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Most of the country will have a chance to dry out this weekend, as heavy rain moves away from everywhere except the deep south.
MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said the heavy rain would be blown eastwards, leaving all but the southeast of the South Island with drizzle.
That would clear as the weekend progressed and fine spells would increase around most of the country.
Yesterday powerlines company Vector warned of possible power cuts over the weekend in strong, gusty northerly winds.
MetService heavy rain warnings proved well-founded yesterday. Many places were drenched, including Wellington - where 70mm of rain fell - while those in Lower Hutt had to be quick to avoid the puddles after a rainfall of 83mm.
Police in the Bay of Plenty said roads were littered with fallen trees and rocks from slips in the Waioeka Gorge near Opotiki last night.
Police senior constable Doug Henry said being on the road was "like driving a slalom course" trying to avoid rocks and debris.
The wettest place yesterday was the Taranaki Regional Council site on the visitor's centre in North Egmont, where 303mm of rain fell, while Inglewood had 112mm of rain.
Wellington City Council authorities were left dealing with raw sewage running on to streets, after a blockage on Tory St in the central city.
Council spokesman Richard MacLean said the blockage was caused by a large amount of congealed cooking fat. The mess was cleared up within two hours.
In Auckland, rainfall of 37mm soaked some people's hopes of a fine night out.
A police spokesman in Auckland said there had been 12 traffic accidents in the upper part of the North Island since the rain hit - one a serious accident near Opotiki, where a car rolled.
The 66-year-old female driver was treated by ambulance at the scene but later died.
Mr McDavitt said the country wouldn't have as much rain next week as it had had this week.
- NZPA
