Southerners face clean up after the big wet

Residents in flood-ravaged parts of the South Island will have a temporary reprieve from the big wet today - before more heavy downpours return on Monday.

States of emergency were declared and hundreds of homes evacuated over the past 36 hours in Christchurch, Dunedin, Timaru and the Selwyn district.

Christchurch was among the worst hit yesterday, with Heathcote River flooding into nearby streets and properties. Authorities expressed fears last night of further flooding with an overnight high tide at 3.42am.

While better conditions were forecast for today, rain is expected to return tomorrow - and with it worries of more flooding.

"Only having about one day's grace before the next set comes on doesn't really help the situation," MetService meteorologist Tuporo Marsters said.

The west and eastern parts of the South Island are in the firing line.

"The other thing to watch out for is the wind starting to pick up ahead of that front, come Monday," Marsters said.

States of emergency remained in place for Christchurch, Dunedin, Waitaki, Selwyn and the wider Otago region last night after floodwaters forced hundreds out of their homes. Road closures and power outages were widespread.

In Christchurch, local body officials urged residents who hadn't evacuated to limit the use of water to a minimum. Several wastewater pump stations had been flooded and were not keeping up with the inflow, meaning wastewater was flowing into streets.

All eyes were on the Heathcote River in Christchurch as residents were asked to leave low-lying ahead of high tide.

Christchurch residents watched nervously as the Heathcote River began rising yesterday. Photo/SNPA/David Alexander

Soldiers were called in and response teams sent out on boats to help people evacuate.

Residents were also warned to stay away from the fast-rising Selwyn River in Canterbury, with a number of families evacuated from nearby homes.

The wild weather prompted police to ask Canterbury residents to stay home and avoid unnecessary rubbernecking.

"Just please be aware that by heading out in these conditions you could end up taking valuable emergency services away from critical rescue operations," said senior sergeant James Bothamley.

Flooding near the Heathcote River in Christchurch. Photo/SNPA/David Alexander

Further south, the state of emergency was lifted in Timaru just as the rain eased in Dunedin on Saturday afternoon.

The highest rainfall in the country since midnight Thursday, was recorded in Swampy Spur, Dunedin, where more than 250mm of rain fell.

Daniel de Garnham, of Timaru, makes use of his kayak on State Highway 1 during the storm. Photo/Alexia Johnston

Residents in Timaru have begun cleaning up the muddy remnants of the storm and preparing for the possibility of more rain in the coming week.

Civil Defence personnel remained on high alert in Dunedin last night as the Taieri River reached record levels, slips cut off residents and closed roads.

More than 100 homes were evacuated from the plains near the river in the middle of the night on Friday.

Civil Defence staff visited Josh Adam's sheep, beef and dairy farm in Henley about 9.30pm and gave him and wife Ellie-May two hours to evacuate the property, he said.

"We just threw everything up on the beds and hoped for the best," Adams told the Otago Daily Times.

Rising waters of the Taieri River at Outram Bridge, where residents were evacuated due to flooding. Photo/Civil Defence

At 4.30am on Saturday flood levels at Outram, a rural town near Dunedin, were at the second highest level ever recorded and the river was still rising, officials said.

Soldiers were called to help with the chaos in Otago, including rescuing nine people trapped in and on cars on State Highway 87 early Saturday morning. A unimog transported the occupants to safety.

"The information at this stage suggests this will be one of the biggest floods on record in the Taieri," Civil Defence Controller Sue Bidrose said.

Auckland has also been hit with heavy showers, including hail and thunderstorms yesterday, in a month with just two rain-free days so far.

There will also be a brief respite for the North Island on Sunday before the front reaches western areas by tomorrow evening. The overnight front was forecast to move away from the North Island by Tuesday morning.