The heavy rain that caused slips and surface flooding in the lower North Island is expected to stop this afternoon but many roads in the area are still closed.

Slips and surface flooding are causing havoc for motorists in the lower North Island as heavy rain and gale force winds sweep the region.

A severe heavy rain and gale weather warning is in place for much of the country as widespread flooding affects farmers.

Victoria faced its worst floods in more than a decade at the weekend, with 200mm of rain falling in some areas.

Authorities in Pakistan were battling yesterday to save a city in a flood-devastated southern province.

Several carriages of a passenger train fell into water after floods knocked out a bridge in China.

Boaties in Whakatane in the eastern Bay of Plenty are being urged to stay away from the sea as the area recovers from the aftermath of a weather thrashing.

Waterlogged North Island areas won't get an immediate reprieve as forecasters warn of more "wet events".

Farmers are working furiously to pump out flooded pastures as they prepare for more rain on top of the weekend's deluge.

As rising floodwaters threatened to wash away his home of four years all Peter Brake could do was wait, watch and hope for the best.

Central Punjab, Pakistan's fertile agricultural belt, is now besieged by unprecedented floods.

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence officials are on flood alert, urging people to be prepared for heavy rain during the weekend.

Efforts to contact a New Zealander known to be in India's remote Himalayan region of Ladakh hit by flash floods are continuing today.

A New Zealand man is missing in a flood-stricken area of northern India.