A cordon is in place around a property in Sydenham, in Christchurch, after a bomb threat was made this morning.
Officers were called to an address on Percival St about 10.40am after reports a person was making threats.
As a precaution, police evacuated people from adjacent properties and a cordon of about 100m is in place.
People have been asked to stay clear until the situation can be safely resolved.
Tennyson St resident Leon said police told him there had been a bomb threat, and he was asked to move to Colombo St.
Some Colombo St businesses near the scene have also been evacuated.
A shop owner who did not wish to be named told RNZ there had been rumours of a potential bomb around the area.
"We were told to evacuate the building as quickly as possible and go at least 100 metres away and that was all the information we'd heard," she said.
Evacuated cafe worker Aidan Mytton said the situation was scary.
"I've never had to experience anything like this before. It's a little frightening I guess but everyone's evacuated so that make me feel a bit safer."
Another business owner, who did not wish to be named, told RNZ she could see at least a dozen police officers and a police dog.
"Quite a lot of us just standing round on Colombo St evacuated, it's been going on for over an hour now," she said.
She said people were concerned about their properties and wondering what was going on.
A cafe owner told RNZ they did not know when they would be able to go back inside.
