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Wellington — Torrent New Zealand Hundreds of people were forced from their homes in parts of the country on Friday after a fourth straight day of rain pushed rivers over their banks and destabilized flooded ground.
Nelson, on the north coast of the South Island, was the worst affected, with more than 400 homes evacuated and some homes declared uninhabitable due to rain.
"The damage we saw in Nelson was heartbreaking. I think it will take years to recover," said Alec, controller of the Nelson Tasman Civil Defense group. Dis said at a press conference.
"Driving the car, there were slips everywhere," he said, referring to landslides.
Nelson has seen 172 mm (6.8 inches) of rain since Tuesday, according to the weatherman's Metservice, which is more than double his average rainfall for August. An additional 190 mm of rain is expected in the hills near Nelson over the next day.
Nelson residents have been told to conserve water due to problems with the city's water system.
The Department of Civil Defense also warned people to stay away from shores, as some beaches have waves as high as 3 meters (9.8 feet).
The New Zealand Defense Force has personnel to assist with evacuation and flood control operations.
After weeks of wet weather, the latest storms are pushing more water into New Zealand's already flooded landscape. Experts attribute the unseasonably wet weather to narrow streams of water vapor, or 'atmospheric rivers', above the country.
Heavy rains have also hit New Zealand's North Island over the past 24 hours, blocking some towns, submerging roads and homes, and forcing people to evacuate.
Civil Defense Northland said in a Facebook post that some of the flooding is expected to ease as the tide recedes later on Friday, but some roads remain blocked.
A heavy rain warning is in effect until midnight on Friday. (Reporting by Lucy Kramer, Editing by Robert Barthel)
