Conditions ease after wild weather lashes Tasman
The storm band that left the Nelson Tasman district flooded again and soaked much of the rest of the country has been slowly making its way east overnight, and weather warnings have been lifted in its wake.
MetService forecaster Oscar Shiviti told RNZ's Saturday Morning that up to 200mm of rain hit parts of the Tasman region on Friday.
Paradise Peak got 106.1mm, Perry Saddle 139.5mm and Takaka 75mm.
"A lot of the rainfall was seen in the higher-lying areas, which I believe was the cause of some of the rivers there rising and possibly flooding."
Luckily for the sodden region, there would be an "easing trend" today, he said.
"Today we're just expecting some isolated showers, especially northwest of Motueka… there is a risk for some thunderstorm activity… from the afternoon into the evening, but then for the city, we don't have a risk of thunderstorms - just an isolated shower here and there."
Thousands of households passed the night without power, and the Nelson Tasman region remains under a state of emergency, with evacuations, widespread flooding, slips, power cuts, and pleas to conserve water.
More than 50 Nelson Tasman residents were put up in motels overnight, after heading to Civil Defence centres during yesterday's heavy rain.
The lines company, Network Tasman, says power has been restored for most customers in Motueka and Golden Bay but outages remain across its wider network, and repairs will start at first light.
Further south, in Banks Peninsula - which was under a strong wind watch until 2am - Christchurch lines company Orion is reporting more than 4000 houses are without power.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says it is looking at weather damage to state highways across the top of the South Island.
"Road crews are out from first light this morning, working hard to restore access to communities cut off yesterday and overnight by flood and storm-related damage," it said in a statement published at 7am Saturday,
"While this work is under way, state highway closures remain in place on multiple routes until further notice."
Some roads were likely to stay closed "for some time", NZTA said, warning of "ongoing delays" and "multiple roadworks sites".
"The public are asked to obey all closures, not to drive through flooded areas, and avoid all unnecessary travel."
Work would be quicker if people avoided non-essential travel, it said.
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