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Hundreds of homeowners last night began cleaning up their sodden properties after torrential rains doused much of coastal Otago.
More than 300 homes were evacuated in Mosgiel, south of Dunedin, and rural homes on nearby plains were cut off by floodwaters.
Some residents had to be rescued by helicopter at the tiny seaside settlement of Waitati, north of Dunedin. Volunteers sandbagged some other Waitati properties to protect them from an expected influx at high tide.
Civil Defence sirens were triggered in Oamaru, and State Highway 1 was closed.
In Dunedin the banks of the Leith slid away and a set of stairs at St Clair was badly damaged by strong seas.
In what was described as a "very unusual weather event", about 24mm of rain fell on the southern city in 15 minutes.
In the worst-hit areas of the Taieri plain, residents were bracing themselves again last night as rivers were forecast to reach "very high levels".
Dunedin Civil Defence manager Neil Brown said emergency staff would monitor the Taieri River.
At 11am yesterday the river was running nearly 6m above normal.
Silverstream resident Steve Fitzgerald said he waited in his two-storey house to be evacuated as a brown surge of water gushed by just metres away.
"I've lived here for 20-odd years and this is the worse I've ever seen it. The water was a bit of a dribble at six o'clock this morning ... what's surprised me is how quickly it has risen."
Part-time Taieri farmer Justin Geddes said most farmers had moved their stock earlier in the morning preparing for the Taieri River to break its banks, only to have Silverstream tip over. "I got a call from the regional council when I was waist deep in water telling me the Taieri was getting ready to peak, and I said Silverstream has already gone ...
"What do I think about that? I think it was a little late."
Damage reports are expected to pour in today as people assess their properties.
Hydro electricity lakes also received a boast from the downfall, but Meridian Energy spokesman Alan Seay said more rain was needed.
Overall the Waitaki River power station system was up by 14 per cent, taking Lake Tekapo to 65 per cent of its required level, and Lake Pukaki to 50 per cent.
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES, NZPA
