The country\u2019s biggest tourist town was soaked by the biggest single-day rainfall in 24 years: 87 millimetres in the 24 hours to 9am on Friday.<\/p>\n
Heavy rains caused \u201cseveral flooding and debris events\u201d, according to Queenstown Lakes mayor Glyn Lewers who asked people not to take to the roads.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current weather event is an active and evolving situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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The Mataura River in northern Southland, New Zealand, broke its banks.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Guy Dowding\/StuffNZ<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cWe have been working with emergency management throughout the night to assess the full extent of the situation in the current conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n Social media posts show streets overcome with mud, logs and forestry run-off from the nearby hill near the base of the famous Skyline Gondola.<\/p>\n Residents and tourists were advised to avoid the town centre, with an evacuation centre set up at St Peters Church. More than 100 people were evacuated overnight.<\/p>\n \u201cIf travel is essential, then please take extreme care,\u201d Lewers said.<\/p>\n Taine Donnelly removes sand bags at St Peters College in Gore, NZ, after the flood on Friday.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Kavinda Herath\/StuffNZ<\/cite><\/p>\n Lewers issued the state of emergency on Friday, following a similar declaration in the nearby town of Gore, and in Southland on Thursday.<\/p>\n Gore received 102mm of rain overnight, with dozens of volunteer firefighters and locals called in to place sandbags to save properties from flooding.<\/p>\n Mt Cook Village received 120mm in an unseasonally hefty dump.<\/p>\n The downpour was expected to ease later on Friday. Forecaster Metservice issued warnings for snow to low altitudes across Otago and the Canterbury Plains.<\/p>\n Queenstown Skyline gondola was closed on Friday due to slips and debris.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Debbie Jamieson\/Stuff<\/cite><\/p>\n A number of highways in the region are closed, though the road to Milford Sound which received 318mm on Thursday, has reopened.<\/p>\n While no injuries have been reported, further damage could follow.<\/p>\n Rivers in the region, including the Mataura River – a legendary waterway for brown trout fishing – were expected to peak later on Friday.<\/p>\n The nearby Waikaia River has burst its banks, affecting farmland.<\/p>\n Flooding on the Mataura River in northern Southland.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Guy Dowding\/StuffNZ<\/cite><\/p>\n The flooding and landslips follow an outbreak of the parasite cryptosporidium in Queenstown.<\/p>\n At least 18 cases of the highly infectious bug have been identified this week after complaints of stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Social media posts suggest a more widespread problem.<\/p>\n While the origin of the outbreak is yet to be confirmed, public health authorities have issued a boil water notice as a precaution.<\/p>\n The national water regulator has issued a compliance order on Queenstown Lakes Council\u2019s Two Mile treatment plant for not having an appropriate parasite filter.<\/p>\n Lewers said a fix that could prompt the regulator to lift the boil water notice was still a way off.<\/p>\n \u201cA best case [scenario] would be months … to get the kit to here and install it, it could take some time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to take a risk management approach.\u201d<\/p>\n Radio NZ reported local businesses were resorting to bringing in water from nearby lakes to keep their coffee machines running.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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