Heavy rain lashes North Island after South Island floods

Heavy rain is continuing to lash parts of the North Island after roads were closed and families forced to flee their homes in the upper South Island overnight.

At least 10 houses were evacuated this morning in Hope, near Richmond, on the outskirts of Nelson, amid concerns over rising streams feeding off the Richmond Hill.

Some roads in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough remained closed today due to slips and surface flooding, but rivers and floodwaters were now receding.

MetService severe weather forecaster Mark Pascoe said the front that was driving the heavy rain had passed over Taranaki and was now moving across the North Island, bringing patchy heavy rain to Northland and the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Kerikeri in the Far North had received nearly 100mm of rain in the last 12 hours, while parts of Bay of Plenty had received up to 60mm.

Mr Pascoe said more patches of heavy rain could be expected across parts of the North Island until the front cleared the East Cape tomorrow morning.

Surface flooding has closed State Highway 1 between Pakaraka and Kaitaia in the Far North, and drivers were being advised to take SH10 at Pakaraka instead.

Drivers should also take care on SH1 in the Waikato due to severe surface flooding on the northbound lanes at Rangiriri.

Meanwhile, authorities in the upper South Island are cleaning up after the heavy rain overnight.

The Fire Service early this morning helped residents leave flood-threatened homes in the Ranzau Rd area, while a number of households left on their own.

Civil Defence was now assessing the properties for damage.

Senior Sergeant Stu Koefoed of Nelson police said the Wairoa River had caused concern this morning after its flow increased from 20cumecs to a peak of about to 1200cumecs.

Mr Koefoed said the worst had now passed.

"We're just in recovery mode now -- short but intense," he told NZPA.

Mr Koefoed said the bridge on State Highway 6 at Brightwater, southwest of Richmond, was this morning closed for monitoring, but had since reopened.

However, a number of roads between the two towns remained closed, including Ranzau Rd, Paton Rd and the Aniseed Valley.

In Marlborough, surface flooding and minor slips have closed SH6 at Canvastown between Havelock and the Rai Valley, while caution was advised on SH63 between St Arnaud and Renwick.

In the Tasman District, SH60 was closed at Waitapu near Pupu Springs, while Abel Tasman Drive was closed near the Wainui Falls.

The Aorere Valley Rd in Golden Bay remained closed and speed restrictions were in place over the Takaka Hill.

Motorists were advised to drive with caution throughout the affected districts due to the risk of isolated slips or surface flooding.

Nelson Tasman Civil Defence spokesman Chris Choat said tensions had been "a wee bit high" in the Aorere Valley after floods in December last year caused millions of dollars of damage.

There was some surface flooding in the area, although that was to be expected several times a year and today's flooding was no worse than usual.

The MetService said severe weather warnings or watches were still in place for Wellington, the Tararua Ranges, Taranaki, the central North Island hill country, eastern Bay of Plenty, Northland, Auckland and Waitomo.

Rivers and streams in these areas could rise rapidly, and surface flooding and slips were possible.