-200 homes were evacuated overnight in the storm hit Hawke’s Bay, East Coast region. 

-A State of Emergency was declared in Wairoa, Haumoana and Heretaunga as heavy rain hit, prompting hundreds of evacuations. 

-Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell is in the area and due to provide an update at 2pm. 

-The Government is making a contribution of $300,000 to Mayoral Relief Funds to help communities in Hastings, Wairoa and Tairāwhiti. 

-Waipaoa and Wairoa Rivers surged past danger levels, leading to widespread flood warnings, including emergency mobile alerts. 

-Roads, including State Highway 35, closed due to flooding and slips. 

-Heavy rain warnings remain in place until 9pm with more rain expected tomorrow. 

A storm-hit East Coast is beginning to emerge from heavy rain and flooding that’s forced hundreds of evacuations and left hundreds of homes without power. 

Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell was assessing damage in Hawke’s Bay, Wairoa and Tairawhiti – where more than 200mm of rain has fallen within 24 hours in some places – and is due to front a media conference alongside Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst at 2pm. 

Mitchel reported today that 200 homes were evacuated by police overnight in the regions. 

“What aggravated the rain was that there was a six-metre swell,” he said. 

“We’re trying to get up to Wairoa to provide support there.” 

The Government is making a contribution of $300,000 to Mayoral Relief Funds to help communities in Hastings, Wairoa and Tairāwhiti. 

State highways on the North Island’s east coast are this afternoon blocked by flooding and slips leaving coastal communities isolated. 

More than two months’ worth of rain has fallen in parts of Tairāwhiti over the past 24 hours with more forecast in coming hours. River flows are forecast to remain extremely high through tonight for many eastern North Island rivers and streams. 

In Wairoa, the risk of flooding from a swollen and rising river prompted local officials to order the evacuation of more than 100 people and shut down the town’s sub-stations. 

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Sandbags have been put in place and residents asked to stay home if they can, with the potential for further flooding throughout the day. 

“Crews are out around the region assessing damage to roads, checking river levels and bridges, so please be patient while this is done,” Tairawhiti Civil Defence told its followers on Facebook. 

“If you don’t need to be on the roads, please just stay home.” 

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said urban search and rescue teams were travelling to Bridge Pa and then onto Wairoa later today. 

As at late morning, nearly 50 people evacuated from Haumoana were sheltering in the seaside Hawke’s Bay settlement’s school hall. 

The Wairoa River rose to near Cyclone Bola levels. Photo / Wairoa Incorporated WInc 

That followed earlier evacuations across the Tairāwhiti region, where woody debris has piled up at some local bridges. 

Gisborne’s Gladstone Rd Bridge remained closed, as was SH38 between Frasertown and Lake Waikaremoana and several other sections of SH2. 

Further south, NZTA ordered the closure of the State Highway 51 Waitangi Bridge near Awatoto, between Napier and Clive, although there were no concerns about its stability. 

As at mid-morning, around 1400 homes across the East Coast were without power, while St John crews had deployed extra resources to hardest-hit areas – particularly around Wairoa and Gisborne. 

Debris across the roads of Wairoa. Photo / Wairoa Incorporated WInc 

“Safety measures for our staff and the communities we serve remain our highest priority,” St John’s national ambulance operations manager Rosanne Shaw said. 

MetService said heavy rain warnings would remain in force along the East Coast today. 

“The rain will hang around into [Thursday and Friday] but far less intense winds have begun to ease off.” 

The forecaster said Gisborne Airport was last night hit by a gust measuring 104km/h - the strongest recorded there in three decades.