By Jane Luscombe
Heavy rain and gales have brought flooding to swathes of the South Island, with swamped homes, closed roads and the threat of more to come.
It has brought more misery for some Christchurch locals, who are already stuck living in quake-hit homes. One local says she ended up sleeping in her lounge after the bedrooms in her house were flooded.
“It went into the main bedroom first, then slowly crept into the second bedroom where I sleep,” she told 3 News.
Meanwhile drains have been blocked in Tai Tapu, which means flushing at your peril.
“All the pipers were filling up, we’ve got to keep it so the poos and that don’t float down the street,” says Aaron Warden.
Roads have been closed across Christchurch, but some motorists continued to take their chances. Dangers were hidden beneath the floodwater however, including roads with potholes that may have grown deeper under the deluge.
Contractors will be working through the night to monitor the flooding and do what they can to alleviate it.
There is little let-up in sight for those worst-affected though, with another slow-moving band of heavy rain expected over much of the region tomorrow.
3 News