LIVE: Flooding sees some Nelson, Westport residents evacuate homes

Follow 1News' live updates as residents in Nelson Tasman and the West Coast face a third day of heavy rain.

• A red heavy rain warning remains in place for Buller, Nelson and Westland.
• A state of emergency is in place for Nelson Tasman and the West Coast
• Nelson's mayor says the city has been hit by a one-in-100 year event
• More than 200 homes in Nelson have evacuated after days of heavy rain
• 160 households in low-lying areas of Westport have been encouraged to self-evacuate
• A number of weather watches and warnings are in place for other parts of the country

7.50am: Speaking to Breakfast earlier this morning, Nelson resident Amy Chippendale said she couldn't return to her Nile St home after work yesterday due to flooding.

Chippendale described the situation as a "bit of a shock".

She said her mother had "frantically" packed her a bag during the day as the floodwaters rose.

"I've been lodging at my parents house for the night."

She said she'll find out today how badly her home has been affected.

"I don't know what I'm going home to."

7.40am: MetService says some places in the Tasman District recorded well over 300mm yesterday

7.30am: Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Westport resident Troy Scanlan says the town "may have dogged a bit of a bullet".

He says it looks like the rain hasn't been as bad as forecast.

He's protected his home with sandbags, as have some other Westport residents.

He says some residents are frustrated with the current extreme weather following flooding in the town in July last year.

7.20am: Here's a recap on the situation - Residents of 233 homes were asked to evacuated in Nelson following two days of heavy rain and after the Maitai River started to exceed its limits.

Ten more homes were evacuated last night in the suburb of Tahunanui, Nelson Tasman Civil Defence says.

It says homes on Stansell Ave were evacuated due to slips.

River levels lowered overnight, but plenty more rain is expected today, a Nelson Tasman Civil Defence spokesperson says.

A state of emergency was declared for Nelson Tasman and the West Coast yesterday and remains in place today.

MetService says significant heavy rainfall will continue in Nelson into today with a further 250mm to 400mm rain forecast to accumulate on top of what has already fallen.

6.30am: These are the weather watches and warnings issued by MetService for the South Island - A strong wind watch is in place for Nelson, Tasman and Buller.

There's surface flooding in Westport, with 160 households in low-lying areas encouraged to self-evacuate.

A red heavy rain warning remains in place for Buller, Nelson and Westland. An orange heavy rain warning remains in place for the Tasman District, west of Motueka.

There are slips, road closures and further surface flooding across the northern and western South Island.

A heavy rain watch is in place for parts of Marlborough, the Tasman District from Motueka eastwards and the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers.

Motorists are urged to keep across updates from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for road closures.