Downpour causes flooding in Sth Island 

A massive clean-up is underway in the lower South island after a torrential downpour caused thousands of dollars of damage to homes and businesses.

The hour-and-a-half long downpour caused flooding of homes and businesses in Wanaka, Arrowtown, Queenstown and Invercargill. At least 30mm was dumped throughout southern centres, causing overload for fire services, which had to prioritise callouts.

Several shops were evacuated or closed and many have suffered losses to stock and furnishings running into many thousands of dollars.

The New World supermarket in Windsor Invercargill was evacuated and other shops also closed in the city and in Queenstown.

Invercargill fire officer Graeme Gould says fire appliances attended more than 100 calls. He says many properties have been affected, with homeowners facing flooded garages and soaked carpets.

Gould says many commercial premises have been left with damaged stock and some shops will not be able to reopen for several days.

The deluge was described as monsoon-like.

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