Southland braces for impact as ex-tropical cyclone Uesi bears down on New Zealand

February 13, 2020

Locals in Gore, Mataura and Wyndham continue their clean-up efforts.

Southland is preparing for the worst as the tail end of tropical cyclone Uesi gets closer to New Zealand.

Just a week on from severe flooding that saw multiple towns evacuated, more heavy rain is forecast this weekend as Uesi tracks down the South Island.

Emergency Management Southland controller Bruce Halligan says they're keeping an eye on the weather.

"We have the state of emergency for Southland still in place and the team at the emergency coordination centre are watching and preparing should the rainfall predicted come through," he said in a statement today.

Farmers in particular are warned to be prepared and keep watch on their local waterways and stock.

"While generally the stop bank network performed very well in the recent flood event, some localised, temporary strengthening is being undertaken in some key locations," Mr Halligan says.

Police confirmed the pair – a man and a woman – were found in the Makarora River, near Wanaka.

Two people died and one person remains missing after last week's flooding, while they were tramping in Mount Aspiring National Park.

The remains of Cyclone Uesi are predicted to bring heavy rain and galeforce winds to the South Island's west coast on Sunday.

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