As it happened: Auckland, North Island flooding live updates - Tuesday, January 31

The upper North Island remains on high alert with rain continuing to fall on already sodden soil. 

Most places made it through the night unscathed, according to emergency management officials - but they're warning against being complacent with more heavy rain forecast.

What you need to know:

• Four people have died in the Auckland flooding 
• A state of emergency is in place for Auckland and Northland
• MetService has issued new red rainfall warnings for Northland south of Whangaroa Harbour, Auckland north of Orewa, Coromandel Peninsula, and Bay of Plenty west of about Kawerau, including the Rotorua Lakes District, Western Bay of Plenty District, and Tauranga City
• All schools in Auckland are closed until February 7, but Newshub understands they may reopen earlier than originally planned. The Ministry of Education has told ECEs they "can safely open" if that's possible for them
• Coromandel residents are being warned that, since there's more rain on the way, land could give way at any time due to the saturation of their catchments
• A man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly looting flood-affected businesses in Auckland. A woman accompanying the man received a warning
• The number of red-stickered (uninhabitable) Auckland homes stands at 102, while 375 have been yellow-stickered (restricted access)
• Auckland Airport has now reopened for both domestic and international flights
• People who need a Civil Defence payment, supplements to loss of income, emergency bedding or clothing should call 0800 400 100.
• Here is a list of road closures across Auckland.

Civil Defence centres

• West: St Leonards Rd School, 15 Saint Leonards Rd, Kelston
• North: Massey University Albany Campus, Sir Neil Walters Lecture Theatre, Massey University East Precinct, Albany Expressway SH17
• South: Mana Tukutuku, 32 Riverton Dr, Randwick Park
• For more information visit here.

These live updates have finished.

11:55pm - Scenic Drive in Swanson has now closed due to the sinkhole there.

The road is shut between Puketaha Rd and Rangimarie Rd.

11:45pm - WeatherWatch says there's more rain coming in from the northeast.

"Rain bands are moving at a good speed but if they continue in a line ('training') that's when in some areas it can be more continuous," they tweeted.

"Rain may ease for some - but linger on for others."

11:40pm - WeatherWatch says the rain is crossing Auckland and is moving at a fast speed than on Friday.

"More heavy rain is out at sea," they tweeted. "This water vapour animation shows a significant area of moisture (bright white) coming into #CoromandelPeninsula & #BoP. A chance it may clip Auckland too."

11:30pm - Newshub has been sent photos of a sinkhole that's appeared in west Auckland.

The sinkhole is on Scenic Drive between Rangimarie and Puketaha Roads.

"There has been a slip with a tree down and a crack right across the road," Tracey Wilson told Newshub.

11:15pm - There are multiple power outages across Auckland.

According to Vector's outage map, there is a large one in east Auckland in Whitford and another out west in Huapai.

There are further power outages north of the city, including in Waitoki and Makarau.

11:05pm - SH2 at Karangahake Gorge between Paeroa and Waihi is now open with a 50km/h speed limit in place, Waka Kotahi says.

They ask people to drive with caution through this area.

10:45pm - NIWA meteorologist Tristan Meyers says it is getting windy around New Zealand.

"A MetService station at Tiritiri Lighthouse has already recorded a gust of 119km/h," he told Newshub Late.

"The Auckland Sky Tower recorded gusts of above 100km/h.

"This is sort of indicative of what we'd expect. There is a strong wind watch out for Northland and Auckland, and gusts in excess of 110km/h are possible and they could even hit some populated areas tonight."

Meyers said that, given there's been a lot of rain, winds at these speeds could cause trees to fall, which could impact power lines and power stations.

10:15pm - SH1 between Brynderwyn and Waipu remains closed.

Waka Kotahi says there are no changes to current road closures. Their next update will be at 11am.

10:10pm - Whangārei Airport recorded 30mm of rain between 9pm and 10pm, according to MetService.

9:25pm - Here's a map from MetService showing where the red and orange warnings and yellow watches are.

Full details on their latest red warnings are in the 8:55pm update below.

9:20pm - Hato Hone St John says its frontline teams attended over 2300 incidents during Auckland Anniversary Weekend as it continues to support emergency operations centres.

9:10pm - WeatherWatch says the rain is slowly heading south out of Northland and is entering the northern Auckland region.

