'Like a tidal wave': Kaikōura motel manager powerless as units flooded

A Kaikōura motel manager says he's had to cancel bookings after floodwaters swept through all of the units, closing the accommodation business until further notice.

Marks are visible on the windows of the rooms at the Mediterranean Motel Kaikōura, where in places more than 5 centimetres of water surged through the building.

The motel is located next to State Highway 1 at the northern end of the township and manager Bazza said he was worried about the computers and other electrical items while the rain got heavier on Tuesday.

He was keeping an eye on the creek at the back of the property.

"Next minute, uh-oh, it's coming up, and then [it] just rushed in."

He said he raised what he could to higher ground.

"I just sat on my kitchen bench and then when I could see the tide must be going out, I opened up my background slider door and it just flowed out, it was just like a waterfall.

"I should have evacuated, but I was more paranoid about the computers and all the wi-fi and everything like that."

He had to cancel a number of bookings and said everyone had been very understanding given the situation.

On Friday, he was busy hosing down mud and flood debris from the motel carpark. He was yet to hear when an insurance assessor would visit.

"All the carpets, all the cupboards, the little bar fridges, they're all wet...luckily, the bases of the beds aren't too damaged, the mattresses, yeah, but now it's just a matter of clean up."

A lot of the debris outside, "horse poo and everything", had come from neighbouring properties.

Bazza said he thought the Kaikōura District Council had done a good job of keeping people informed, but the New Zealand Transport Agency should have shut State Highway 1 north of the township sooner, as passing traffic made the flooding worse.

"As soon as it started to flood and there was water on the road, they should never have let any big trucks come through here at all.

"It was just like a tidal wave that came straight through."

He said he'd experienced plenty of severe weather events, including a cyclone in Darwin, but nothing quite like this.

"It is what it is and you've got to accept it, it's Mother Nature."

He said Kaikōura was an amazing community and he had plenty of offers of help as people rallied around in support

Kaikōura District Council said at least nine properties had been damaged by flooding, with some yellow-stickered.

Roading crews are working to fix major damage to State Highway 1 between Kaikōura and Cheviot, where big chunks of road have been carved off by floodwaters.

The Transport Agency earlier said it could take several days to reopen the key route.