Heavy rain damages houses in Sth Island town

A sudden deluge in Greymouth has badly damaged a number of houses and it will be several weeks before the residents are allowed to return.

Greymouth appeared to suffer the worst from a band of heavy rain that moved up the country last night - prompting rain warnings from the MetService and cautions on road conditions.

Eleven people were evacuated in Greymouth, including two from council pensioner flats, when more than 10cm of rain fell in a few hours.

Some were able to return to their homes today but other houses, including the pensioner flats, were presently uninhabitable, Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn told NZPA.

A "massive weather bomb and flash flood" saw one house knee-deep in water and the volume of water going down the road made it look like a little river, he said.

"You have to see it to believe it."

Mr Kokshoorn said it would take between two and five weeks for some of the damaged houses to be refurbished and carpets replaced.

Most of the residents were insured but a few were not, he said.

The council had met Housing New Zealand this afternoon to discuss the residents' accommodation options.

The flooding also damaged shops in the centre of Greymouth, including the IRD offices.

State Highway 6 was closed at Punakaiki, north of Greymouth, and between Haast and Makarora.

The MetService said the heaviest rain in Westland had passed but there was a heavy rain warning for areas from Canterbury north to Taranaki.

That has prompted a warning for drivers to drive to conditions ahead of heavy rain in Wellington region.

Deborah Hume, New Zealand Transport Agency regional director for Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman, said it was timely to remind road users to be more cautious and reduce speeds as the weather conditions worsened later today.

"We're told there will be heavy rain, which means people should prepare for poor visibility while driving or cycling, leave bigger gaps between cars and expect surface flooding to occur in prone areas."

Wind gusts were also possible, particularly on the Rimutaka Hill Road, but not forecast as severe gales.

"It's a matter of being prepared for the possible effects of this bad weather and to exercise a bit of caution."

- NZPA