Flooding affects Westland

Heavy rain has caused flooding and closed roads in Westland.

Parts of the Coast were battered by more than 200mm of rain in about 12 hours yesterday.

The New Zealand Transport Agency issued a flood warning for State Highway 6 between Hokitika and Haast, while Franz Josef Glacier visitors were trapped by a slip on the access road.

Whataroa resident Martin London saw the slip, but was unsure when the road was cleared.

"A number of cars had gone up [to the glacier] to have a look and on the way back found their way blocked," he said.

"Lake Wahapo was beginning to flood and the Waiau River was right up close under the girders of the bridge to Franz Josef." The rain was "intense" overnight Saturday and yesterday, he said.

It had cleared by last night, but more rain was forecast.

London said that while heavy rain was common in the region, locals were getting "a bit sick of it".

"It's been a long, cold season and nobody's gardens are growing.

"We're still hanging out for a decent bit of summer."

MetService forecaster Oliver Druce estimated Franz Josef had between 250mm and 300mm in the 12-hour period to 4pm yesterday.

"Five hundred millimetres in a day is pretty rare over there, so 250mm in 12 hours is pretty well up there," he said.

Active frontal systems sweeping in from the Tasman Sea had been especially vigorous when they hit the Southern Alps because of high-level moisture originating from Queensland, Druce said.

- © Fairfax NZ News