Photo: Otago Daily Times / Stephen Jaquiery
Dozens of roads have been forced to close, some highways are closed and buses have been cancelled due to flooding and slips battering Dunedin.
MetService said Dunedin had 85 millimetres of rain in the past 24 hours and a red heavy rain alert has been issued for North Otago, Dunedin and coastal Clutha until 9pm on Friday.
It said heavy rainfall was expected to continue until this afternoon, with Dunedin city being a particular area of concern.
A state of emergency has been declared in the city as residents were being urged to self-evacuate due to rising flood waters.
Another 70 to 100 millimetres is forecast to fall, meaning the region will have received more than two months worth of rain over three days.
RNZ is New Zealand's statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to hand. All frequencies can be found here.
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Highways closed
All heavy routes into Dunedin have now been closed and are predicted to remain closed overnight.
- SH1 northbound closed at Wakouaiti
- SH1 southbound closed at Milton between Allison Road and Mill Street
- SH 88 closed to Port Chalmers
- SH 85 closed at Palmerston
- SH 87 closed at Kyeburn Bridge
- SH1 closed from Evansdale to Hampden
- SH 90 closed from Waikoikoi to Tapanui
Local Dunedin road closures:
- Mt Watkin Road
- Ramrock Road closed due to flooding in multiple locations
- McGrath Road
- Pipikaretu Road closed due to blockages
- Marlow St between Cavell St & Cranley St closed
- Cavell St closed between Marlow St and Botha St
- Tanner Road closed due to slip below Leighton Close
- Murrays Road Middlemarch
- Garthmyl Rd Middlemarch
- Kidds Rd Middlemarch
- Jones Road
- Gladfield Road
- Blueskin Road - From Purakanui to Borlasses Road
- Cutten Street - Closed between Hillside Road and MacAndrew Road
- MacAndrew Road - Full length from Forbury Road to King Edward Street
- Gladstone Road South - Between Riccarton Rd and Gordon Road
- Creamery Road
- Silverstream Valley Road
- Moerau Street - Closed between Bayview Road and Bellona Street
- Blackhead Road - Closed between Tunnel beach road and Brighton road.
- Flower Street
- Tomahawk Road - Closed at the intersection of Centre Road and Tomahawk Road (access to Smaills beach)
- Kaikorai Valley Road - Kaikorai Valley Road closed between Barr Street and Morton Street - North bound lane off motorway off ramp open - Blocked at Burnside underpass
- Portobello Road (detour via Highcliff Road and Castlewood Road)
- Highcliff Road (closed between Camp Road and Seaton Road)
- Marlow St (full length)
- Ravelston St - Between Rona St and Cavell St
- Cranley St - Between Cavell St and Marlow St
- Bay View Road - Between Forbury Rd and Prince Albert Rd
- Elwyn Cres
- Dovecote Ave
- Nelson Street
- Loyalty Street
- Tanner St - Inter Rock Side Rd
- Hargest Cerscent - Richardson to Corunna St
- Flagstaff/Whare Flat Road - From Three Mile Hill to Silverstream Valley Road
- Hatchery Road
- Josephine St
- Southdale Road
- Edwin St between Alfred St & Hillside Rd
- Surrey St Closed between Ruskin Tce & Hillside Rd
- Gladstone Road South - Closed between Riverside Road and Gladfield Road due to flooding.
- Old Brighton Road - closed between 100 Old Brighton Road and Jeffcoates Road
- Nisbet Street
Clutha local roads
Many roads around the Clutha district are closed and even more affected by flooding and slips.
This list may be updated - visit the Clutha Council website for updates
- Mt Wallace Rd
- Summerhill Rd
- Kelso block at West Otago
- Finch Rd
- Circle Hill Rd
- Butts Rd
- North Branch Rd
- Alexander Rd
- Table Hill Rd
- Titri Rd
- Elliotvale Rd
- Toko Mouth Rd
- Back Rd, Milton
- Kakapuaka Rd
- Waitepeka Rd/Guernsey Hill Rd
- Karoro Creek Rd
- Glenomaru Rd (no signs)
- Kaka Point Rd at Brookdale Rd and by 50km sign
- Pillans Rd/Clutha Valley Rd
- Wairuna Settlement Rd
- Brooksdale Rd, West Otago
- Berwick Rd/Young Rd
- Gormack St/Moir St intersection
- Kai Highway at Railway Bridge
- High Street/Stewart Street Balclutha
- Barnego Rd
- Frances Street, Balclutha
- Taieri Ferry Rd
- Coast Rd, Toko Mouth
- Bruce Road, Milton
- Tapanui- Waikoikoi Highway
- Ahuriri Flat Road
- Koi Flat Road, Pomahaka
- Papatowai Highway, Maclennan
- Centre Road, Maclennan
- Rongahere Road
- Puerua Valley Road, Lochindorb
- Waikoata Valley Road
- Clutha Valley Road, Hillend
- Moir Street, Balclutha
- Ross Road
- Pomahaka River Road
- McFarlane Road
- Pearson Lane
- Prawl Street
- Queen Street Stirling
- Barnego Road at Pakefield Street to Gormack Street
- Pakefield Street
- Gormack Street
- Freezing Works Road
- Queen Street, Stirling
- Kaitangata Highway between Yare Lane and Stirling
- Owaka Highway
- Fletts Road Table Hill
The Clutha District Council said it wasn't possible for contractors to get signage on to all roads affected by flooding and people should stay home if possible.