Chaos in the South
Heavy rain and strong winds should begin to ease this afternoon, giving much of the country a chance to start mopping up after yesterday’s big storm caused chaos.
Rain is expected over most of New Zealand this morning before easing, bringing relief to regions hit with record rainfalls and flooded homes.
States of emergency were declared in Timaru, Dunedin, Waitaki and the Otago region yesterday. Some people were trapped in cars and many properties were flooded, while residents in low- lying areas were warned to evacuate.
The army was called into Timaru to help Civil Defence deal with the flooding.
Timaru mayor Damon Odey said he expected conditions to ease this morning, but officials would remain on high alert overnight.
Passengers were stranded after dozens of flights were cancelled throughout the country.
Lynn Clayton spent last night in a Queenstown hotel after her flight home to Auckland was cancelled.
She described a chaotic scene at Queenstown Airport with “queues from one end of the airport to the Picture / Otago Daily Times other” and parents with children and international travellers left stranded, possibly for several days.
“It could be t wo or three days, there’s such a backlog and there are no seats available because it’s the end of the school holidays. If they can manage it they will put another flight on ( today) but they need to have staff and crews available in the right places to do that — they are not sure.”
Snow was forecast down to 400m over Central Otago and northern parts of Southland last night.
Destructive 140 km/ h gales are expected to lash Fiordland and Southland, and 120 km/ h gales are forecast for Wellington and Wairarapa.
The North Island is under a large northwest flow which is producing very heavy downpours with hail and isolated thunderstorms. More rain is expected today but showers should clear by night.
The North Island was spared the worst of the rain and flooding, although Auckland was affected by hail and thunderstorms. Rain is fore- cast for the city this morning, before easing to showers this afternoon. Strong winds are expected throughout the day.
A severe weather warning for Canterbury and Otago will remain in place until midday.
Niwa said Oamaru surpassed its wettest July on record — previously 56.1mm in July 1974 — with 57.6mm of rain falling between 9am and 5pm.
Timaru recorded more rain — 46.4mm — in 8 hours yesterday than it typically receives in all of July.