There's still some heavy rain in eastern parts of Northland at the moment though, including Whangārei.

9:05pm - Here's an update from Auckland Transport on public transport and the roads:

Public transport situation report

Train

Due to the severe weather, there have been multiple slips on Auckland's train network. KiwiRail, the track maintainer, is working hard to carry out urgent repairs.

Speed restrictions will be in place across the Auckland rail network tomorrow as a precaution because of existing slips and tonight's forecast heavy rain.

Trains will be limited to travelling at KiwiRail speed restrictions of 25km/h during the morning peak, with a 40km/h speed restriction in place across the network for the rest of Wednesday.

Eastern Line and Southern Line (between Britomart and Ōtāhuhu-Papakura)

• From Tuesday 31 January, Eastern Line services will run between Manukau and Otahuhu only. Customers will need to disembark at Otahuhu and transfer to Southern Line services to the city centre.
• Southern services will still run from Papakura to Britomart via the Eastern Line on a 40 minute frequency.
• Due to speed restrictions on the line, journey times will significantly increase. For example, journey times from Papakura to Britomart will increase to nearly 2 hours while the network-wide speed restriction is in place.

Western Line

• From Tuesday 31 January, services will operate between Newmarket and New Lynn on a 40-minute frequency.
• Due to a slip between Parnell and Newmarket buses will replace trains between Newmarket and Britomart.
• Customers will need to change trains to travel between New Lynn and Swanson. Services will run at a 40 minute frequency and will incur a longer journey due to multiple speed restrictions along the track.
• A rail replacement bus service will also be operating between New Lynn and Swanson as an alternative option for customers. 

KiwiRail Rail Network Rebuild

• Stage 1 of the KiwiRail Rail Network Rebuild - bus replacement services are still operating on the Onehunga Line and between Newmarket and Otahuhu on the Southern Line.

Bus

Most bus services are operating including rail bus replacements but due to the severe weather conditions further last-minute cancellations may occur.

There are currently detours in place for two bus routes - the 171 and 755 because of landslips in Titirangi and Remuera respectively.

Ferry

Ferry services on Wednesday will be running to reduced timetables and with longer journey times. This is because ferries are running more slowly because of navigational risks from debris in the waters.

Devonport services will be running hourly because of debris in the water and damage to vessels.

The Pine Harbour and Gulf Harbour services are being replaced by bus as a result of high winds and heavy rain.

See the AT website for the latest information about ferry timetable changes and cancellations: www.at.govt.nz/weatherwatch

Road network situation report

There are currently 35 roads closed or partly across the Auckland region. For the latest list of road closures please see the AT website.

We have reopened 47 roads since Sunday morning.

The following roads/issues are our current key areas of focus:

• Great North Road (near SH16) has two lanes open for westbound traffic (away from the motorway) and one eastbound lane open. The lane reduction is not having significant impact on the network and public transport services appear to be running to schedule.
• Scenic Drive has three significant slips (2x underslips, 1x overslip); managed access is in place for affected residents.
• Ahuroa Road (Puhoi) remains closed because of a significant undermining of the road.
• Mill Flat Road - the bailey bridge is onsite today with construction to begin over coming days. Residents still have access via the Riverhead Forest. Contractors are actively supporting to ensure the forestry road remains operational.
• Tahekeroa Road has a significant slip. Residents do have access out of the area.
• Glenvar Road (between East Coast Bays Road and Fitzwilliam) is closed due to two slips.

8:55pm - Here's an update on the locations and times of the red heavy rain warnings:

Northland south of Whangaroa Harbour

• Period: 8hrs from 8pm Tue, 31 Jan - 4am Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect a further 50 to 70 mm of rain in the north and east on top of what has already fallen, with lesser amounts in the west. However, localised areas may receive up to 100 mm. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, mainly in the north and east, but localised areas may see to 20 to 35 mm/h, or possibly more. Thunderstorms are also possible, and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in force.

