It's a long road ahead for residents in Christchurch and Dunedin, where a massive clean-up continues this morning after record floods at the weekend.
Dunedin train tracks devastated by floods and slips
The rail track through the Taieri Gorge outside of Dunedin has taken a big hit following the recent wet winter weather to soak the southern city.
The last big flood to devastate the track was in 1980 and Dunedin Railways Operations Manager Grant Craig says there are major slips and slumps from this recent storm.
He says they've only been able to check part of the line so far - but expects it will cost hundreds of thousands at the least to fix.
Dunedin Mayor David Cull told The AM Show around 130 people are still evacuated from their homes, mostly staying with friends and family.
He said the city will go from emergency into recovery mode this morning.
"It will be a week or so before some people are back in their homes, and we've got slips to clear and some roads are covered in water."
He warned people need to be careful when driving, even if roads are open.
In Christchurch, the Heathcote River overflowed onto neighbouring properties, putting stress on sewerage systems.
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the floods have been a reminder that the city has not recovered from the earthquakes.
"The impact of the earthquakes on land levels and our land drainage recovery are still very much an ongoing feature," she told The AM Show.
People who have touched floodwaters in Christchurch or Dunedin are being urged to wash their hands in case of contamination, and homeowners are being told to get houses professionally cleaned.
Newshub.
