Dunedin is still dealing with road closures, surface flooding, slips and a big cleanup job.
The Water of Leith in flood. Photo: Supplied
The southern city has had a major dousing. Some student flats were evacuated overnight but tenants have been able to return home today.
The worst of the rain is over now, but there is no sunshine on the horizon just yet.
Jack Bonisch lives next to the Water of Leith and arrived home last night to an unusual sight.
"I was literally at rugby training last night, got home at about probably 7.45 and most of the boys were pretty much packed up all ready to go.
"We got a knock on the door about 8 o'clock from the police telling us 'it's best to be safe than sorry', so we just packed up our bags as quick as we could and headed up the road."
His home was one of 35 properties evacuated as a precaution following concerns the river could burst its banks.
He did not think it would get too bad - there were people riding the rapids on surfboards on Tuesday.
The day had yet to dawn and the rain was still heavy when he got the news he could return home.
"Some of these houses along here it [the water] could be like a metre, half a metre less from the backyard so it's getting pretty close."
By morning, the Water of Leith was still murky, frothing and flowing fast.
The Water of Leith today. Photo: Supplied / Maisie Guy
Cushla McKinney was checking out the river levels while walking to work.
She has lived in the area for the past 30 years.
"I've been really impressed by how well the floodworks have worked because they've done a lot of work to widen the Leith around this area and through the university and we've had big rains in the past and 10-15 years ago, this would have been inundating areas of the university and along down here so I think that's made a really big difference."
'Pretty dire out there'
Further north, State Highway 1 was closed from Palmerston to Dunedin for most of the day due to flooding
Waikouaiti is in between the two - where Sonya Billyard is a local community board member.
"There've been a lot of reports from the local farmers and I have seen a lot of their photographs that have come through, and it's pretty dire out there.
"The stock have all luckily been moved to higher ground and we got plenty of warning about this coming. But the damage ... I mean I've been here 20, 30 years and I haven't seen water that high in such a vast area since I've been here."
The scene at Waikouaiti today. Photo: Otago Civil Defence Emergency Management
She had been at a community response hub at the East Otago Events Centre to support truck drivers and others cut off by flooding today.
The poor weather meant other community support has not been able to go ahead.
Photo: Supplied / Waka Kotahi
"In the midst of Covid and people needing isolation care packs and our foodbank and things, we're a bit stuck at the moment as well because we can't get out," Billyard said.
"I've had a lot of calls this morning and of course, we can't get out to deliver them - unless they're local - we just can't get out there. It's too risky sending volunteers out there in these conditions."
With flooding still impacting multiple local roads, people are being urged to check for updates before hitting the road.
The Clutha District Council said more than 35 roads were still affected by flooding.
It said 15 roads in the area will stay closed overnight and around another 20 have surface flooding.
Milton, Waihola and the coast are the worst affected areas.
The council said motorists should treat all flooded roads as if they are closed and not drive through - whether or not there are signs in place.
It fears theTokomairiro River may flood State Highway 1 south of Milton at some stage tonight.
Flooding at Big Kuri Creek at Hampden in North Otago. Photo: Supplied / Waka Kotahi
