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\nOn the West Coast, winds and heavy rain also brought down trees onto State Highway 6 and caused surface flooding.
\nPhoto: MetService\n<\/p>\n
Flooding has closed the key road link between Canterbury and the West Coast, as a fierce thunderstorm swept over the region this afternoon.<\/p>\n
State Highway 73 between Otira and Arthur’s Pass was closed at about 4.30pm, but was reopened by 9pm, with the section affected by the mudslide open to one lane with a temporary 30km\/h speed restriction in place.<\/p>\n
NZTA said road users should expect delays and are asked to travel with extra care.<\/p>\n
Orange heavy rain warnings were in place until 9pm for the Westland ranges and Haast, and the headwaters of lakes and rivers south of Arthur’s Pass, and until 1am for ranges of the Grey and Buller districts.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, Canterbury was under a strong wind warning, which brought down trees, partially blocking the road.<\/p>\n
NZTA said road users should avoid the area or delay their journey, if possible.<\/p>\n
MetService meteorologist Rob Kerr said strong winds meant a band of intense thunderstorms spread across the South Island were blown clear across the Southern Alps to Christchurch.<\/p>\n
Rain stations in and around Mt Cook Village, Arthur’s Pass and Carrington had all recorded heavy rain – between 150 to 220 millimetres in around 15 hours, Kerr said.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Christchurch and Kaik\u014dura were among the hottest places in New Zealand on Sunday, reaching temperatures of 32.9 and 34 degrees Celsius respectively – close to the national high of 36.3 degrees in the Hawke’s Bay.<\/p>\n
A severe wind warning was in place for Marlborough until 9pm, which could see severe gale northwesterlies gusting 120 km\/h in exposed places, while a severe wind warning for the Tararua District, Wairarapa and Wellington will end at 4am Monday.<\/p>\n