Auckland north of Orewa

• Period: 12hrs from 8pm Tue, 31 Jan - 8am Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 60 to 90 mm of rain in the east, with lesser amounts in the west. However, localised areas may receive up to 120 mm. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, but localised areas may see 20 to 35 mm/h, or possibly more. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Coromandel Peninsula

• Period: 18hrs from 10pm Tue, 31 Jan - 4pm Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain about the ranges, with lesser amounts about the coast. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h, especially about the ranges. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Bay of Plenty west of about Kawerau, this includes the Rotorua Lakes District, Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City

• Period: 18hrs from 3am - 9pm Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain, especially inland. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h.

8:50pm - The Ministry of Education has announced that early learning centres in Auckland that can safely open are now allowed to do so.

Secretary of education Iona Holsted issued a directive on Monday stating that all early learning centres, schools, and tertiary institutes in Auckland had to close due to the flooding.

"I know that yesterday's message came as a shock," she said in a special bulletin on Tuesday.

"This is a constantly evolving situation, and as such we will review the direction daily as the situation develops. I will keep you informed as quickly and as clearly as I can."

She continued and said that she will review the directive daily based on advice from Auckland Emergency Management and the roading situation.

"Those early learning services that can safely open, may open for families in their community that need education and care," Holsted said.

"The direction I issued yesterday is part of the multi-agency response to the Auckland state of emergency. As part of our daily review, we will be reviewing advice from the sector and emergency management experts."

The Ministry of Education will give another update at about midday tomorrow.

Holsted also admitted that yesterday's communications on school closures were "too slow".

"Our communications to you were too slow yesterday and I apologise for that," she said.

"The short version of the problem is that we have a spam filter which constrains any potentially hacked devices from propagating a cyber-attack via any further via email.

"This places limits on the number of emails able to be sent from one mailbox over a 24-hour period. This limit kicked in after the second load of emails from one mailbox in Auckland.

"We've sorted a temporary fix on that issue for now, so that you should receive communications from us promptly."

8:40pm - Some veggie farmers in Pukekohe reckon they've lost 20 percent of their income from the weekend's floods.

It's come as they recover from the impact of COVID-19, the loss of migrant workers and four months of horrendous weather.

Read and watch the full story from Newshub's Adam Hollingworth here.

8:25pm - Tiritiri Lighthouse in the Hauraki Gulf now clocking 64 knots (119 km/h), which Hauraki Gulf Weather says is "well above" projections from weather models.

8:15pm - The severe thunderstorm warning for Southland has now lifted.

Metservice said earlier its weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near Winton, Dipton and Hokonui Hills. 

The thunderstorms were moving towards the southwest and were expected to be accompanied by torrential rain.

8:10pm - Here's a video from MetService on what a red heavy rain warning means.

7:47pm - Very heavy rain is expected in Northland in the next few hours. 

7:22pm - Drone footage sent exclusively to Newshub shows the devastating impact flooding has had on the Franklin and Waikato Districts.

Watch the full video here.

7:15pm - A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Southland. 

Metservice says its weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near Winton, Dipton and Hokonui Hills. 

The thunderstorms are moving towards the southwest, and are expected to lie near Winton and Limehills at 7:30pm and near Winton, Royal Bush and Lochiel at 8pm.

"These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rain. Torrential rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous," Metservice says. 

The National Emergency Management Agency advises that as storms approach you should:

Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows;

• Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside;
• Get back to land, if outdoors on the water;
• Move cars under cover or away from trees;
• Secure any loose objects around your property;
• Check that drains and gutters are clear;
• Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving.

During and after the storm, you should also:

• Beware of fallen trees and power lines;
• Avoid streams and drains as you may be swept away in flash flooding.

7:05pm - Metservice says the latest rain radar shows bands of heavy rain over parts of Northland, which move south tonight and tomorrow morning. 

6:57pm - Waka Kotahi has provided an update on road closures.

6:48pm - Sae's Auckland campus is closed and graduation has been postponed due to the state of emergency. 

6:35pm - The latest MetService radar shows the massive bands of heavy rain moving over parts of Northland. 

These are moving south tonight and tomorrow morning.

6:20pm - The Department of Conservation teams based in Auckland, the Hauraki Gulf Islands and Great Barrier Island say they've been responding to the extreme weather event and supporting local partners and agencies over the weekend.

DoC said that native wildlife have been impacted by the extreme weather through habitat destruction, injury, fatigue and stress.

