Updated 3.10 pm

Tasman rain 'less than feared'; agencies remain on alert

Motueka River upstream of Woodstock, Nelson-Tasman region, on Thursday. Photo: RNZ/Tess Brunton
Motueka River upstream of Woodstock, Nelson-Tasman region, on Thursday. Photo: RNZ/Tess Brunton

The Marlborough District Council says the region appears to have escaped any major storm-related impacts today.

It comes as MetService has downgraded one of its orange heavy rain warnings for the top of the South Island to a heavy rain watch. 

Marlborough Emergency Management Incident Controller Chris Faulls said they were remaining vigilant and prepared "should there be any further impacts". 

“This rain was predicted to hit us harder than what has eventuated but that is a good result for us.”

A slip on Northbank Rd was being assessed and a decision would be made tomorrow on whether it could be opened temporarily to let residents in.

There are 97 properties and about 250 people living beyond the slip site, Faulls said.

Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough remain under states of emergency for now.

Civil Defence earlier today warned people whose properties flooded last week to prepare for more heavy rain and to consider staying elsewhere.

By Wednesday night, six homes in the Brooklyn area, bordering the Motueka River, had been evacuated with some staying with friends and family and accommodation provided to others.

Nelson Tasman Civil Defence controller Alec Louverdis told Midday Report that while so far the weather has not been as bad as expected, they were still planning for the worst-case scenario.

He said there had been no further evacuations today and the Brooklyn ones were pre-emptive.

"A very small number of people were asked to evacuate - we'll see what the rivers do by 6pm before we let them back.

"We have evacuation plans in place but these have not been triggered."

The biggest concern was the Wai Iti and Brooklyn area, he said.

A wet scene from Nelson a short time ago. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
A wet scene from Nelson a short time ago. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Shortly after midday he said rainfall at the top of the South Island had been less than feared, though the heaviest falls were expected later today.

The heaviest rain and swiftest-rising rivers were in Golden Bay, which was in line with modelling, Louverdis said.

The main concern was the areas that flooded last week, because those rivers were still running high and the land was sodden.

Louverdis urges people to stay off the region's roads, many of which are closed or have restrictions on them.

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell says he had asked his officials to work closely with Chorus to restore internet service for Golden Bay.

He says a lot of planning had been done in preparation for the weather.

"I've got a very high degree of confidence that people are going to get the support that they need".

Mitchell - who was in Nelson on Sunday - says it was "highly likely" he would be heading back down south tomorrow "depending on what unfolds in the next few hours".

MetService on Thursday afternoon updated its weather alerts for the area: an orange heavy rain warning for the Tasman District north-west of Motueka has been downgraded to a heavy rain watch, for four hours from 1pm today. The forecaster said rain was easing but a watch would be maintained through to this evening.

An orange heavy rain warning remains in place for the rest of the Nelson-Tasman District south-east of Motueka, and Marlborough north of the Wairau River, for 10 hours from 9am today.

MetService said to expect 60 to 80mm of rain about the sounds and ranges on top of what has already fallen, and less elsewhere, with peak rates of 15 to 25mmh, mainly about ranges.

Civil Defence said it would be keeping a close on eye on hotspots such as the Motupiko and Brooklands rivers, and townships including Tapawera and Riwaka, but everywhere that flooded last week was potentially at risk.