A red-alert deluge is swamping the Canterbury region, causing widespread flooding and the evacuation of two communities.
Timaru and the Ashburton District have declared a state of emergency as rescue crews save multiple people trapped by rising floodwaters.
Some areas are expecting to receive up to three months' worth of rain in three days - which would make it the most significant rainfall in a decade.
According to MetService, the wet weather is making for dangerous travel conditions: "Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous."
Newshub is covering the weather event via live updates.
Here are some of the latest images to emerge from the region:
