Weather: 'Cloud burst' hits Grey District, flooding homes and causing a slip

About half-a-dozen homes flooded in the South Island overnight.Fire and Emergency (FENZ) crews responded to flooded homes in Greymouth, Cobden, Brunner and Runanga in the Grey District.Southern shift manager Lyn Crosson said they also responded to a slip on the road in Cobden.Crosson said they were gearing up for more heavy rain and possible flooding this afternoon.A heavy rain watch had been in place for the Westland Ranges from 8pm on Thursday until 3am on Friday, with heavy rain forecast to move northwards over the North Island on Friday.West Coast Emergency Management said on social media it was a "cloud burst style rain event"."Please take care as first light arrives."Images uploaded by Grey District Council showed surface flooding in Greymouth.Surface flooding in Greymouth, July 2026