Forecasters and Civil Defence officials are warning people to stay away from beaches on the east coast of the North Island for the next few days as monster waves continue to lash New Zealand.
Areas including Hawke's Bay and Gisborne can expect a wet and windy day on Monday. MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for Gisborne north of the city, with another 70 to 90mm of rain expected between 8pm on Sunday and 11am on Monday.
It comes after the Coromandel region took a hammering on Sunday with roads flooded and some regions wiped out.
NIWA principal scientist Chris Brandolino told The AM Show big waves will remain on the east coast for a few days longer and residents need to be careful.
He said most of the wild weather will be confined to the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne regions.
"The king tide is coming up - so I think Tuesday and Wednesday - those are the days where I think we'll find this co-occurrence of the highest waves and the highest tides."
These waves are being caused by a "weather bomb" hundreds of kilometres north and east of New Zealand, Brandolino said.
"You've got to remember as a rule of thumb - big wind equals big waves and that's what we've been seeing off the east coast.
"That's probably the main impact over the next several days," Brandolino added.
In Coromandel, the clean-up was set to begin at first light after Sunday's storm. Civil Defence controller Gary Towler said it will be a big job.
"It does actually take months and it costs a lot of money," he told Newshub.
On Sunday, Thames-Coromandel District Council's Emergency Management and Waikato Regional Council's Flood Room were activated and people were being urged to stay away from the coast.
Images from the Coromandel town of Whitianga on Sunday showed State Highway 25, which runs parallel to the sea, covered in water.
