Flooding and a slip has cut off the South Island villages of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Lake Ōhau.
The bridge into Lake Ōhau has been washed out, with the Waitaki District Council saying the village and the lodge are cut off. Civil Defence is responding.
Flooding has also caused traffic mayhem down south. (Source: 1News)
"We will need to build a temporary road which will take time," the council said.
The bridge into Lake Ōhau has been completely washed out. (Source: 1News)
State Highway 8 Omarama to Tarras (Lindis Pass) and between Omarama to Twizel will remain closed overnight due to slips, flooding, and fresh snowfall. This will be reviewed at midday on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Video shows holiday park in Omarama swamped by flooding
Further north, State Highway 80 between Ben Ōhau and Mount Cook has been closed overnight due to a slip, cutting off Aoraki/Mount Cook Village.
"Crews are working to clear the material, but rain is keeping the flows coming with a significant amount of material needing to be trucked away," Waka Kotahi's John Keenan said.
"We will do our best Wednesday to get a single lane to Aoraki/ Mt Cook re-established."
It comes as an active front brings more heavy rain to the South Island and severe gales across central New Zealand. MetService has issued a number of weather watches and warnings.
READ MORE: Gusts of 150km/h recorded as high winds slam parts of South Island
Canterbury Civil Defence and Emergency Management say it has activated its emergency coordination centre in response to the severe weather.
Waka Kotahi said State Highway 6 is now closed overnight from Haast to Lake Hawea due to flooding, falling trees and strong winds.
A section of State Highway 77 from Blackford Rd to Mount Hutt Station Rd is closed due to a washout. A detour is in place.
State Highway 83 from Omarama to Kurow is closed due to flooding.
Further details about road closures are available on the NZTA website.
Environment Canterbury said 535mm of rain had been recorded so far at Mt Cook, 250mm at Mistake Flats and 195mm at Arthur's Pass.
Further east it said it had recorded 84mm into the top of the Opuha River catchment at Clayton, and 120mm into the top of the Ashburton River South Branch catchment at Boundary Creek.
It said some rivers and streams originating from the main divide - Ahuriri, Omarama and Otematata - had caused "localised flooding issues" and would remain high through Tuesday.
The Omarama Gazette reported properties alongside the Omarama Stream, including the Top 10 Holiday Park, were evacuated last night as flood waters rose.
Environment Canterbury said it's actively monitoring the Opihi River in the Milford Huts area and river conditions in other areas.
In South Canterbury, Environment Canterbury said out of river flows from the Rangitata River could occur across farmland.
The same goes for the Orari River and lower Waitaki River.
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