Otago’s wet week – in pictures

12:10 pm on 5 October 2024
A car negotiates Forbury Rd.

A driver makes their way through floodwaters on Forbury Road, on Friday. Photo: Otago Daily Times / Stephen Jaquiery

Clarification: The headline and context paragraph have been changed to clarify advice from Niwa that Dunedin (Musselburgh) had observed its second-wettest day on record with 130.8 mm from 9:00 am Thursday-9:00 am Friday. It has been their wettest day in over a century; the last time it was at least this wet in Musselburgh was in April 1923.

Twice a season's worth of rain within days caused mayhem in Otago this week, with evacuations, essential services disrupted, and roads damaged and closed.

By 9am Friday, central Dunedin (Musselburgh) had recorded more than 130mm of rain in the previous 42 hours, twice their average October monthly rainfall. Niwa said it was the second-wettest day on record at Musselburgh - and it continued to fall through the day.

Here's some of what was captured through Friday:

Dunedin

Botha St

Sandbagging underway in Botha Street, Tainui. Photo: Nathan Mckinnon/RNZ

Flooding in the Dunedin suburb of Tainui on 4 October 2024.

Flood waters surrounding houses in Tainui, on Friday. Photo: RNZ / Nathan McKinnon

Flooding in Dunedin

Keeping everyone safe Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

Botha St

Botha Street Photo: Nathan Mckinnon/RNZ

Flooding in Dunedin

A sandbagged property on Surrey Street, in South Dunedin, on Friday evening. Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

Macandrew Bay on Otago Peninsula
Credit Hakan Oktay

Macandrew Bay on Otago Peninsula. Photo: Supplied / Hakan Oktay

Dunedin locals delivering hot meals to flood-affected residents.

A group of 10 people from the Otago Punjabi Foundation Trust out delivering more than 100 hot meals to flood-affected residents in Dunedin. Photo: RNZ / Jessica Hopkins

Waikouaiti property flooded following severe rainfall.

Floodwaters flowing around this Waikouaiti house. Photo: Supplied / Susan Rebergen

Waikouaiti property flooded following severe rainfall.

Floodwaters flowing through a property in Dunedin's Waikouaiti. Photo: Supplied / Susan Rebergen

Macandrew Bay School, Dunedin.
Credit Nic Brown

Macandrew Bay School Photo: Supplied / Nic Brown

A large slip across the road in Company Bay, Dunedin, on 4 October, 2024.

A large slip across the road in Company Bay, Dunedin. Photo: Otago Regional Council/ Supplied- Paul Le Comte

Flooding in Churchill Street, Dunedin

Churchill Street, St Kilda Photo: RNZ/Tess Brunton

Flooding on Surrey Street, South Dunedin, seen Friday morning (left) and evening (right).

Flooding on Surrey Street, South Dunedin, on Friday morning (left) and evening (right). Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Despite being nervous about how the toilet would handle the floodwaters, Osbourne Street resident Margaret Thompson was determined to stay put at home, on 4 October, 2024.

Despite being nervous about how the toilet would handle the floodwaters, Osbourne Street resident Margaret Thompson was determined to stay put at home. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery

Scenes on Surrey Street, South Dunedin, Friday evening, a homemade raft.

Valerie's Ark. Photo: RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon

Macandrew Bay resident Shaun Campbell in front of a landslip that buried his neighbour’s car, on 4 October, 2024.

Macandrew Bay resident Shaun Campbell in front of a landslip that buried his neighbour's car. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery

Slip and flooding on Portobello Road close to MacAndrew Bay.

A slip and flooding on Portobello Road, close to Macandrew Bay. Photo: Supplied / Izzi Priest-Forsyth

Shay Casey and Hannah Mutch, evacuating their Kirkcaldy Street home on Friday 4 October 2024, taking their pugs.

Shay Casey and Hannah Mutch, evacuating their Kirkcaldy Street home on Friday, and taking their pugs with them. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery

Macandrew Road, south D

Mcandrew Road, South Dunedin Photo: Nathan Mckinnon/RNZ

A stormwater drain gushing water on Forbury Road, St Clair.

A stormwater drain gushing water on Forbury Road, St Clair. Photo: Otago Daily Times / Debbie Porteous

People fill sandbags at the Junction Cafe, on the corner of Hargest Crescent and Richardson Street, in St Clair.

People fill sandbags at the Junction Cafe, on the corner of Hargest Crescent and Richardson Street, in St Clair. Photo: Otago Daily Times / Stephen Jaquiery

Leith River

The Leith River in flood, on Friday. Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

Flooding in Green Island, Dunedin

Green Island Photo: Alysha Gibbs

Soldiers supervising a cordon in Hargest Crescent, St Kilda, on Saturday morning, 5 October, 2024.

Soldiers supervising a cordon in Hargest Crescent, St Kilda, on Saturday morning. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery

Clutha

Flooding in Clutha.

Many travellers found themselves stuck, as roads closed. Photo: Supplied / Clutha District Council

Scenes south of Balclutha as the district is under a state of emergency.

South of Balclutha on Friday. Photo: Lisa Dunlop via Otago Weather Updates / Facebook

Toko Mouth

At Toko Mouth Photo: Simon Davies/supplied

Toko Mouth

Toko Mouth Photo: Simon Davies/supplied

Elsewhere

Darryl Shanks rescues sheep and lambs from islands made by the rising creek in Otago.

Darryl Shanks rescues sheep and lambs from islands made by the rising creek in Otago. Photo: Supplied / Emma Bardsley

Road flooding

Photo: NZTA Waka Kotahi

Road flooding

Photo: NZTA Waka Kotahi

Rocks loosened by the rain fell in the Cromwell-Clyde Gorge on Friday 4 October, 2024, badly damaging a car, though the three occupants were unhurt.

Rocks loosened by the rain fell in the Cromwell-Clyde Gorge on Friday, badly damaging a car, though the three occupants were unhurt. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Ruby Shaw

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  • Dunedin: 100 people evacuated homes overnight