North Otago has finally been given a respite from the prolonged drenching that caused flooding across the district in recent weeks.
MetService Media and Communications Meteorologist Daniel Corbett said after two weeks of heavy rain, eastern parts of the South Island could expect rain to ease.
"The good news is ...weather should slowly dry out and settle down [this week]."
Waitaki Civil Defence public information manager Elton Crane said it was a "great relief to see some sunshine and know that we are due for some dry, settled weather in the Waitaki." However, although river levels were receding yesterday, Waitaki District Council emergency service manager Chris Raine said waterlogged farms would take time to dry out.
"There will be some ponds and rivers that are still up, but they will be going down in the next few days. The water's going to take a while to recede out of the paddocks, because the water table is very high."
Although there was no longer a non-essential travel warning in place for rural roads, motorists should still check the council website for details of road closures and caution notices, he said.
About 40 rural roads were closed at the height of the rain last week, and although 29 were still closed yesterday, Mr Raine said most would re-open within a week.
Council assets manager Neil Jorgensen said road crews were working hard to bring roads back to normal "as quickly as possible".
It was still too early to fully assess the cost of the repairs but last week Mr Jorgensen provisionally estimated the cost at between $500,000 and $1 million.
