Heavy downpours have left Rotorua streets looking more like rivers, closed some roads and caused slips across others.
The good news is cleanup crews working should have some reprieve with a dry day forecast tomorrow.
Contractors will be back out working on the cleanup efforts after today's slips on Maniatutu Rd, Endean Rd, and Paradise Valley Rd and flooding on several roads, especially in Ngongotaha.
At least one driveway culvert was completely washed out on Paradise Valley Rd and other areas of flooding included Edmund Rd and Ford Rd, which were closed briefly as well as numerous other streets.
Wet weather closed the city's sports fields and forced the cancellation of the night market.
"Within 20 minutes I came back and couldn't get into the street."
She said while the water was still quite some distance away from her house, the water was up the driveways of about four other houses in the street.
"Our house is okay but the river is coming up quite fast."
Surface flooding also caused problems on several state highways around Rotorua, particularly State Highway 5 south of Rotorua near Earthquake Flats, State Highway 30 between Rotorua and Whakatane and State Highway 1 north of Tokoroa.
Metservice meteorologist Ciaran Doolin said the area had seen "a fair bit of rain" in the hours leading up to 9am - with the heaviest falls in the hour between 5am and 6am when 11.2mm of rain fell.
Mr Doolin said tomorrow would be fine with cloud increasing in the afternoon.
On Saturday the rain would start to develop again with a chance of heavy rain and thunder. On Sunday there would be heavy rain again but it would ease into showers.
Earlier:
Crews with sandbags are heading to Ngongotaha after the heavy rain and rising river is causing concerns for some residents.
Residents on Brookdale Drive quickly found their street covering in water this morning following the rain overnight.
The flooding in the street was caused by drainage pipes unable to cope with the heavy rain, while a river which runs at the back of the street was also causing concern.
Kirsty Ellis, who lives on the road, said it had been fine when she dropped her son at school about 8am but she had returned home to find she couldn't drive up the street.
"Within 20 minutes I came back and couldn't get into the street."
She said while the water was still quite some distance away from her house, the water was up the driveways of about four other houses in the street.
"Our house is okay but the river is coming up quite fast."
Mrs Ellis said they were waiting for Rotorua Lakes Council staff to arrive with sandbags.
The council has also been dealing with flooding at Bellvue Rd and the intersections of Trigg Rd and Ward Ave.
Image 1 of 10: Lake Ngapouri. Photo/Kelly Stewart
Ford Rd and Edmund Rd were closed this morning because of flooding but had since reopened. Slips have also kept staff busy with three slips reported on Maniatutu Rd, including a large slip which covers about half a lane.
Other slips have been reported on Tumunui Rd, and Endean Rd where a large slip has come down. Local farmers have made a track through the site with further work expected today and tomorrow to tidy up the areas.
At least one driveway culvert has been completely washed out on Paradise Valley Rd and four slips are down, one across the road.
The Rotorua Lakes Council has also cancelled tonight's night market.