emirates7 - Heavy rain triggered flooding, road closures and evacuations in New Zealand’s southern city of Dunedin and the neighbouring Waitaki District on Monday, with officials urging residents to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel.

New Zealand's MetService said Dunedin and Oamaru had received 100 millimetres of rain in the past 24 hours, adding that the rain was expected to move northwards to Canterbury and Marlborough.