Easter flooding clean-up under way in Nelson

Nelson residents are cleaning up after floods swept across the Nelson region on Friday.

Bridges were washed out, trees uprooted and farm fences torn down during heavy rain and high winds.

Flooding closed State Highway 6 56km southwest of Nelson, after the Motupiko River burst its banks and several other streams and rivers in the region overflowed on to farms and roads.

Tasman District Council engineering services manager Peter Thomson said he did not know the full extent of damage but expected it would top $50,000.

He said all roads were re-opened by Saturday morning, but some roads were still reduced to one lane.

St Arnaud Department of Conservation programme manager Eric MacDonald said campers were evacuated from Kerr Bay camping ground, which borders the Black Valley Stream, about noon on Friday after 137mm of rain fell within a few hours.

The camping ground remained closed because of flood damage.

- NZPA