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Wild weather is flipping vehicles over and pulling down powerlines across South Island roads this week.
Extreme caution is advised as 100 kilometre-per-hour wind gusts have flipped five vehicles so far in South Canterbury while State Highway 8 between Twizel and Glenbrook remains closed due to fallen lines.
Metservice has issued orange rain warnings across the West Coast, Central Otago and Southland/Fiordland through until Friday.
State Highway 94 into Milford Sound/ Piopiotahi could remain closed all of Thursday due to an avalanche risk.
Motorbike users and drivers in high-sided vehicles or towing heavy loads face a greater risk of flipping or losing control under the current conditions and should check before they travel.
The NZ Transport Agency's West Coast and South Canterbury journey manager Tresca Forrester spoke to Corin Dann.