Four German tourists had to be rescued early this morning after their campervan was caught in rapidly rising waters in Springston in Canterbury, police say.
Police and fire teams arrived just after 2am and found them huddling together on top of the van on The Lake Road.
The tourists were rescued and taken to accommodation in Christchurch, police said.
About 70mm of rain has fallen in Christchurch over the past 48 hours, as ex-Tropical Cyclone Gita lashed parts of the country.