Despite concerns about heavy rain and rising river levels in the Otago region on Friday night, there was only minor surface flooding and no damage done to property at the weekend.
A MetService spokesman said between 30mm and 122mm of rain fell as a southerly change drifted over the region - much of it on Friday - and campers on the banks of affected rivers were urged by the Otago Regional Council to move to higher ground.
Farmers were also advised to move stock.
The Pomahaka River and the Kakanui River reached second level flood warnings, and the Taieri River and Deep Stream reached their first flood level warnings on Friday night. The Otago Regional Council monitored the situation closely during the weekend.
Rain was hitting parched ground and running off into rivers rather than soaking in.
The heaviest rainfalls were at Piano Flat (120mm) and Hyde Rock (122mm).
Rivers in the region peaked on Saturday.
However, regional council flood duty manager Tom Overton said river levels had almost returned to normal yesterday afternoon.
