the Yarralumla Creek drainage channel from a low level crossing at the junction of Yamba Drive, Melrose Drive and . Yamba Drive was covered in fast flowing water to at least 275m south of the Hindmarsh Drive intersection where a white car and the driver were swept into the Long Gully drainage channel.
The 1971 Canberra flood victims names and ages:
- Carmel Anne Smith (19)
- Margaret Mary Smith (15)
- Michael John Smith (6)
- Jennifer Ann Seymour (12)
- Dianne Elizabeth Seymour (8)
- Lon Victor Cumberland (18)
- Roderick Dumaresq Simon (20).
One Australian Police Officer, Constable Jeff Brown, was six months later awarded the British Empire Medal for Gallantry
Queen's Gallantry Medal
The Queen's Gallantry Medal is the third level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.It was instituted on 20 June 1974 to replace the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, the British Empire Medal for Gallantry, and the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry...
for rescue efforts during the event. Four Australian Police Officers were later awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct
Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct
Instituted in 1939 by King George VI as the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct, the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct acknowledged brave acts by civilians and members of the military in non-warlike circumstances during a time of war or in peacetime where the action would not otherwise be...
for rescue efforts during the event.