The Big Wet

A storm has been travelling the length of New Zealand, creating havoc with high winds and heavy rain. Trees and power lines have come down, seaside homes have been encroached on by wild seas, and rivers have burst their banks all over the North Island, and upper South Island.

Last night, the storm reached Canterbury, and while we didn't get any of the gale force easterly winds (I live in an inland town), we certainly got the rain. North Canterbury doesn't get a lot of rain normally, so I wasn't expecting anything major. My side of town was apparently a swamp at one time but with moderate rainfall, this is not a problem. However, the clay pan underneath has not been able to handle the solid rain we've had over the past 30 hours.
This is the front lawn this morning. It's lower than the driveway so the water is deepest there. The back lawn is a bit higher in the middle, though the water is ankle deep on the paths. Getting firewood from the woodshed means wading through cold water, but at least I have dry firewood.

I'm working from home today but if the drains back up any more, I may have to go into work.