Flooding

Floodbank and works on the lower Waitaki River and at Henley could soon be protected by an Otago Regional Council bylaw.

A change in the order of flood protection works to be completed along the Water of Leith during the next seven years could affect rates.

The destructive deluge of wet weather is coming to an end in the worst-hit areas, with rain easing in Nelson and clear skies in the Far North.

Flood warnings attached to properties based on computer modelling of climate change and a one-in-100-year flood could unfairly devalue Dunedin homes, and expose the Dunedin City Council to a legal threat.

A $13.1 million initiative to protect Milford Sound from flooding was officially opened by Southern civic leaders last week.

Kingston is preparing to be more flood-ready after Queenstown Lakes District Council representatives and emergency services paid a visit to the town last week.

The mayor of Naples ordered a much-awaited football match scrapped on Sunday for fear tens of thousands of fans could be trapped by flooding, while in northern Italy authorities closely monitored the rain-swollen Po river.

Floods swamped a new area of Thailand's capital on Wednesday as some shops rationed food and Bangkok's governor warned of "massive water" on the way that could put many parts of the sprawling city in danger by the end of the week.

Torrential rains lashed Italy from its northern Alps to the southern island of Sicily, causing flash floods that killed at least nine people and left six others missing, authorities say.

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.