"DoC continues to have a wildlife response role during the current extreme weather event," they said. "However, due to the unprecedented number of wildlife impacted and limited staff capacity, we need to prioritise the most endangered species and may not be able to respond to all injured wildlife."

The following species are the highest priority for responses:

• Marine mammals and reptiles such as dolphins, whales, turtles, and snakes
• Albatross/mollymawk species
• Australasian bittern
• Kākāriki species
• Kiwi species
• Tara iti/Fairy Tern
• Hihi/Stitchbird
• Takahē
• Kōtuku/white heron
• Parekareka/Spotted shag
• Storm petrel species
• Black petrel
• Bat species.

"If the public see an injured bird that is not an endangered or at risk species, our advice is to move it to a safe space, if possible, and let it recover on its own, or let nature take its course," DoC said.

"A safe space is somewhere sheltered from predators and the weather, such as tucked under a bush or hidden in the grasses or the sand dunes."

Members of the public shouldn't take birds home as this can prolong their stress. It can also be damaging to give native birds food if they are in a state of stress, dehydration or exhaustion, they added.

People can report injured wildlife to the DoC hotline on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

On damage to tracks and facilities, DoC warns that these may be damaged with slips, washouts, fallen trees, or flooding.

"DoC is advising the public not to access public conservation land as rangers have not yet been able to fully assess damage or close all tracks and facilities that are unsafe to use," they said.

"Once it is safe to do so, DoC rangers will be undertaking full assessments of the tracks and other facilities such as huts, campsites and bathroom blocks, across the region."

6:10pm - Air New Zealand has rebooked almost 8000 disrupted customers onto alternate travel.

Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said the airline refocused the international call centre team to focus on rebooking impacted customers, which helped clear the back log more quickly.

"The team have made great inroads working around the clock to rebook the 9000 disrupted customers onto alternative travel. We have around 1200 customers left to finalise travel for which is a great effort in a short time period," she said.

"I want to say a massive thank you to our customers for their patience and acknowledge the huge amount of work our people and our travel agency partners have done to reaccomodate customers.

"We also know there will be some customers whose rebooked flight is further out then they would have hoped. Our next phase of recovery is to work through our schedule and see how we can get them home on earlier services, where possible."

They are working with alliance partners and asking them to use larger aircraft where possible to help move more passengers.

"Our friends at Singapore Airlines have upgauged an 777-300 to an A380 adding around 200 seats for our customers needing to get into or out of Singapore tonight," Geraghty said.

"We've added an additional service from Los Angeles departing this evening which will get nearly another 300 customers back to Aotearoa New Zealand on top of the extra Niue flight scheduled for 2 February. And, our New York service tonight will stopover in Fiji to collect another 111 passengers on the way through."

The airline said it is also exploring the ability to add passengers to flights currently scheduled for cargo and using larger aircraft within the Air New Zealand fleet.

6pm - Some Countdown supermarkets are closing early today.

Countdown's managing director Spencer Sonn said this is so their teams can get home early before the weather hits. 

The below Countdown stores will close at 8pm tonight and it's anticipated all stores will reopen as normal tomorrow:

• Countdown Kerikeri
• Countdown Waitangi 
• Countdown Paihia Central 
• Countdown Tikipunga 
• Countdown Regent 
• Countdown Whangārei 
• Countdown Dargaville 
• Countdown Warkworth
• Countdown Whitianga 
• Countdown Paeroa 
• Countdown Te Aroha 
• Countdown Katikati
• Countdown Orewa 
• Countdown Kaikohe.

"Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by the devastating flooding across the Auckland region and the rest of the upper North Island," Sonn said.

"We're continuing to work closely with our food rescue and charity partners to provide support and this afternoon we've confirmed $100,000 of relief support to help those affected by the floods."

5:55pm - ANZ says it's donating $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to support local communities in their response to the floods.

ANZ NZ CEO Antonia Watson said it had been a challenging few days for Auckland communities and there would be an enormous clean-up ahead.

"We all watched with disbelief at the carnage caused by the flooding at the weekend. Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we send our condolences to the families of those who sadly lost their lives," Watson said.

"Many of our customers and staff live and work in Auckland, and we've been in close contact with those most impacted to ensure they’re getting the support they need.

"As our biggest city, Auckland is a critical part of our economy. We're pleased to provide a donation to ensure local authorities can continue to provide the support our local communities need as clean-up efforts get underway."

