• The Ngongotahā stream in Rotorua in subsiding after torrential downpours hit the region.
• Hawke’s Bay could receive 200mm of rain. It has a heavy rain warning until 6am Thursday.
• Auckland was hit overnight with torrential rain that flooded dozens of houses.

Stream levels are subsiding after Ngongotahā residents were told to self-evacuate this morning.

Torrential downpours caused the Ngongotahā Stream to rise, peaking at 5.39 metres at 10.35am, Bay of Plenty Regional Council said.

Just before 1pm, the stream had dropped to 4.964m and continued to subside.

Rotorua Lakes Council earlier advised Western Rd residents to leave their homes due to stream levels rising.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand said five crews had been at Western Rd providing help to those self-evacuting.

A spokesman said the situation was now de-escalating and two crews remained on standby at Western Rd.

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence had warned residents to prepare to evacuate. ”This is not a declared state of emergency, but we are closely monitoring the situation to do whatever is needed to keep people safe,” the agency said on social media.

Select students from Tolaga Bay Area School were sent home due to a risk their bus route could become flooded.

There is widespread flooding across the country, with streets underwater in Christchurch and waterfalls cascading down stands at the Rotorua speedway track.

An East Auckland resident said roads there were “transformed into a raging torrent”, cars were submerged and homes were damaged in last night’s downpours.

Firefighters dealt with at least 70 weather-related jobs overnight in the north of the country after a series of severe weather advisories were issued for the North Island.

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Torrential downpours hit parts of Auckland and Coromandel overnight, bringing “damaging” amounts of rain to some spots, according to MetService.

Forecaster Niwa reported northern parts of Auckland experienced “near record” rainfall.

MetService issues swathe of new warnings, watches

MetService has issued fresh warnings for Hawke’s Bay, urging residents to prepare for surface flooding and slips.

The forecaster said areas south of SH5 will see the largest amounts of rainfall, with 150 to 200mm of rain expected on top of what already has fallen.

Areas north of SH5 are expected to see an additional 20 to 40mm.

The Tararua District and Wairarapa are tipped to see 130mm to 160mm of rain, with peak rates of 15mm to 20mm/h.

Gisborne and the Kaikōura Ranges are currently under a heavy rain watch, with Gisborne potentially in for thunderstorms this afternoon.

A strong wind watch will come into force for North Taranaki and Wellington at 8pm tonight.

Meanwhile, further south, heavy rain in Christchurch this morning also flooded streets, bringing traffic to a crawl.

Surface flooding across Marine Parade at the city’s beachside suburb of New Brighton has made residents anxious.

Flooding in New Brighton, Christchurch. Photo / George Heard

‘A jet ski could easily ride on the field’, speedway flooded in Rotorua

The speedway track in Rotorua was also flooded after a torrent of water gushed down its terraced grandstand.

Rob Prior, who is staying in a motorhome nearby, said the flooding peaked at 8.45am.

He said water was running down the terraced seating and the track was filled up.

The rain had now subsided, with the waterfall slowing.

Police had blocked off about 100m of the road opposite the stadium and there were 10 to 15 people at the scene, Prior said.

He described the scene as “nuts” and said a jet ski could easily ride on the field.

The terraced grandstand was transformed into a waterfall at the speedway.

‘Raging torrent’, flooding turns streets into rivers in East Auckland

St Heliers resident Matthew Davidson said the rain was “relentless” from 9pm to midnight.

“Multiple manhole covers burst under the pressure at the bottom of Tarawera Terrace and this transformed the roads into a raging torrent,” Davidson said.

He said the floods brought back memories of last year’s wild weather as he watched cars become inundated and the water flooded neighbours’ homes.

“I’ve spoken to some of the impacted residents and they are having to lodge insurance claims this morning due to the flood damage,” Davidson said.

Flooding on Atkin Ave in Mission Bay last night as torrential downpours hammered parts of Auckland. Photo / Ronan Marshall

Transport Minister Simeon Brown posted to social media that traffic was gridlocked due to surface flooding around Pakuranga Plaza.

North and East Auckland bore the brunt of the downpours but the Auckland Airport and Manukau weather stations had also received around 30mm in an hour, with 7mm considered heavy rain.

Flooding has also been reported in the Coromandel and Putāruru. More than 40mm fell in an hour over the Coromandel Range and thunderstorms remained over the Kaimai Range just before 6am.

Flooding in Pāuanui. On Hikuai Settlement Rd near the intersection of SH25, much of the valley is swamped.

Northern firefighters responded to 67 weather-related callouts between 11pm and 2am, Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Josh Pennefather said.

There were also 28 alarm activations in commercial buildings due to water ingress.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has also responded to four flooding-related callouts in Putāruru as of 7.30am - mostly clearing drains - as thunderstorms and heavy rain hit the South Waikato town overnight and this morning.