Photo: Otago Daily Times / Stephen Jaquiery
At least 22 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.
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Local Dunedin road closures:
- 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 (no detour in place)
- Highcliff Road (no detour in place)
- 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
Highways closed
- State Highway One north of Milton is closed due to flooding of the Tokomairaro River.
- State Highway One is closed north of Dunedin due to flooding in Waikouaiti. The highway is closed between Evansdale and Palmerston.
- State Highway 87 Kyeburn to Hyde was closed until further notice, due to flooding.
- SH 88 Forsyth Barr Stadium to Port Chalmers was closed due to a landslide. Waka Kotahi warned people to delay their journey or consider an alternate route.
- SH 90 Waikoikoi to Tapanui was closed due to flooding and a detour was in place.
- Speed was reduced to 30km/h on SH 96 at the intersection of Brown Road due to flooding.
Buses cancelled
All Dunedin buses have been cancelled until futher notice.
"Due to current situation in Dunedin all services remain suspended at this time," Orbus said on its website.
Clutha local roads
More than two dozen roads around the Clutha district were closed and even more wee affected by flooding and slips.
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.