Southland is set to be faced with a huge clean-up operation with farms, businesses and houses inundated by flood waters. Reporter Hamish MacLean describes what he witnessed from a helicopter.
There is widespread flooding next to the Mataura River and at Gore low-lying commercial areas are surrounded by flood waters.
Residential properties on the outskirts are also surrounded especially downstream.
Cows are standing on high areas and milking sheds are completely surrounded by water.
Some farmland completely flooded in Gore today. Photo: Craig Baxter
Some cows were chest deep in water.
At Mataura where the river narrows the turbid water becomes incredibly rapid.
Police and civil defence could be seen going door to door in Gore.
