Fire and Emergency crews are on standby to support civil defence on the West Coast and in Nelson-Tasman if communities need assistance during a heavy rain event

. Crews in Westport have been helping with precautionary evacuations of residents in low-lying areas of the town.

Fire and Emergency has activated its regional coordination centre in Christchurch earlier today and an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) squad has arrived on the coast

Response Coordinator Mike Bowden says Fire and Emergency is ready for potential escalation of the storm anywhere in the upper South Island