More rain expected for flood-hit Buller District

Further rain is expected to arrive in the flood-hit Buller District today and reach well into the weekend.

The heavy rain and flooding saw a state of emergency declared in the Buller District on Thursday, and has left one community isolated.

State Highway 67 between Karamea and Mokihinui, the road in and out of Karamea is closed due to more than 30 slips.

Civil Defence on Friday said it would be closed "until at least tomorrow" as crews worked to clear the slips.

Helicopters were being used to take residents requiring medical attention to hospital, and to get tourists out of the area.

Buller District Council expects the road, which stretches 23km, to open at around 9am on Saturday, depending on geotechnical assessment. Rain and wind issues could also cause delay.

When it does open, the road will be controlled with stop/go signs.

Civil Defence said a number of other roads hadn't re-opened, and there was still a lot of debris and surface water on the roads on Friday morning.

The following roads remain closed:

• SH67 Westport to Mokihinui
• SH67 Mokihinui to Karamea (Karamea Highway)
• SH6 Inangahua to Westport - Lower Buller Gorge
• SH 6, 65 Murchison to Springs Junction
• SH7 Lewis Pass to Hanmer
• SH7 Springs Junction to Reefton (Rahu Saddle)

On Friday morning those who had evacuated on Thursday were advised they could return home. However, assessments were still underway so for anyone who returns home to a wet or damaged inside from the floods, or those who feel unsafe are encouraged to contact the Emergency Operations Centre on 0800 243 533.

About 100 people spent the night in evacuation centres as a result of the heavy rain on Wednesday night through to Thursday.

A compulsory evacuation was ordered for some Westport residents. Heavy rain had coincided with high tide, threatening to flood low-lying areas.

The evacuation came just six days after flooding forced people out of their homes.

Mayor Jamie Cleine told Breakfast on Friday morning a quarter of Westport had spent the night in welfare centres that were set up, while others had evacuated to family and friends.

He said he had taken a drive around town last night and found "significant flooding" on some streets.

Despite this, Cleine said most people should be heading home on Friday, with "quick assessments" to be carried out on about 10 houses which had been flooded.

He said the worst affected areas appeared to be the domain and Roebuck St in Westport and rural areas in Mokihinui and northern Buller.

Resident Troy Scanlon said it had been "tiring" to have to protect his home again, putting all of the furniture up on pallets as he had six days ago.

He had only been able to move back into the house about four weeks ago, after July's flooding saw 50cm of water through his home.

Scanlon said flooding from Thursday's heavy rain had come "close enough to give us a scare".

The water had been 150mm from his neighbour's back deck.

Karamea resident and Civil Defence volunteer Dave Sanders earlier told Breakfast the real concern was getting the road in and out of the town open.

The road had been affected by a major slip from last week's weather and recent inspections had shown further cracking, he said. The road has been closed since 3pm on Wednesday.

"We need that road open in some shape or form."

Hamish Mcleod, a farmer in the Buller District, told 1News on Thursday floodwater from the Maruia River had reached his property for the first time ever.

He said it was frightening to watch the water rise up onto his property, which is located 15 minutes south of Murchison on the Shenandoah Highway.

After 11 years on the farm, Mcleod said Thursday’s flooding was “the worst it has ever been”.

MetService said Tropical Cyclone Dovi is heading towards New Zealand. It's expected to bring with it severe weather to parts of the country over the weekend, though it should lose it's “tropical characteristics”.

A heavy rain watch is in place for the district until 12pm on Sunday.