As some areas of Tairāwhiti region are evacuated amid record rain, one turkey took matters into their own hands, hitching a ride on a log.
Newshub cameras captured the unusual sight of the turkey moving swiftly downstream on the Waipaoa River on Thursday morning.
AM reporter Perry Wilton, who is covering the wild weather on the East Coast, couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the turkey saying it was "unbelievable".
It comes after the region was pounded by torrential rainfall overnight, which has seen residents evacuated in Manutuke and Te Karaka.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence controller Dave Wilson told AM about a dozen families have been relocated from those areas.
MetService said Gisborne Airport recorded a "March worth of rain" in seven hours and are warning of further rain on Thursday but at lower intensities.
As the rain continues to move south, MetService has issued an orange heavy rain warning for Wairarapa - 8am on Thursday to 4pm on Friday - and for Hawke's Bay - 6pm on Thursday to 8pm on Friday.
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told AM on Thursday it's the wildest 24-hours of weather she has ever witnessed.
"I have lived in Gisborne for 22-years and I have never heard anything like this," she said.
"It's been going on for two days. It's a lot of water and I think there is still a lot more to come today, so we need to brace ourselves."
Watch the video above.
