Farmers in the Tararua district of the lower North Island are beginning a clean-up of their own following heavy rain and flooding in the region.

Slips and surface flooding closed schools and forced around a dozen families from their homes.

Farmers moved stock to high ground to escape rising river levels, Federated Farmers Manawatu President Gordon McKellar says no major stock losses have been reported, but the extent of the damage still isn’t known.

Mr McKellar says pastures should come through the flooding unscathed.

The worst looks rain looks to be over.

MetService is forecasting only light showers for the lower North Island over the next couple of days.