Schools have closed early, roads are impassable and a person has been rescued from their flooded home as heavy rain drenches the upper North Island. A motorist called emergency services after being trapped by rising floodwaters on Waiteitei Rd, north of Wellsford. Heavy rain was covering a narrow area from Great Barrier Island, north of Albany and south of Whangarei. Chilly night for manyOvernight sub-zero temperatures were felt by many in South Island and the lower North Island overnight - the Mt Cook region was forecast to get as low as -8C. The New Zealand Transport Agency said flooding has closed six roads around the Rodney District and others are passable but flooded.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 10, 2016 02:03 UTC