Men rescued in rising floodwaters near Timaru after two hours on top of vehicle

The Opihi River, pictured in more tranquil conditions. Photo / Creative Commons image

Two men have been rescued from the top of their vehicle where they were trapped for two hours as it was being swallowed by a flooded river.

Emergency services said their vehicle became stuck in fast-moving water near Temuka, north of Timaru, around 9.30pm last night.

Police and firefighters were called to the scene, near the fork of the Opihi and Temuka rivers.

The pair climbed on to the deck of their vehicle as it slowly sank in the water.

They were unable to swim to safety because of the strength of the current, police said.

The vehicle then sank to its bonnet and a search and rescue team and a helicopter were brought in to help.

The rescue took place near the fork of the Temuka and Opihi Rivers. Photo / Google Maps

“At 11.20pm, the first of the pair was winched to safety, followed by his friend several minutes later,” police said.

The two men were assessed at Timaru Hospital and then released to their “very relieved family”, police said.

The incident took place as wild weather swept the country, with tornadoes, heavy rain and snowfall driven by a low pressure system.

A state of emergency remains in place for for Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough after heavy rain led to widespread flooding.

One person died after they were reportedly hit by a tree while clearing flood damage in Wai-iti, south of Nelson, yesterday morning.