• More surface flooding and slips are expected on Friday in Nelson
• A state of emergency has been declared in Nelson, Tasman and the West Coast
• There is no route between Marlborough and Nelson, or from Marlborough to Tasman and the West Coast
• The Government has committed $200,000 for immediate flood relief

No respite is likely on Friday for residents of Nelson, Tasman, the West Coast, Taranaki and Northland, after two days of heavy rain led to widespread flooding and devastation.

MetService is predicting more rain, with 18 severe weather warnings issued around the country. In Nelson and Tasman, heavy rain is forecast to return on Friday afternoon, then ease on Saturday.

This will likely lead to more surface flooding and slips due to the ground already being saturated.

Between 5pm Friday and 2pm Saturday in the Nelson region, up to 190mm is expected to accumulate about the Bryant Range, and 70-110 mm elsewhere, at peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h.

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A red heavy rain warning is in effect for Nelson.

In Tasman, an orange heavy rain warning is in effect. Between 3pm Friday and 1pm Saturday, up to 200mm is expected to accumulate about the ranges, at peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h.

This comes after a state of emergency was declared across the West Coast on Tuesday, and in Nelson and Tasman districts on Wednesday.

Houses were evacuated in Glenduan, Bishopdale, Cable Bay, Tāhunanui, Buller, as well as many along the Maitai River, which burst its banks on Wednesday afternoon.

SH63 Wairau Valley was closed due to heavy rain and flooding, along with SH6 Nelson to Blenheim between Clifton Terrace and the SH6/SH62 roundabout near Renwick.

Waka Kotahi top of the south system manager Andrew James said it left no route between Marlborough and Nelson, or from Marlborough to Tasman and the West Coast.

Contractors would work as quickly as possible restore State Highway 63 and State Highway 6 between Blenheim and Nelson, however, a “substantial” amount of flood debris needed to be cleared.

Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said it was clear there would be a long-term impact on the Nelson region.

He announced $200,000 to go into the mayoral relief fund for Nelson and Tasman to provide help straight away before assessments could be carried out.

The West Coast was also affected.

A state of emergency was declared on Tuesday night and the Defence Force was on Wednesday sandbagging areas amid serious flooding fears, but residents from about 160 evacuated properties in a flood zone in Westport were allowed home on Thursday.

By Thursday evening, heavy rain had eased and the heavy rain warning lifted. However, between Friday 8pm and Saturday 1pm a further 80 to 130mm of rain is expected, according MetService.

In the North Island, rain warnings for Northland are in place until 11am Friday. About 1500 homes and businesses in the Far North lost power on Thursday, around 600 still without power that afternoon.

For north Taranaki, a heavy rain warning is in place until 10am Friday. Its rivers rose rapidly on Thursday afternoon and up to four homes were evacuated near Okato due to the risk of the Hangatahua (Stony) River bursting its banks.

The river was just one of the 20 monitored rivers in the region that rose rapidly and were continuing to rise at 6pm Thursday.