The bank also reminds customers there is financial support available to them, including temporary overdraft facilities and the ability to defer loan repayments.

“There are also a number of fee waivers in place, as well as the ability for customers in hardship to break Term Deposits without penalty.”

5:40pm - Here's the latest rainfall map from NIWA, showing how the rain will move into Auckland, Waikato, and the Bay of Plenty overnight and into tomorrow.

"Some heavy falls are expected early Wednesday, which may lead to additional flooding & slips," they said.

5:30pm - Waka Kotahi is urging people to avoid non-essential travel in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, and parts of Bay of Plenty and Gisborne.

"If you don't need to be driving in these areas, please stay home. If you need to travel in affected areas, please check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner before you leave. This page is updated 24/7 by our traffic operations centres, and is the best source of the most recent and reliable information available on state highway closures and disruptions," said Waka Kotahi national emergency response team spokesperson Mark Owen.

"Remember to refresh the page when checking the status of highways to ensure that the latest updates are displayed."

Owen said Waka Kotahi is also asking everyone using roads in affected areas to adjust their driving to the conditions, which means slowing down, increasing following distances, switching headlights on and watching for flooding and other debris on the road.

"Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel in affected regions, making some roads impassable and others likely to close at short notice. The simple message for people is to stay put and stay safe."

Owen said with the possibility of heavy rainfall spreading further south overnight, anyone planning to travel in the next 24 hours should check the Journey Planner web page before heading out. 

"We're focused on keeping everyone fully informed and as safe as possible. Our people are working day and night to make that happen, and roading contractors are also working around the clock in incredibly difficult conditions to monitor the state highway network for slips, flooding and other disruptions," Owen said. 

"Contractors will always do their best to keep roads open and minimise disruptions, but the nature of this event means that roads may need to be closed at short notice to keep people safe."

5:25pm - An Air New Zealand passenger is finding the airline "very difficult to deal with" after getting stranded at Singapore Airport following the Auckland floods.

Jamini Patel, 20 was supposed to fly to Auckland on Friday, January 27 but after sitting in the plane for around an hour, she and other passengers were told the flight was cancelled.

When Newshub spoke with Patel on Monday, she said she had been stranded at the airport the entire weekend.

Patel said she had managed to book a flight out to Brisbane and arrived there on Monday morning.

"It was my first time travelling alone on a long-haul flight so I was already nervous and quite anxious about it all. When the news of the flooding and flight cancellation came it was even more worrying because I had only come to Singapore with enough money for my layover [which was enough] to eat about two meals," Patel said.

"There was no way I could fork out enough to stay in a hotel and pay for food for the amount of time they were saying we may need to stay."

Read the full story from Newshub's Caitlin Rawling here.

5:15pm - Waka Kotahi Waikato / Bay of Plenty says that due to a large slip, SH2 in Karangahake Gorge is now closed between Paeroa and Waihi.

"Avoid this area or delay your journey if possible."

5:10pm - Auckland Transport is warning people not to travel tonight unless it's necessary. 

"If travel is necessary, travel as early as possible to avoid the heavy rain expected this evening," they said on Twitter.

They urge people not to walk, drive, or cycle through floodwater.

5:05pm - Road users in Tairāwhiti are urged to take care ahead of forecast rain.

Waka Kotahi said roading contractors are paying close attention to both SH2 and SH35 since heavy rainfall is forecast.

"This could unfortunately cause further disruption to the transport network, especially the already-sodden SH35. Contractors will do their best to keep roads open and minimise that impact, however short notice closures may need to take place," said Waka Kotahi acting system manager for Tairāwhiti Andre Taylor.

As of 5pm Wednesday, the local state highway network is open, but motorists should be prepared for delays to travel and the potential for areas to be under temporary speed limits if they get damaged.

"SH35 in particular bore the brunt of ex-cyclone Hale and more rain, even if it's less intense than previous downpours, could well create more damage," Taylor said.

"I really want to stress to road users that they need to expect the unexpected, including slips and surface flooding if they're out and about driving.

"Of course our priority will always be the safety of road users and our contractors, which is why we would strongly encourage road users to avoid unnecessary travel if they can. We want to minimise disruption to travel but we will also need to put measures in place, and often at short notice, if there's debris, flooding or slips on sections of the network.

