Torrential New Zealand rains, floods force evacuation of 200 homes

Torrential rains hit New Zealand's South Island on Wednesday, flooding rivers, houses and roads and forcing roughly 200 households to evacuate, Qazet.az reports according to media .

Around 70 homes in Nelson, at the north of the South Island, and a further 140 homes on the West Coast were evacuated, according to estimates by local television network 1News.

Media footage from the region showed flooded rivers, water washing over roads and teams using rescue boats to check on flooded areas.

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New Zealand weather provider Metservice said that mountain ranges in the west and north of South Island could receive up to 500 mm (19 inches) of rain between Wednesday and Friday.