Flooding in NZ's Wellington area kills one

An elderly man has been found dead in the flooded Wellington region of New Zealand where train services have been cancelled and roads closed.

An elderly driver has been found dead in New Zealand in a flooded street north of the capital Wellington.

Police say they found the 80-year-old's body in floodwaters at Petone on Thursday afternoon near where his car had found been submerged in the morning with keys in the ignition.

Floods have caused havoc throughout the day in the Wellington region and commuters endured a long trip home in the evening, after major exits from the city had been blocked earlier.

The capital can expect little respite from floods on Friday. While the MetService says rain will ease off overnight, another downpour is expected to start at about 2am and light rain is expected to continue for the rest of the day.

With all train services cancelled until Friday afternoon and sections of State Highways 1 and 2 intermittently closing on Thursday, Wellington Civil Defence warned commuters to plan to stay put overnight.

"Stranded commuters are advised to talk to their workmates or friends and family about staying with them over night," Wellington Region Emergency Management Office controller Bruce Pepperell said.

Hotels around the city were filling up by early evening and Wellington City Council was offering for people to stay in the central library if they were stranded.

Earlier, a man was rescued from floods by bystanders after being caught in the water and another man was plucked from the Waikanae River, swollen to a 10-year flood level, using a digger.

Up to 22 homes are believed to have been evacuated.

Firefighters had a busy day with 400 callouts in the region and crews were sent in from Palmerston North.

Earlier in the week there was surface flooding in parts of Wellington after another deluge.