"If you're driving in the forecast heavy rainfall, please drive to the conditions, which means keeping a safe following distance, dropping your speed and watching for flooding and other debris on the road.  Please be prepared to travel through areas at lower speeds, with stop/go controls in place."

5pm - Hato Hone St John says it's bolstered its resources in affected areas in preparation for more adverse weather.

"We have increased the number of ambulance crews in Kaitaia, and have deployed our Major Incident Support Team, with additional medical supplies and resources. We are also working alongside the NZ Defence Force, have access to three Unimog vehicles to enable us to access patients living in hard-to-reach places and have supplied clinical personnel to support Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams deployed in the area," they said in a Facebook post.

"In Coromandel we have increased the number of ambulance crews in Whitianga and Whangamatā including an additional Critical Care Paramedic to provide advanced skills, if these are needed.

"We have also deployed an additional all-wheel drive First Response Unit to the area. We continue to monitor the situation and are proactively moving resources into the areas that are predicted to bear the brunt of the second storm."

4:50pm - Here's more information on the red heavy rain warning that's been issued for the Bay of Plenty west of Kawerau:

The whole of the Bay of Plenty has been under a MetService Orange Warning for Heavy Rain expecting 100-150mm of rain during Wednesday. However, after discussion with the Council, Civil Defence and their teams on the ground,  MetService has upgraded the warning from Orange to Red over the western parts of the Bay of Plenty.

MetService Meteorologist John Law says, "This upgrade to a Red Warning is due to conditions on the ground, the saturation of the areas and river levels which mean it won't take much of a top up to see significant impacts. Since 9am on Friday 27^th January, Tauranga Airport has seen 18cm of rain, Whakatane 9.5cm and Rotorua 20cm which is an impressive amount of rain.  

"This rainfall has the potential to bring severe impacts to the area including dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities," continues Law.  

The Red Warning includes Rotorua Lake District, Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City. For more details and a map of the area which has moved to Red Warning check out http://bit.ly/AllWarnings.

Law advises, "One of the key things to remember is that even when under an Orange warning there can still be significant impacts and they should not be taken lightly."

Red Warnings are reserved for only the most extreme weather events where significant impact and disruption is expected. It signifies that people need to act now as immediate action is required to protect people, animals and property from the impact of the weather. People should also be prepared to follow the advice of official authorities and emergency services. Red Warning icons will always be displayed as a triangle. 

Severe Weather Warnings remain in place for many parts of the north of Aotearoa New Zealand including Red Heavy Rain Warnings for Northland, Auckland north of Orewa and the Coromandel Peninsula and now Bay of Plenty west of Kawerau.  

Along with the heavy rain and localised downpours, northeasterly winds are forecast to strengthen this afternoon across Auckland and Northland potentially reaching severe gale in exposed areas. A Severe Weather Watch is in place for these regions and given saturation of soil could damage trees and power poles. 

MetService advises to stay up to date with the latest information at www.metservice.com/warnings and take care out there.

4:45pm - The Auckland Lantern Festival has been cancelled. Here's the full update from Auckland Unlimited:

Following Auckland's severe weather event, the 2023 Auckland Lantern Festival has been cancelled.

The festival was due to happen from Thursday 2 - Sunday 5 February at the Manukau Sports Bowl.

We understand this news is disappointing after three previous cancellations. All involved in planning the event were looking forward to its return, but the health and safety of Aucklanders and all those involved in the festival is our top priority.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Head of Major Events Chris Simpson said: "We acknowledge the disappointment that Aucklanders will be feeling. Special cultural occasions are the fabric of our region, and we are all gutted that we won't be able to celebrate this iconic festival for a fourth year in a row."

The decision to cancel the event was not an easy one and was made in consultation with local authorities and with the support of community leaders.

"The decision-making considered a range of factors, including the safety of staff, stallholders, performers, volunteers and patrons, transport options, advice from civil defence, the long-range forecast, and the condition of the grounds to determine if we could deliver a successful event."

4:40pm - Aucklanders are being warned to travel home early to avoid getting stuck in the bad weather.

Auckland Transport has released a list of roads that are shut, partially closed, or that have recently reopened.

There is also information on public transport, including bus services that are taking detours.

