12pm Update: Heavy rainfall across the Canterbury region has caused significant disruptions in the Selwyn and Hurunui districts, prompting road closures and travel warnings.
In the Selwyn District, flooding has forced the closure of the road from the Leeston Road and Selwyn Lake Road junction through to Doyleston.
Drivers travelling east toward Leeston are being urged to detour via State Highway 1. Selwyn District Council is advising residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary and to consult updated road closure maps before setting out.
In the Hurunui District, Glendhu Road has been closed due to a slip that brought down a telecommunications pole, while Leader Road has been shut at both ends because of fallen power and phone lines. Golf Links Road is also closed.
Photo / Hurunui Council
Slips have been reported on several other roads, including Mt Cass Road, where minor slips have occurred, and on Leader Road, where a slip is currently blocking one lane.
Inland Road is partially obstructed in the southbound direction and has multiple patches of surface flooding, while Blythe Road has sustained damage from roadside scouring.
The MetService has issued an orange heavy rain warning for Canterbury, extending from Amberley to Timaru and including Christchurch and Banks Peninsula. An additional 30 to 60 millimetres of rain is forecast through to 6pm.
Peak rainfall rates of 10 to 15 millimetres per hour are expected, with snow falling as low as 700 metres inland. Forecasters expect the rain to ease from the south as the afternoon progresses.
Photo / Supplied
