Local government officials in South Canterbury are warning holidaymakers in alpine regions to watch for sharply rising river levels over the next few days.
MetService is warning of heavy rain for the Southern Alps from Monday evening until Wednesday.
They say that could dramatically raise water levels in the Waitaki and Rangitata rivers and campers should beware of this danger.
South Canterbury duty flood controller Tony Henderson says the risk is real and campers may not realise that despite the fact the weather appears sunny on the coast, the rain is falling in the mountains making the rivers dangerous.
He says there is no official flood alert at this stage but people should monitor the internet and local media for updates.
This is particularly important when camping near rivers or lakes.
