Dunedin's emergency operations centre has been activated as the city prepares for the worst as a damaging front heads south.
Mayor Dave Cull said at a briefing this afternoon that up until now there had been less rain in the city than predicted.
"However, the worst of the weather is still north of Dunedin.
"So we are actually expecting it to get worse as the evening progresses and the heaviest falls are expected to be overnight or early in the morning [tomorrow]."
There had been some surface flooding in Mosgiel and South Dunedin.
High seas lash cars driving on Dunedin's St Clair Esplanade this afternoon. Photo / Otago Daily Times
The information centres set up in the Mercy Room, Catholic Social Services in South Dunedin and at Mosgiel Fire Station Theatre could be converted to welfare centres if needed.
There were "eyes on the ground" in South Dunedin in Mosgiel monitoring the situation.
Dunedin City Council Civil Defence Controller Sandy Graham said about 40 staff were at the centre and much more than that out in the field.
It had mapped which areas were most likely to be affected, done door knocking in those areas, Ms Graham said.
About 5000 sandbags had been deployed and some were being sent north to Oamaru which had run out after being hit harder by the storm than expected.
Mayor Dave Cull said at a briefing this afternoon that up until now there had been less rain in the city than predicted. Photo / Otago Daily Times
Mobile pumps had also been brought into the city.
The army, which had extra resources in Dunedin for the Twin Peaks Battle Tab event, was also available to help.
She acknowledged the council had learnt from mistakes made in the devastating June 2015 floods.
It had also learnt from its response to the storm in April, which did not turn out as bad as expected.
Otago Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group regional manager Chris Hawker said the Oamaru emergency operations centre had been activated after it was hit by more rain than expected.
At this stage it was not believed a state of emergency was needed in Oamaru, Mr Hawker said.
The additional powers were not needed and council staff and emergency services were already out in force.
A car ploughs through surface flooding on Teviot St. Photo / Otago Daily Times
He asked people to not rubberneck as floodwaters rose.
