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People were evacuated in Queenstown overnight as a significant winter storm battered the South Island.
Firefighters went to about 16 flooding-related jobs during Thursday night across Queenstown, Frankton, Arrrowtown, Wanaka and Lake Hāwea.
In some cases, water went into homes.
Fire and Emergency says a number of properties were evacuated around Fernhill because of concerns about slips and land instability.
It says there were many other calls about flooded roads and sections that firefighters didn't attend.
There were a number of road blockages across the district, including at the One Mile roundabout and Gorge Road, Queenstown’s council said.
"While the rain is beginning to ease, please avoid unnecessary travel and take extra care on the roads, particularly overnight. Surface flooding, debris, and other hazards may still be present," the council said.
Multiple slips, washouts, rockfalls, and surface flooding are affecting the road network, particularly on Haast Pass Rd, Luggate Hill, Tarras Rd, and Kingston Rd, a spokeswoman for the Queenstown Lakes District Council said on Friday.
Road users should expect delays, traffic management and ongoing disruptions throughout the day.
A conserve water notice for Fernhill, Sunshine Bay, Queenstown CBD and Frankton Road remains in place.
Fire and Emergency NZ says Queenstown firefighters responded to a number of reports of flooding and slips in the area on Thursday night.
A spokesperson said crews were using pumps to drain water away from a commercial building in Hansen Rd in Frankton, while another team was working to clear mud and water washing down the hill near a residential property on Arthur's Point Rd.
People in parts of Queenstown were also being asked to conserve water after a slip affected a water treatment plant.
The district council said the Two Mile Water Treatment Plant was offline and water supply to some areas was relying on existing reservoir storage.
State Highway 6 between Makarora and Lake Hāwea in Otago has been closed this morning because of a slip.
Road users are being asked to avoid the area or delay their journeys if possible. The closure comes after heavy rain and snow from the winter storm that has affected the South Island, with slips, rockfalls and treefalls a continuing concern.
The Crown Range, linking Queenstown and Wānaka, has reopened after rockfall and stranded vehicles caused it to close on Thursday. There were still a few minor slips which have been clearly marked, so the route can be safely travelled.
Arrowtown, Arthur's Point and Gorge Rd: Surface flooding on Malaghans Rd and Gorge Road remains closed at the closure point established last night.
Queenstown Hill and Fernhill: Flooding around the Fernhill/One Mile roundabout. Queenstown Hill is unaffected, with wet road conditions only.
Glenorchy-Queenstown Road: Flooding and slip issues around the One Mile roundabout and One Mile pumping station. Beyond Sunshine Bay there is limited impact, with only minor surface flooding and isolated rockfall.
Wānaka, Hāwea and Mt Aspiring: A slip has occurred on Mt Aspiring Rd near the 9km mark. Vehicles can currently get around the slip, although a van remains stuck within the debris. Surface flooding is also affecting several locations, including the intersection of Sir Tim Wallis Drive and Ballantyne Rd, as well as Cemetery Rd, Gladstone Rd and Camphill Rd. Water levels may take many hours to recede, so please drive with caution.
Please allow extra travel time, drive to the conditions (surface flooding is quite hard to spot until you're in it) and delay non-essential travel where possible.
South Island highways were monitored overnight for any further flooding and slips with more heavy rain expected.
More than 300mm of rain has fallen in Franz Josef, while heavy snow also fell on the lower South Island on Thursday.
MetService's head of weather Heather Keats said the snow had more or less finished while the rain band was tracking north.
- Allied Media and RNZ
