While the rain continues to fall, Civil Defence believes that rivers have reached their highest point.
With bridges and roads were closed around the high tide, the Maitai River breached its banks on Saturday morning, but the water has since looked to subside.
Roads that had closed have reopened around the region, with emergency services reminding drivers to take extreme care due to the potential hazards such as surface flooding.
In signs of a return to normal, the Giants' scheduled match against the Taranaki Airs will go ahead.
Giants head coach Mike Fitchett says they have undergone a thorough risk assessment and deemed it safe to play.
"That said, we want to stress that your safety is our top priority, and we urge you to take extra care on the roads and to consider your personal safety when deciding whether to attend the game. If you're able to join us, thank you."
Residents of Clouston Tce self-evacuated their homes when the river breached shortly after 9am on Saturday.
One resident says some of the homes are still uninhabited after the street was severely damaged in the August weather event.
Another home had just been fully refurbished and was ready to put back on the rental market, she says.
"The cubic metres of the river was at 100 earlier today, and now it’s 220. Last August flooding, it was at 322, but there are still surges so we’re not sure if it’s going to get worse or subside.
"The fire brigade has been really proactive this time. They came straight away and are still assisting people to leave their houses. We’ve been watching the river get higher and moved our vehicles to a safer spot earlier this morning as we weren’t sure if the bridge would be closed," she says.
Heavy rain during Friday night has caused surface flooding throughout the region, closing roads and businesses.
Contractors have been working with slips and rockfalls across the region’s highways overnight, fighting to keep the roads open as access to Blenhiem and Golden Bay was restricted.
The orange Heavy Rain Warning remains in place for much of Nelson Tasman until midday on Saturday. Another is in place for Nelson, west of Motueka until 11pm Saturday.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson says they evacuated residents from approximately 20 homes in Riwaka last night at approximately 7:30pm.
Fire crews were also responding in Bishopdale and Nelson South on Saturday morning, with surface flooding entering properties in some places, they say.
Video posted from Waahi Taakaro Golf Club shows the course has flooded again, with water lapping at the temporary bridge structure.
Work had been ongoing as the club rebuilt after the August flooding, which saw the newly opened bike hub, including an asphalt pump track, and the course severely damaged.
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence say there have been sewer overflows across the region and warn that all flood water should be treated as potentially contaminated.
Closures and cancellations:
Maitai Valley road: Accessible to residents only up to Ralphine Way.
-All netball games on Saturday cancelled
-Riverside Pool is closed
-St Paul's Harvest Gala is postponed
-The Elma Turner Pop-up Library has been closed
-Central School's Central Challenge has been postponed to Sunday May 21.
-Nelson's coronation tree planting at Queens Gardens is postponed
-Natureland will be closed for the day but say all their animals are safe and well.
