The East Coast of the North Island is assessing the damage left by severe weather overnight with even more downpours yet to come.
The swing bridge over the Tukituki River, Hawkes Bay, was swept away in the flooded river. Photo: Hawke's Bay Regional Council
Gisborne and Hawke's Bay have been by hit by about 30 millimetres of rain since 6pm last night, while Castlepoint in Wairarapa received 50 millimetres.
In the capital, Wellington was buffeted by high winds, gusting at 88 kilometres an hour.
Meanwhile, MetService has forecast more stormy weather in Hawke's Bay today with an orange weather warning in place.
Wairoa District mayor Craig Little told Morning Report about a dozen people had chosen to leave their homes in low-lying, flood prone areas.
Little said there were a number of slips around the district, but no major damage.
"There's slips everywhere you know and that's what we're used to, as long as we don't get a high rain event we'll be right, but if it comes we'll have to be on our tenderhooks waiting," Little said.
However, he said the region was holding up.
Little said areas closer to Gisborne, including the Mahia penninsula, had borne the brunt of the weather.
"There's been damage there's no doubt about it, but it has been a (once in) 50 year event in some places and the rain has dropped significantly over the last 24 hours so that's great but we're still under a weather warning."
There had been some self-evacuations overnight but they were in areas which tended to flood, he said.
With a further 130mm of rain forecast, Little said he had his fingers crossed rising tides wouldn't make things worse.
He said Hawke's Bay Civil Defence was continuing to monitor more than 50 waterways.
More than half of the Central Hawke's Bay district are facing water restrictions due to heavy rain.
A boil water notice is in place for Waipukurau, and Waipawa while Otāne have other water restrictions.
The rest of the district is being advised to conserve water.
The council is warning other boil water notices may be introduced if river levels rise too high.
Water tankers will be stationed at Russell Park and Lake View Road, in Waipukurau.
Central Hawke's Bay mayor Alex Walker said there were some major roads either underwater or with serious damage.
Flooding in an area of Onga Onga in central Hawke's Bay. Photo: RNZ / Jake McKee
Crews have managed to open some, although only to one lane.
She said authorities were monitoring river levels with more than 100mm of rain expected today.
Photo: RNZ / Jake McKee
Further south, authorities in Wairarapa and the lower North Island had been making preparations with the weather system which lashed Tairāwhiti Gisborne now affecting the area.
Up to 130 millimetres of rain could fall today at peak rates of 15 millimetres an hour - which Manawatū District Council described as a possible "low intensity long duration" rain event.
Councils in the Manawatū region say they may need to operate flood diversion gates if necessary.
Reid Line West Flood Diversion Gate, Manawatū. Photo: Manawatū District Council
Meanwhile, Napier was left unscathed by the weather overnight but are monitoring forecasts closely.
Napier mayor Kirsten Wise said the community was well prepared to manage rain events following the city's flooding in November 2020.
"We are monitoring and obviously watching the forecast very closely but we've put into practice a lot of learnings from the November 2020 flood and I'm really proud of how our community and staff now prepare and manage through rain events," Wise said.
She said her thoughts were with the communities in Wairoa, Central Hawke's Bay and Gisborne who had experienced the worst of the weather.
"We haven't had any wastewater overflow issues so we're sitting quite well at the moment... yes we do have more rain to come but we have all the plans in place and we'll just manage that as it comes through."
Wise said she was optimistic tonight's international cricket match between the Black Caps and Netherlands in Napier would go ahead.
