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Hundreds of people in the Hunter region of New South Wales fled their homes last night ahead of a fresh torrent of floodwater expected to hit the area.
The State Emergency Service ordered people to leave after predictions that floodwaters would peak at 5cm above a levee.
The monster storm had by yesterday claimed nine lives, including five members of the same family whose car was washed from a collapsed section of road.
The worst of the storm that battered New South Wales passed over the North Island yesterday.
"It is not packing the same sort of punch it had there," said MetService forecaster Bob Lake.
Eastern areas including parched Gisborne, and central and southern Hawkes Bay, may get persistent rainfall of up to 60mm today but it would track away tomorrow, he said.
A week of cold weather in the South Island means the snow season will be launched today at Queenstown's Coronet Peak.
