More heavy rain is set to pound the country, with orange rain warnings issued for parts of both the North and South islands.
MetService said people in the affected areas should clear their drains and gutters to prepare.
"Avoid low-lying areas and drive cautiously."
Orange warnings were in place for:
- Tasman, about and northwest of Motueka, from 6pm Saturday to midday Sunday
- Taranaki Maunga from 9pm Saturday to midday Sunday
- Bay of Plenty east of Kawerau, and Gisborne/Tairāwhiti north of Ruatoria, from 9am Sunday until midnight.
Heavy rain watches were also in place for:
- Northland, north of Whangārei, from midnight Saturday to midday Sunday
- Waikato (including Coromandel Peninsula, Waitomo, and Bay of Plenty about and west of Kawerau) from 3am-6pm Sunday
- North Taranaki, excluding Taranaki Maunga, from 9pm Saturday to midday Sunday.
There were no watches or warnings in place for Marlborough, where crews were expected on Saturday night to refloat the Interislander ferry Aratere. It ran aground on Friday night following a steering failure.
Northland has endured a particularly wet week, with over 120mm of rain falling in the north and east on Wednesday and Thursday.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane earlier said the unsettled weather was likely to last into next week.
rnz.co.nz
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