That information is available here.

4:30pm - Waka Kotahi has released photos of the summit of State Highway 25A in Coromandel.

Part of the road was completely wiped out by rain.

"We know this highway is incredibly important to the Coromandel. These photos will be disheartening for everyone who uses this road, and we know people will be seeking certainty about how long it’ll take to rebuild the road," Waka Kotahi said on Twitter.

"The site is still active with material continuing to fall into the gully. As soon as the weather allows, our teams will continue assessments to determine the best way of rebuilding the road. Please bear with us while we're still in the emergency response phase of this storm.

"There's been significant progress clearing slips, and most highways are now open. With further rain expected in the upper North Island through to the middle of this week, our priority is your safety, the safety of our people, and getting highways open as quickly as possible.

"Avoid travelling unless you have to. If you have to travel, watch out for localised flooding, slips, rock and tree falls, and other hazards."

4:20pm - Here's a reminder of where and when the red heavy rain warnings are. An orange warning for part of the Bay of Plenty has been upgraded to red:

Northland

• Period: 19hrs from 9am Tue, 31 Jan - 4am Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 100 to 140 mm of rain in the north and east, with lesser amounts in the west. However, localised areas may receive 140 to 220 mm. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, mainly in the north and east, but localised areas may see 25 to 40 mm/h, or possibly more. Thunderstorms are also possible, and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is also in force.

Auckland north of Orewa

• Period: 15hrs from 5pm Tue, 31 Jan - 8am Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 80 to 120 mm of rain. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, but localised areas may see downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Coromandel Peninsula

• Period: 17hrs from 10pm Tue, 31 Jan - 3pm Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain about the ranges, with lesser amounts about the coast. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h, especially about the ranges. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Bay of Plenty west of about Kawerau, this includes the Rotorua Lakes District, Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City

• Period: 18hrs from 3am - 9pm Wed, 1 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain, especially inland. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h.

3:55pm - Auckland Council has closed all non-essential community facilities, services, and destination sites as of 3pm since more extreme weather is expected to hit the city tonight.

This includes services such as pools and leisure centres, libraries, community venues, Auckland Botanic Gardens, the Auckland Art Gallery and cemetery offices. They are also asking people to avoid regional parks at this time.  

Other council services will continue as normal and frontline staff are responding to health and safety issues, recovery and relief efforts.

"Closing our facilities earlier today with a delayed re-open on Wednesday morning not only ensures staff get home safely, it allows us direct resources to welfare centres and other frontline services that are needed most," said Auckland Council CEO Jim Stabback.

"We thank Aucklanders for their cooperation and understanding at this challenging time."

For the latest information on facilities, visit the Auckland Council website.

Ahead of tonight's predicted storm event, the council is asking people to clear their own drains and catchpits if it is safe to do so. In addition, they ask that people not drive through floodwaters or play in floodwaters which are contaminated.

3:45pm - The Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty has announced.

"Cabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive and get ahead of any formal application from the Council," he said.

"This is the most significant contribution to a Mayoral Relief Fund ever and ensures that funding is being provided to the affected communities as quickly as possible."

The previous highest was $300,000, given to Nelson last year.

"I anticipate this will be welcome support to the numerous community-run centres across the city, as this could assist them in their support of their communities," McAnulty said.

"The fund will be administered by Auckland Council, however this funding could assist to provide support in dealing with things such as providing essential needs like food and clothing, as well as cleaning up damaged properties in areas where support is not otherwise available.

"Mayoral Relief Funds help communities bounce back after an emergency. Local communities and councils understand where the immediate needs are and how to help whānau, community organisations and marae.

"The local community knows the needs best and it’s only appropriate they determine how best to apply these funds."

3:42pm - An emergency alert has just been sent to people's phones. Here's the full update from Auckland Emergency Management on that:

Auckland Emergency Management has tonight issued an Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) to provide important safety messages ahead of the potential for further extremely heavy rain to hit the Auckland region.

Aucklanders are asked to act immediately if they see rising water, due to how quickly flooding can happen. Anyone who sees rising water should not wait for official warnings. They should evacuate to high ground and stay away from floodwater.  

The alert also directs Aucklanders not to travel unless necessary and to check road conditions before travelling if travel cannot be avoided.

