Many had to be evacuated and waiting at community centres for news about when they can go home.
For some, the wait will be long.
The Buller District Council said today it appreciated the cooperation and patience of locals.
Rural properties also remain under water. Photo / George Heard
"We know you are keen to get home, however, due to the risk of floodwater contamination and the potential for electrical hazards, we advise you to stay where you are.
Cleine said plans would be in place in the next few hours in terms of where residents could turn for help from insurance companies, Work and Income New Zealand and other agencies.
He said the priority was to assess houses and make sure people in welfare centres had what they needed.
Barely any rental properties were available in the area so finding displaced people a home was also critical.
"We're getting a handle on what the scale of that will be," Cleine said.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated after the weekend's flooding. Photo / George Heard
Herald visual journalist George Heard has been in Westport for the past 24 hours recording the damage and aftermath.
He said from the air the full extent of the carnage is patently clear.
"You can see farmland completely flooded, water up to the roofs of utes in paddocks, farmers out in tractors trying to feed stock with water lapping around," he said.
"Whole blocks of houses are completely under water.
"The floodwater reeks, there's a lot of rubbish floating about - including toilet paper - and a lot of wood: firewood, bark, it's everywhere.
"This is something some in the town are describing as a one-in-100-year event: the coast has had its floods but they say this is unprecedented."
Heard said in the lesser affected areas people were out in the streets trying to clean up.
Heard said the feeling in Westport was "quite resilient".
