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
Sandbagging underway in Botha Street, Tainui. Photo: Nathan Mckinnon/RNZ
Flood waters surrounding houses in Tainui, on Friday. Photo: RNZ / Nathan McKinnon
Keeping everyone safe Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon
Botha Street Photo: Nathan Mckinnon/RNZ
A sandbagged property on Surrey Street, in South Dunedin, on Friday evening. Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon
Macandrew Bay on Otago Peninsula. Photo: Supplied / Hakan Oktay
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
Floodwaters flowing around this Waikouaiti house. Photo: Supplied / Susan Rebergen
Floodwaters flowing through a property in Dunedin's Waikouaiti. Photo: Supplied / Susan Rebergen
Provisionally, Dunedin (Musselburgh) has just observed its second-wettest day on record with 130.8 mm from 9:00 am Thursday-9:00 am Friday.
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) October 3, 2024
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. pic.twitter.com/k7cnzu8Aji
Macandrew Bay School Photo: Supplied / Nic Brown
A large slip across the road in Company Bay, Dunedin. Photo: Otago Regional Council/ Supplied- Paul Le Comte
Churchill Street, St Kilda Photo: RNZ/Tess Brunton
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. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery
Valerie's Ark. Photo: RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon
Macandrew Bay resident Shaun Campbell in front of a landslip that buried his neighbour's car. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery
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, and taking their pugs with them. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery
Mcandrew Road, South Dunedin Photo: Nathan Mckinnon/RNZ
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. Photo: Otago Daily Times / Stephen Jaquiery
We’re grateful for the help we’re receiving from the New Zealand Army who will be staffing a series of cordons around South Dunedin. These will be in place to stop people driving through flood waters on closed roads. This mahi is in coordination with the New Zealand Police. pic.twitter.com/TkRQzqUCwA
— Dunedin City Council (@DnCityCouncil) October 4, 2024
The Leith River in flood, on Friday. Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon
Green Island Photo: Alysha Gibbs
Soldiers supervising a cordon in Hargest Crescent, St Kilda, on Saturday morning. Photo: Otago Daily Times/ Stephen Jaquiery
Clutha
Many travellers found themselves stuck, as roads closed. Photo: Supplied / Clutha District Council
South of Balclutha on Friday. Photo: Lisa Dunlop via Otago Weather Updates / Facebook
At Toko Mouth Photo: Simon Davies/supplied
Toko Mouth Photo: Simon Davies/supplied
Elsewhere
Darryl Shanks rescues sheep and lambs from islands made by the rising creek in Otago. Photo: Supplied / Emma Bardsley
Photo: NZTA Waka Kotahi
Photo: NZTA Waka Kotahi
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
This rainfall event has lead to a season's worth of rain to parts of Otago in just a few days.
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) October 4, 2024
Since October, Dunedin (Musselburgh) has received 178 mm, or 105% of its spring rainfall, while Balclutha has recorded 134 mm, around 84% of their seasonal normal. pic.twitter.com/rBEIKe8ygg
