Firefighters from Alexandra and Clyde attended more than 20 calls as a result of the storm, New Zealand Fire Service Southern communication centre shift manager Brent Dunn said.
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Houses, hotels, shops and the Alexandra Medical Centre were all affected by flooding and firefighters were still helping to mop up at 11pm, two hours after the first weather-related call.
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One Alexandra resident estimated at least 50mm of rain fell in less than an hour. Frequent flashes of sheet lightning and forked lightning lit the sky for about an hour.
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Mr Dunn said thunderstorms in Invercargill and Winton also caused problems. Invercargill firefighters dealt with a fire caused by lightning striking a tree and
there were several call-outs to Winton properties after surface flooding.
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