Rivers ran extremely high throughout the region and breached banks and washed out roads and bridge abutements.

Many motorists were stranded overnight.

Homes and properties were inundated from Mosgiel, on the Tairei Plain to Dunedin and Oamaru. Houses were cut off by flood water.

There were minimal stock losses from both Taieri and North Otago. But some stock drowned in the submerged paddocks.

The estimated total of insurance claims to date on the 28th was over $3,000,000.

Flooding generally occurred in low population areas.

Otago region suffered a lot of slippage and damage to waterways, utilities, drains and bridge abutements.

Some roads were seriously undermined and a couple of bridges were in questionable state.

Flooding scoured out roads and removed the seal.

Hundreds of sheep were lost mainly from lifestyle blocks and in the Taieri area.

Crops of hay and winter feed were lost.

One farmer estimates damage at $50,000 and stock losses of 170 sheep.

One farmer in West Otago lost 15 dairy cows.

There were widespread road closures. State Highway 1 between Pareora and Oamaru, State Highway 90 between Tapanui and State Highway 1 Junction, State Highway 8 between Raes Junction and Clarksville and State Highway 1 in Dunedin were affected by surface flooding or slips. State Highway 85 between Palmerston and Kyeburn was closed.

Damage flooded cars.

There were bus service delays and cancellations.

There were 652 claims lodged.

Residential home and contents claims totalled $1,626,300.

Commercial claims totalled $144,000.

Motor vehicle claims totalled $128,000.

The full cost of coastal Otago floods topped $6,000,000, with work still going on.

The cost to the New Zealand Insurance Council was $3,000,000.

The cost to councils and Transit NZ was $3,500,000.

The cost to Dunedin City Council was $1,800,000.

The cost to water and waste services department was $290,000 (with $80,000 covered by insurance). There was significant costs from repairing damage to pumping station electrics and the Silverstream pumping station alone cost $54,000.

The cost to parks and reserves department was $80,000. This was mainly to repair walking tracks ($27,000) such as Flagstaff and Mount Cargill, part of the wall at Karitane fisherman's wharf ($20,000) and repairing a stream bank on Water of Leith ($13,000).

The cost to roading was $1,500,000 to repair damage to bridge abutments, banks, pavements and to clear culverts and slips.

The cost to Transit NZ was $950,000 to date, but the final cost was expected to reach $1,400,000.

Clutha District Council said the main damage from the storm was to the Pounawea sea wall and it was proposed to be replaced with rock wall at the cost of approximately $180,000.

The cost to Waitaki District Council was $105,000.

Abbotsford, a suburb of Dunedin, was without water due to the weather knocking out the supply.

The Three Mile Hill Road was closed in Dunedin.

Oamaru was badly affected. Buildings were flooded, streets were underwater and schools and businesses were closed.

The flood waters were chest deep in some parts of town and rivers were at bursting point.

There were 50 people evacuated from Oamaru.

More than 60 houses flooded.

Several cars were abandoned on State Highway 1 between Waitaki bridge and Oamaru.

Waitati was flooded and a big washout occurred.

Residents were evacuated by helicopter from one low-lying house in town.

Air travel was affected. The Queenstown airport was closed, stranding hundreds of travellers.

Taieri Plains including Mosgiel were flooded.

300 people from Mosgiel were evacuated.

It was the worst flood in 25 years and the Silver Stream catchment area was the worst affected.

One farmer in the Silver Stream catchment lost 170 lambs.

Southland rivers rose quickly, rising 10.0 to 17.0 cm an hour.

Northern Southland had snow falling in higher parts.