A few rays of sunshine have brought hope to the north of the South Island

Heavy rainfall - which reached 90 millimetres last night - has caused more than 500 homes in Nelson to be evacuated in recent days.

Tasman District Council's Darren Palmer says engineers are putting red-stickers on houses not safe to inhabit.

Mr Palmer says they are hoping to get people home this evening, although some only for an hour or so to grab possessions.

There are multiple road closures in Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman with no direct link open between Nelson and Blenheim.

Collingwood in Golden Bay has been cut off after a landslide onto their main highway - and they have no internet or cellphone service.