Residents along the banks of the Heathcote River are trying to prevent their homes from being flooded.

Around 60 millimetres of rain has fallen in Christchurch's hillside suburbs in the past 24 hours.

Lydia Laulaula who is in Centauraus Road, says she can see cars parked in driveways with water running through them and houses flooded. She says some people are trying to erect tarpaulin barriers in their garage to stop the water getting in.

Wendy Sealey, who lives on Eastern Terrace, says the water has risen 15 centimetres in the past hour. She says as she lives on the first storey, she is not too worried, but says flooding makes it difficult to leave the house.

Christchurch City Council spokesman Terry Sefton says Eastern Terrace between Birdwood and Sandwich Roads is impassable and some parts of Palentine and Riverlaw terraces are covered in water.

High tide is due at 3.15pm, sparking fears the flooding could get worse.

Constant rain has also caused several slips on the hills around Christchurch. The Summit Road is closed between Dyers Pass and Mt Pleasant due to a slip at Rapaki and there are several smaller slips on Centaurus, Sumner and Dyers Pass Roads.