Weather live updates: Christchurch in state of emergency, Wellingtonians urged to self-evacuate

Homes have been evacuated tonight in Christchurch because of landslides after torrential rain sparked widespread flooding.

And a rare red wind warning in Wellington has been downgraded tonight, but residents remain on alert for high tide amid fears of coastal inundation.

Some residents in the capital have been urged to self-evacuate as monster waves pound the city’s south coast.

Severe winds of up to 150km/h have smashed Wellington today, felling trees, lifting roofs, closing roads and sparking more than 100 emergency callouts.

With high tide expected about 8pm increasing the risk of coastal inundation, Wellington City Council said some residents are advised to leave their homes and seek safety.

“Wellington City Council is strongly advising residents of the south coast, particularly those in Ōwhiro Bay, to consider staying somewhere else tonight if possible.

“If you choose to stay at home, please be aware you may not be able to access your property by vehicle after 5.30pm tonight.”

Meanwhile, Christchurch has been placed under a state of emergency after torrential rain triggered widespread flooding, with some people rescued from water-logged cars.

The announcement was made by Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell, who travelled to Canterbury this afternoon to survey the damage.

A local state of emergency has also been declared for the Selwyn district.

Earlier, MetService upgraded Wellington’s wind warning to a rare red level, with destructive gales and a threat to life from flying items and falling trees.

“Stay indoors or seek sturdy shelter away from trees. Avoid travel. Be ready for power and communication outages.”

This was later downgraded with an orange strong wind warning and heavy rain warning currently in place

Hundreds of homes are without power. Flights have been cancelled for the rest of the day at Wellington Airport, with warnings of more wild weather and further disruptions in coming days.

Follow the latest updates from the wild weather in our blog below.

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