A red heavy rain warning remains in force for Otago, with torrential downpours drenching parts of the region overnight.
Many Dunedin residents have evacuated their homes due to rising floodwaters.
It comes after storms caused power cuts and blocked roads in Coromandel on Thursday morning.
Roads are closed across Dunedin and Clutha due to flooding and slips and a burst water main has cut the water supply to the Otago Pensinsula.
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"With the weather funnelling in basically directly from the east, that rain is going to linger," MetService says.
It is the first red warning issued for Otago since MetService started the red warning system in 2019.
MetService could issue a red weather warning for Westland - but what does that mean? Here's all the info you need.
Heavy downpours to red warning level are in store for parts of the South Island after a wet and windy night caused power outages and road disruptions in Coromandel.
Rain up to 40mm an hour and severe thunderstorms are threatening large swathes of the country, with forecasters issuing a glut of warnings and watches. Audio
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