Otago Police are pleading for motorists to abide by road signs after two people were rescued from the roof of a car.
Emergency services were called to reports of a vehicle stuck on a flooded road between Balclutha and Clydevale at around 10am on Wednesday.
The uninjured driver and passenger had clambered up to the roof of the car, where they were then rescued.
- Motorists warned to stay off roads as severe weather batters southern South Island
- Raw sewage flows through Middlemarch after deluge
- Residents of Otago town Henly urged to evacuate due to flooding
"We ask that drivers remain patient, keep your speeds down on these roads, and obey all road closure signs," Otago Coastal Road Policing Team Leader, Senior Sergeant Jared Kirk says.
"Drivers who ignore road warnings are potentially placing themselves and others at risk."
Drivers also need to be aware that some vehicles may not be covered by insurance if they are driven on closed roads, Snr Srgnt Kirk says.
Wild weather caused havoc across the lower South Island on Tuesday, turning roads into rivers.
State Highways that had been closed due to flooding and slips have since reopened, but motorists are warned to take extreme care while driving.
Residents in Henley were advised to evacuate due to the massive deluge. In Middlemarch, raw sewage overflowed on to the streets.
Local bistro owner Norma Emerson told Newshub she was forced to close her cafe because of the wastewater spillage.
"We can't even reach our front door to be honest, because of wastewater we believe is raw sewage," she says.
While in Dunedin, Civil Defence were actively monitoring flooded suburbs.
A mass clean-up across Otago and Southland is now underway.
Newshub.
