A month's rainfall in 24 hours

Arthur Chesterfield-Evans and Kate Botting retreat through the Taieri floodwaters after trying to rescue their stranded cows near Outram. Photos by Stephen Jaquiery.

More than a month's rainfall fell in 24 hours along coastal Otago yesterday, flooding roads, rail lines and farmland.

North Otago rivers and the Taieri River finally peaked yesterday afternoon.

The heaviest rain fell in Dunedin, which recorded 72mm to 5pm yesterday, more than the total June average of 58mm, while Oamaru recorded 51.4mm (June average, 38mm).

The rain, which was forecast to continue into this morning before easing, also caused slips on Otago Peninsula and closed many Dunedin roads.

At 9pm yesterday, the Taieri River had dropped to 1116cumecs, below the 2010 flood peak of 1200cumecs and above the 1070cumecs recorded in 2006.

Floodwater had spilled into the East Taieri upper ponding area, as expected.

Henley resident Clare Perry, who lives in the flood zone, said in the 12 floods she had experienced, none had risen as quickly as the water yesterday.

''We've still got six inches [15cm] till the highest one.''

She was bunking down in her house for as long as it had electricity.

Fellow Henley resident Kerrie Hooper, whose 150-year-old house was raised 1m after floodwaters swept through it in 2010, was hoping he would stay warm and dry last night although his garage was already flooded.

''We're going to wait it out. I'm quietly confident we'll be right this time.''

Nigel Lawson helps rescue firewood washed from a neighbour's place at Allanton by floodwater from the Taieri yesterday.

While Henley residents were getting in supplies yesterday, farmers on the Taieri were helping those who did not manage to get their stock to dry land in time.

Arthur Chesterfield-Evans and Kate Botting, who farm near the Taieri River at Outram, were yesterday left ruing not moving their stock earlier as they surveyed 37 ''prime, pregnant cows'' stranded on high ground.

''We got caught this time.''

The Otago Regional Council's Riverside spill gates were dropped for the first time since remedial work had been completed. Farmer Colin Scurr said it was good the ORC notified farmers it was dropping the gates and that it had waited until the agreed level to do so.

''It seems to be working as it's meant to.''

Federated Farmers Otago past president and Taieri farmer Mike Lord said the heavy rain was all ''part and parcel of being a farmer'' and meant ''everything takes twice as long to do''.

Flooding and slips led to rail services on the main south line being stopped south of Timaru. KiwiRail was monitoring the situation.

Road closures

Parts of five Otago state highways remained closed last night, including State Highway 1 north of Oamaru, between Pukeuri and Seven Mile Rd.

Nine further sections of the state highway network remained open, but motorists were advised to drive with caution.

Some of those were down to one lane because of the flooding, including SH1 north of Dunedin, between Coast Rd and Waikouaiti, NZTA information showed.

State highways closed due to flooding (listed by NZTA 9.30pm). -

• SH90 Tapanui to Waikoikoi

• SH87 Hyde to Kyeburn (no detour available).

• SH1 Pukeuri to Seven Mile Road

• SH82 Waimate to Hakataramea

• SH83 Duntroon To Otematata

Cautions

• SH1 Milton to Clarksville Junction.

• SH1 Coast Road (Karitane turn off) to Waikouaiti (road open to one lane for all vehicles).

• SH85 Palmerston to Dunback.

• SH85 Waynes to Dunback (slip blocking northbound lane, 1km north of Dunback).

• SH8 Cromwell to Clyde (rock falls).