Updated 7.00pm 

At least ten people have been pulled from their homes by boat, because of deep flooding in Christchurch.

The Heathcote River reached the highest levels some residents say they have ever seen around high tide around 3.20pm.

The water forced Civil Defence to launch a surf lifesaving boat to reach residents whose homes were under water.

 

The council's asking residents to stay put, and for those who have already evacuated to stay away from their homes overnight.

This is for the safety of the residents, as strong currents could be flowing around flooded homes.

People living near Christchurch's flooded Heathcote River are also being urged to stay in their homes, now night has fallen.

The Christchurch City Council says water levels are still rising in some places, and the next high tide will be 3.42am.

Response teams will be on stand-by overnight in case any evacuations are needed.

Civil Defence Manager of the Emergency Centre at Linwood College Henry Jaiswal said they currently have three people using the facility, that the council will find accommodation for tonight.

Mr Jaiswal says they are prepared for more, but are unsure how many might show up.

 

Residents in areas close to Heathcote River are being told to self evacuate if they feel unsafe and not wait to be told to go. @newstalkzb pic.twitter.com/ARLzsYmevc

— Chris Lynch (@lynchinnz) July 22, 2017

Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel said the state of emergency was declared earlier today to allow the region to prepare fully for any issues that may arise with the high tide.

view of the weather from above over NZ. Infra-red and Visible. The centre of the low near Taranaki. https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X ^JR pic.twitter.com/oPUMrWD3a7

— MetService (@MetService) July 22, 2017

Earlier, a spokesman for the Selwyn District Council said they are working to evacuate 20 to 30 residents in an area of huts, and believes another 20 people may be self-evacuating from the area voluntarily. 

Local resident Craig Ashby lives just below Coes Ford, which he said closed last night.

He said the river has started to overflow its banks and is flowing through some houses, including his neighbours.

He and his flatmates - who are on a small farm - and a couple next door are grabbing everything and getting out. Mr Ashby also said the roads are beginning to fill with water.

Meanwhile, the states of emergency in Dunedin and Timaru remain in place, although are expected to be lifted this afternoon.

Newstalk ZB reporter Matiu Workman was at St Clair Beach in Dunedin earlier today, where he said wild waves of one to two metres were crashing in.

He said that half a dozen police officers are now walking around the Ravenswood Road area near the beach, were a slip has closed entrances at both ends.

Emergency Services are combing the area and evacuating it. Police have told locals to pack a bag.

Cars were being moved from Ravenswood Road, and people are being asked to move to other accommodation. 

Dunedin mayor Dave Cull said while the rain has now eased, river levels will take some time to go down.  

READ MORE: Incredible plume of water causing havoc across New Zealand

Otago Civil Defence earlier today said that roughly 200 properties were evacuated overnight, mostly in Dunedin City and surrounding rural communities.

Spokeswoman Michelle Poole said this number includes 100 households that have been evacuated in Outram on the Taieri Plain in the last few hours.

Four homes were evacuated in Oamaru last night and another four in Hilderthorpe.

Further south, Clutha District Council activated its emergency operations centre last night after flooding in Milton, Lawrence and Waitahuna.

Teams also sandbagged the shopping area in Lawrence.

Ms Poole said most of those who have been evacuated overnight have gone to friends or family, however some are in hotels or motels, and that welfare assistance is available.

She said there's significant surface flooding and a large flood coming through the Taieri River, where levels are the second highest on record.

Ms Poole also added that there has been significant flooding in the Ida Valley on the Manuherikia River.

In Timaru, around 100 people have been evacuated, especially in the Saltwater Creek area. 

The District Council says the Army is going out to a few of the hut areas where there was concern about riverbanks.

ROAD CLOSURES

State Highway One north of Dunedin hasnow  reopened.

But south of Christchurch between Rakaia and Rolleston it's closed and is unlikely to reopen today.

Drivers needing to use this stretch of road are being told to take State Highway 77 at Ashburton and then State Highway 73 into Christchurch.

State Highway 88 between Dunedin and Port Chalmers remains closed due to a slip.

And flooding at Milton is preventing access to State Highway 8 to Central Otago.

A number of other roads around the South Island are also closed - for more information motorists are being advised to visit the NZTA website.

 

The Council's urging people to avoid unnecessary travel as extensive surface flooding remains over much of the district.

If people are on the roads, they should slow down and drive to the conditions.

The Selwyn District Council is urging locals to avoid travel, and precautionary boil water notices have been issued for Acheron, Hororata, Malvern Hills and Springfield.

RESCUES

Two groups of people had to be rescued after floodwaters engulfed their vehicles overnight - one near Christchurch and the other near Dunedin.

Fire and Emergency crews have been dealing with a large number of flooding calls, especially between 6pm and 2am.

Duty shift manager Brent Dunn reported the workload was especially high in Oamaru and parts of Dunedin, as well as in Mosgiel and Outram later on, in the early hours.

He said a truck got stuck in floodwaters in Mosgiel and six people had to climb up on the roof to be rescued.

Mr Dunn said late last night in Darfield there was a similar incident where people stuck in floodwaters had to climb into a tree to escape the rising waters.

Meanwhile, soldiers in a Unimog are in the process of rescuing someone caught in floodwaters in their car near the Taeiri River in Otago.

Dunedin Civil Defence Controller Sue Birdrose said State Highway 87 is underwater and pretty near impassable. 

POWER OUTAGES

There are power outages in some Dunedin suburbs and outlying areas.

People in Leith Valley, Mount Cargill, Maori Hill, Woodhaugh and Swampy Summit are affected, as well as those in Berwick and Henley on the Taieri River.

Lines company Delta says crews are out and about trying to restore power.