Buller Civil Defence is asking Westport residents to leave town if possible as wild weather pummels the region.
"Buller Emergency Management are asking residents to self-evacuate if they can easily do so to friends and family OUTSIDE OF WESTPORT," they said.
State Highway 6 between Franz Josef and Haast has been closed due to a number of significant land slips. It will remain closed overnight.
Officials said anyone in the region who experienced flooding in July last year is encouraged to self-evacuate as a precaution.
"Further evacuation decisions will be made as we get more clarity around rainfall in the next 24 hours."
Officials are currently considering mandatory evacuations. Meanwhile, Defence Force Unimogs and police are on standby to assist the town if needed.
Metservice has extended the red warnings for heavy rain in the Buller District and Westland to Sunday, with a second band of rain expected to affect the West Coast of Friday.
MetService Meteorologist Andrew James says the weather system brought 123mm to Westport airport in the 24 hours to 9am Thursday, the wettest February day there since records began in 1944.
Red and Orange heavy rain warnings and watches remain in force for the western and northern South Island.
West Coast Group Controller Te Aroha Cook said people in Buller, specifically Westport should prepare for more rain.
"Metservice have advised that there is more rain to come for this area. We are working closely with the Buller Emergency Operations Centre to assist where we can," Cook said.
"The advice from the Buller EOC is to be ready today in case you have to evacuate. Have your grab bags ready, connect with friends and family, assist neighbours to get ready, and make sure your car is ready to go.
"If people are concerned for their safety, please make plans to relocate to friends and family now. For any emergency assistance required call 111.
"The Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) in Buller, and the Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) at Westland Recreation Centre in Greymouth, continue to be fully activated. The Westland EOC will continue to closely monitor the remainder of the event into tomorrow."
Local controller Bob Dickson said people who are self-evacuating need to remember to take their grab bags and pets with them.
Dickson said Helping You Help Animals (HUHA) has set up a shelter for domestic pets at Pamu Farms.
"If you are able to safely self-evacuate, please leave a note in your window to let authorities know everyone in your household has left.
"I know leaving your homes behind is very disruptive and distressing, but the community now has time to move safely before more rain sets in.”
"For those residents who cannot easily self-evacuate to stay with family or friends should prepare for possible evacuations in coming days."
But it seems like there is good news for Westland. Westland Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) says the area has dodged the worst of the rain.
"The rivers have run high but we have only had reports of the Makaawhio breaching its banks and this was not a cause of serious concern," said local controller Simon Bastion. "We did not have to issue any mandated evacuations in any part of the district, although some people chose to evacuate in localised areas.
Buller Emergency Management told locals to prepare their property for avacuation by turning off power, water and gas.
They said Police are running 24/7 patrols of properties which have been evacuated and increasing police presence in Westport.
This can provide extra assurance to those who have are evacuating that their properties have security. Metservices says the front is expected to move slowly northwards and weaken slightly.
"We are not expecting the same sorts of rainfall numbers for the North Island, though there is a chance of heavy falls for Taranaki, Taumarunui, Taihape, Tararua district, Kapiti-Horowhenua and Wellington, where Heavy Rain Watches are in force from early Saturday morning. Farther south, the Marlborough Sounds, and Canterbury foothills are also under a watch for heavy rain on Friday and Saturday,” James says.
He said the first week of February has brought more rain to the central and upper North Island than the whole of January and after this week another long dry spell is likely.
