Last night councils across the Wellington region closed a number of streets because of rising floodwaters.
The Hutt City Council closed Harcourt Werry Drive from Kennedy Good Bridge to Conolly St and asked people to stay off roads and avoid the rising Hutt River.
Block Rd in Lower Hutt was closed because of flooding but reopened just before 9am.
The NZTA said the Waihenga Bridge on SH53 was now under water, closing the road between Martinborough and Featherston. Detours were in place.
The unexpected road closure comes on the eve of the Martinborough Fair and long weekend holiday traffic.
The MetService said 88mm of rain was recorded at Kaitoke in the Akatarawa Valley yesterday as Lower Hutt bore the brunt of yesterday's deluge.