Most of the South Island has had heavy rain causing flooding. In Nelson, a mudslide came down on top of a house, killing the woman who lived there. Heavy rain caused more mudslides in many parts of Nelson and some roads were closed.
Dunedin and Christchurch have flooding in many parts of both cities. Rivers in both cities have flooded onto the land in some places. Some farms are covered with water and some roads are closed. State Highway 1 (SH1) north of Dunedin was closed today by flooding. People wanting to drive from Dunedin to Christchurch would have a long detour by an inland road.
The rain should stop tomorrow but snow is forecast for the next two or three days in Dunedin and Christchurch. Even people in the North Island will feel the cold southerly storm from the Antarctic on the shortest day of the year.
Vocabulary
• flood (n and v); flooding (n) Note pronunciation: flood rhymes with mud
• mud – water mixed with soil becomes mud. A mudslide happens when rain pushes the trees and mud down the hill
• detour – can’t go straight from A to B, have to go a longer way
• inland – not along the coast