Farmers in parts of the South Island are being advised to move stock to higher ground as several rivers in the region rise from recent heavy rain.
Southland Regional Council says the Waikaia River at Waikaia is continuing to rise and could flood low-lying farms and cut road access to the town.
Flooding is also likely in the lower reaches of the Mataura River and spillover could be expected in the rural areas of other catchments.
These include the Mokoreta Rivers and the Irthing Stream, which have both reached flood trigger levels.
A flood alert has also been issued for Canterbury, where heavy rain has caused major alpine rivers to rise.
