Relive 1News live updates as torrential rain causes flooding in Canterbury and Feilding.
10pm: This concludes live updates on the weather event for the night. 1News Tonight will have the latest on the flooding at 10:40pm on TVNZ1 and OnDemand.
9.41pm: Le Bons Bay Road is now closed due to flooding from a stream which has burst its banks.
Little Akaloa Road is also closed due to severe flooding.
9.37pm: Motorists can be seen struggling to drive through the intense flooding in Northwood, Christchurch.
9.04pm: A Fire and Emergency spokesperson told 1News they’ve received around 85 call-outs between Feilding, Halcombe and Whanganui this evening, mainly due to flooding into residential properties.
A welfare centre has since been set up by the Manawatū District Council at St John Ambulance Hall, in Feilding, for anyone who needs to evacuate their home.
8.58pm: Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel has posted a photo of the city on Twitter.
8.53pm: All floodwater should be considered contaminated amid a number of wastewater overflows and sewer issues across the city, the Christchurch City Council says.
"Sewers are full and we’re having trouble drawing away in low lying parts of Shirley, Aranui and Heathcote Valley," the council said.
People have been advised to minimise flushing toilets and to save having showers until tomorrow morning. They have also been urged to avoid putting washing on overnight.
8.45pm: Residents in Le Bons Bay, Banks Peninsula, are being evacuated due to flooding, a Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson confirmed to 1News.
8.28pm: Landslips are a possibility due to the persistent heavy rain, the Christchurch City Council says.
"If you notice any landslips, please contact us on 03 941 8999 or 0800 800 169.
"Our staff will be able to get in touch with a contractor to attend to the slip."
8.21pm: More roads have been forced to close due to the flooding in Christchurch, including:
River Road, from Medway Street to Banks Avenue
Fitzgerald Avenue, from Kilmore Street to Cambridge Terrace
Avonside Drive, from Woodham Road to Retreat Road
Edgeware Road, from Hills Road to Geraldine Street
8.13pm: A flooded street in Bromley, east Christchurch.
8pm: A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson told 1News while they have not received a significant amount of call-outs in the Canterbury region, a large influx is expected to come in throughout the night.
7.57pm: Heavy rain is expected to ease about Christchurch City around 9pm this evening, with further light to moderate rain there overnight tonight, according to MetService.
7.52pm: Footage shows swollen river washing over Derby Street Bridge in Feilding.
7.36pm: 1News weather presenter Dan Corbett says while Christchurch has already seen a month's worth of rain, it could double again by midnight tonight.
"The upper low doesn't move until we go into tomorrow, then we go into that cooler sou'wester so heads up to parts of Canterbury going into the next few hours," he said.
7.30pm: The most intense rain is due to hit Christchurch and Banks Peninsula between 8-11pm.
7pm: Christchurch City Council has announced the following road closures on Wednesday evening.
Le Bons Bay Road is closed from the school
Newport Street is closed from Emlyn Place to Wainoni Road
Avonside Drive is closed between Emlyn Place and Wainoni Road
Goughs Road
Long Bay Road
6.50pm:
6.45pm: Watch 1News' 6pm coverage on the flooding in the video below.
6.30pm: The Manawatū town of Feilding is being hit by heavy rain, causing flooding, for the second day in a row.
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