Canterbury has been hit with persistent rain overnight, leading to a state of emergency in Selwyn District and surface flooding across roads in multiple areas. While rainfall has eased slightly this morning, MetService’s Orange Heavy Rain Warning remains in effect until 6pm Thursday.
Waimakariri District Council said its Emergency Operations Centre remained active overnight, closely monitoring river levels across the district. A council spokesperson told chrislynchmedia.com, “There’s been a lot of rainfall overnight, but our stormwater infrastructure managed the conditions well. We’re not seeing any major issues at this stage, but we are urging residents to drive to the conditions due to significant surface flooding across our roads.”
Data shows the Ashley and Eyre Rivers have dropped in flow, while levels in the Cust and Cam Rivers remain steady but are not expected to require action. The council said it will continue to monitor the situation throughout the day.
Selwyn District Mayor Sam Broughton confirmed a State of Emergency had been declared at 5.39am. “Emergency services and Civil Defence volunteers are working with the Selwyn Huts community to self-evacuate due to rising river levels and the likelihood that the access road will be cut off,” Broughton said.
An updated flood advisory from Environment Canterbury confirmed that heavy rainfall has impacted much of the region, particularly the plains and foothill areas. Snow is forecast to fall above 700 to 900 metres. The most significant flood flows are expected in the foothill rivers and streams across Waimakariri, Hurunui, and Kaikōura districts.
Environment Canterbury said the Selwyn River remains in high flood and continues to rise. “Out-of-river flows are possible and adjacent landowners should remain vigilant,” the advisory said. “Residents in the Upper Selwyn Huts in particular are encouraged to monitor their situation carefully and pre-emptively evacuate.”
Te Waihora / Lake Ellesmere is also expected to be opened to the sea when weather and tide conditions allow.
In Christchurch, the wet weather has settled in, with high tides also forecast. A Christchurch City Council spokesperson said contractors had been clearing gutters, sumps, stormwater grates, and beach outfalls, while also managing water levels in the Ōpāwaho Heathcote River. “Residents along the upper and mid-reaches of the river can expect fluctuations in water levels at any time before, during, and after the rainfall event, even during periods of dry weather,” the spokesperson said.
“Our stormwater network is designed to cope with heavy rain, and our road network plays an important role as part of that system. In many parts of the city, roads are designed as secondary flow paths, so it is normal to see some flooding during intense rainfall. Staff and contractors are ready to respond to any issues.”
MetService has warned that surface flooding, ponding, and out-of-river flows remain likely in some areas through Thursday. Residents across Canterbury are advised to stay informed, avoid unnecessary travel where flooding is present, and report any urgent issues to their local council or emergency services.
