Flooding hits upper South Island

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Flooding hits upper South Island

14/07/2012 10:39pm

Flooding has completely cut off Westport this morning, as heavy rain pounds the region and the upper South Island.

While some properties around Murchison and Golden Bay in the Tasman region have also been flooded this morning.

Police said Westport was completely cut off because of severe flooding on State Highway 67 from Westport to Greymouth, State Highway 6 from Westport to Inangahua, and on State Highway 67 from Westport to Karamea.

The Buller River was also close to breaking its banks on the Westport side, police said.

“There is concern that continued rain may lead to significant flooding in and around the township. The tide has just turned and is on the way out.”

Westport residents were being urged to stay at home.

Police were so far aware of one house which had been evacuated, between Carters Beach and Westport.

While Tasman Civil Defence this morning said the Murchison Neds Creek in Murchison had overflown into five private properties.

One of the properties would be sandbagged.

In Golden Bay one private property had flooded around its garage, while there was also flooding at the Pohara Camp area and at Motupipi School.

The Takaka River was also rising over the Waitapu Bridge, causing the closure of the Takaka-Collingwood Highway at the Bridge.

MetService and WeatherWatch.co.nz forecasters expect the rain to continue to diminish, although lingering heavy falls are possible about Marlborough during the early afternoon.

Rain is also set to continue over the lower half of the North Island through Monday.

An extra 150 to 200mm of rain was forecast to hit the upper South Island last night and this morning.

This morning the Maitai Valley Road near Sharlands Creek in Nelson was closed, as well as Avon Terrace from Bridge Street to Hardy Street and the Takaka-Collingwood Highway at Waitapu Bridge.

Mr Mallinson said the slow moving front which was moving off the South Island, would now bring significant rainfalls to the Tararua range, Mount Taranaki and the hill country of Waitomo, Taumarunui in south Waikato.

Another 200 to 300mm of rain was possible around these regions.

It would move off the East Cape on Monday night.

By NZHerald.co.nz and WeatherWatch.co.nz

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