New Zealand's sunniest region recovers from deluge of rain

Dec 16, 2011, 5:02 GMT

Wellington - Up to 200 homes were damaged by flooding after a once-in-a-century summer rain bomb deluged the Nelson region of New Zealand's South Island, heralded as the country's sunniest place, officials said Friday.

Police urged the 60,000 residents of Nelson in the northern part of the island to stay home after civil defence officials declared a state of emergency and at least 19 roads were closed by an estimated 185 landslides.

Another 16 highways in the scenic Golden Bay region were blocked with the townships of Collingwood, gateway to the 24-kilometre Farewell Spit wildlife refuge, and Pohara cut off.

About 320 millimetres of rain, an amount that usually falls in two months, hit the region in 24 hours Wednesday and Thursday, flooding farms, holiday resorts and campsites that were preparing for thousands of visitors in the peak vacation period beginning at Christmas.

The Department of Conservation said reopening the well-known Abel Tasman National Park coastal hiking track was a priority, and the Nelson Tasman Tourism organization pledged business as usual.

Chief executive Lynda Keene said Nelson was the country's sunniest city so far this year with 2,310 recorded sunshine hours. The Christmas and New Year period was forecast to be hot and sunny.