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Rose Tierney dreads returning to her flooded home today after being evacuated amid a rainstorm that caused chaos across the South Island.
Ms Tierney, her son Cory, 15, and boarder Barry Cassidy could only stand by and watch in horror yesterday as floodwaters rose up into the North Canterbury property and through many of their possessions.
The trio were among dozens of people forced to flee their homes as heavy rain and severe flooding hit the south, particularly rural North Canterbury.
Water from a flooded lagoon surrounded Ms Tierney's home in the small settlement of Amberley Beach, where about 70 people were evacuated, before coming up through the floorboards.
"In the hallway, it started coming up through the carpet. And then all of a sudden my whole laundry, toilet, bathroom and bath was just full of water," she said. "And then it started coming in the bedroom. Just before we left it was nearly up to the mattress of the bed."
Ms Tierney had only recently bought the property, and was taking refuge at an evacuation centre in the Amberley township last night.
Rain was still falling in Canterbury late yesterday after about 300mm in 24 hours caused widespread flooding and landslips, washed out roads, sections of railway track and closed schools. Rivers rose dramatically and surface flooding was also widespread in Christchurch.
State Highway 1 was cut off in several places by flooding and slips. Farm paddocks were turned into lakes.
In Amberley township, many shops and businesses on the main street could not open because of floodwaters lapping at their doors.
Wheelchair-bound amputee Ron Horn, 72, was stranded in his Amberley home. He had earlier turned down an offer of evacuation.
Residents in several small Canterbury settlements were still waiting to see if they would need to evacuate last night as the weather front moved further south and threatened other districts.
