Fitzgerald Avenue, between Tuam and Lichfield Streets, has been reduced to one lane because of a sinkhole and more roads across the city have closed because of flooding.

• Lower Styx Road, from Spencerville to Harbour Road has closed.

• Harbour Road, from Lower Styx Road to the end of the street has also closed and Marine Parade, between Fleming Street and Leaver Terrace, is closed due to flooding. 

Roads in Christchurch City that are closed due to flooding will remain closed at least until 9am tomorrow morning.

The closures affect the following roads:

• Avondale Rd – New Brighton Rd / Bassett St to Breezes Rd

• Avonside Dr – Retreat Rd to Woodham Rd

• Avonside Dr – Wainoni Rd to Torlesse St

• Aynsley Tce – Centaurus Rd to Opawa Rd

• Clarendon Tce – Full length

• Cumnor Tce – Full length

• Eastern Tce – Tennyson St to Malcom Ave

• Eglinton St – Breezes Rd to Woolley St

• Ford Rd – Opawa Rd to Newberry Rd

• Green Lane – Full length

• Hunter Tce – Malcolm Ave to end

• Maces Rd / Ruru Rd – at the intersection

• McCormacks Bay Rd – Full length

• New Brighton Rd – Bower Ave to Pages Rd / Hawke St

• Newport St – Emlyn Pl to Wainoni Rd

• Oakridge Tce – Wales St to Nicholls St

• Owles Tce – Hardy St to Collingwood St

• Richardson Tce – Full length

• River Rd – North Parade to Banks Ave

• Woolley St – Avondale Rd to Waratah St

NZ Transport Agency – South Island is advising people to avoid travel in Canterbury today given the still changing situation. They are watching the Hurunui area and bridges over the Hurunui River given the ongoing rain in North Canterbury and the current reliance upon SH7 the Lewis Pass.

A summary of closures:

• SH73 Darfield to Castle Hill

• SH77, the inland route Darfield to the Rakaia Gorge

• SH75 the Akaroa highway – closed from Barrys Bay to Birdlings Flat.

• SH1, south of Christchurch – closed at the Selwyn River/ Waikirikiri, Dunsandel.

• SH1 closed several places through mid to south Canterbury – Hinds to Temuka.

• SH77 Methven to Windwhistle and Darfield – the inland scenic route.

• SH79 Rangitata to Fairlie and Geraldine.

• SH8 Fairlie to Tekapo via Burkes Pass.

UPDATED WEATHER FORECAST

New forecasts suggests the rain band over the Canterbury region is likely to continue to bring steady rain until about 7pm tonight, with showers then likely overnight.

Rainfall rates are currently 6 to 10mm/hour over much of Banks Peninsula and western parts of the Port Hills (including the Heathcote River catchment), and 3 to 6mm/hour in other areas.

From midday to midnight, Christchurch is expecting another 50 to 80mm of rain for the southern parts of Banks Peninsula and western parts of the Port Hills, with much of this before 8pm. Other parts of the city can expect 25 to 40mm of rain.