Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, January 1971

Woden Valley flood, 1971

Quick Statistics

7 Fatalities
15 Injured
$9 million Insurance Costs

On 26 January 1971, a super cell thunderstorm caused widespread flooding in the Woden Valley in Canberra's south-east. The rainfall started at approximately 7:30pm-7:50pm; up to 100 millimetres was recorded in one hour by private rain gauges in the suburbs of Farrer and Torrens. 

Rainwater filled the creek running beside the Woden Valley freeway. As debris blocked the valley, the backup of water sent a flash flood onto the freeway. Two hundred metres wide and one-and-a-half metres deep, the torrent engulfed over a dozen cars.

The incident caused the deaths of seven people, aged between six and 20 years. The Coroner's report found the deaths to be the result of accidental drowning. 

The Department of Interior estimated the damage to public and government-owned property at $120,000. The Bureau of Meteorology estimated the total damage bill at $9 million. 

Gallery

Sources

ABC News, 'Memorial to remember 1971 flood victims', 9 September 2009, website viewed 8 May 2012.
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Capital Territory in focus, 2007, website viewed 8 May 2012.
Bureau of Meteorology, Summary of significant severe thunderstorm events in NSW - 1970/1979, website viewed 8 May 2012.
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Woden Valley flood 26 January 1971, parliamentary paper no. 22, 1971, pp 1 – 6 (Coroner's statement and findings), 1, 9 - 12 (Department of the Interior report).