Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Ōtepoti | Dunedin City Council declared a state of emergency shortly after midnight as heavy rainfall battered the city and floodwaters rose across the region.
An evacuation centre opened at the St Clair Golf Club, and the iconic Forsyth Barr stadium opened as a welfare centre.
The numbers of evacuees overnight were unclear, but the St Clair Golf Club was full by 2:50 am, according to RNZ, and further evacuees were advised to go to the stadium.
North Otago, Dunedin and coastal Clutha are under a red heavy rain warning, the highest level of warning Metservice can issue, until 9 pm on Friday.
River flows appeared to be coming down by 3 am but were still well above normal across the city.
An emergency alert was sent out to residents early Friday morning, notifying them of the state of emergency.
Particular concern centred on residents in the low-lying suburbs of South Dunedin, particularly in Caversham in and around the areas near Hillside Road and Surrey Street, who were advised to evacuate to higher ground overnight if they felt unsafe.
Attention in Dunedin City Council comment sections had turned to high tide, due around 5:30 am this morning.
More than 20 roads were closed across the city overnight, with landslips on Aramoana Road between Careys Bay and Deborah Bay, as well as the access road to Smaills Beach from Tomohawk Road.
RNZ also reported another landslip near a house on Leonard’s Road, forcing evacuations.
A burst water main also meant many on Muaūpoko | Otago Peninsula from Irvine Road to all households in Portobello were without a water supply, and residents were told to conserve water. More to come.
Additional reporting by RNZ.