MetService has issued a red heavy rain warning for Auckland north of Orewa from 5pm Tuesday until 8am on Wednesday, 1 February 2023.

MetService has also issued an orange heavy rain warning for Auckland south of Orewa and
Great Barrier Island from 8pm Tuesday until 10am on Wednesday, 1 February 2023.

Auckland Emergency Management Controller Fleur Aldridge says, “What we’ve already
experienced means we can’t be complacent. We want everyone to have the most time to prepare for evacuation or other adverse consequences, although we hope the rainfall does not cause significant impact.”

People between Ōrewa/Waiwera and down to Papakura/Drury, from coast to coast including Aotea Great Barrier Island are advised to:

• Keep up to date and be aware of the latest forecast at www.metservice.com/warnings
• Do not travel unless necessary. Check road conditions if you do have to travel
• Floods and flash floods can happen quickly. Act immediately if you see rising water – do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from flood water
• Check www.aem.org.nz for updates and information. Listen to emergency services and self-evacuate if you feel unsafe
• If life is in danger, call 111 immediately.

Any further updates will be posted to the Auckland Emergency Management social media channels.

EMAs are delivered to phones in reach of selected cell tower locations. Given the location of this system, most of the population of Auckland will have received this EMA, though some people outside the warning area may also receive the EMA. More information on how EMAs work, including troubleshooting, is available on the Get Ready website.

3:40pm - Rachel Kelleher, deputy controller of Auckland Emergency Management said they will continue to have three civil defence centres open through the night, and are in the process of standing up evacuation centres in Warkworth. 

"If people need to go to evacuation centre or civil defence centre, bring medication, anything you need," she said. 

"People can bring their domestic pets (dogs, cats, etc) to civil defence centres, but dogs must be on a leash and muzzled if possible. 

"Cats should be in cage or a carry case to keep them contained."

0800 400 100 is the number for people to call if they need a Civil Defence payment, supplements to loss of income, emergency bedding, clothing.

You don't have to be a currently beneficiary to access this, it's for anyone. 

3:31pm - Sarah Bryant from Auckland transport said Aucklanders should make plans to travel home early to avoid rain this afternoon and evening. 

She said some roads could become impassable. She said there had been lower numbers on the roads this morning, showing people had heeded the warning to stay home. 

She said up to 20 slips had been reported on the rail network and ferries were running on a reduced network. 

She urged Auckanders to take extreme care and told them to go home early to avoid extreme weather.

3:25pm - Police Superintendent  Shanan Grey then spoke and he acknowledged the deaths during the floods and what family are going through. 

Grey encouraged people to travel only if it's necessary, take time on the roads if you do have to travel and if people do come across flooded areas he said to turn around or find an alternate route.

On the topic of alleged looting and burglaries in the aftermath of the flood Grey said Police have been deploying assurance controls in the community. 

He said it's disappointing for opportunists to do this and Police apprehended two burglars on Sunday night. 

A 57-year-old male will appear in court. Police apprehended four more people following a burglary at a store in Point Chevalier. 

3:20pm - Roger Ball, director of National Emergency Management Agency then spoke saying local emergency operations centres were activated in Waikato. 

Bay of Plenty Civil Defence are monitoring the weather closely and rain is forecast for the region. 

He said the bunker beneath the Beehive is still activated ensuring an all of Government response is coordinated. 

He encouraged people to follow public safety messages and listen to Civil Defence and urged people to stay alert and reach out to family.

3:10pm - Griffiths said for much of Auckland south of Orewa there is still an orange warning in place, She said residents can expect localised heavy falls overnight, starting from 8pm in the north and later in the south until about 10am on Wednesday. 

She expects the impacts to be isolated and "pockets of impacts" and not everyone in Auckland south of Orewa will see these impacts.

She said people in areas such as the Coromandel, Bay of PLenty and Rotorua should look at local weather warnings.

Griffiths said the wind impact in Auckland is not forecast to be strong but some trees in Auckland may get blown over.

3:00pm - Georgina Griffiths from MetService said warnings are on track. Northland only region has started the red heavy rain warning.

For Auckland and Northland, lines of heavy falls are coming in bands. There is a risk of extremely intense rainfalls 

"Auckland north of orewa, warning starts from 5pm and rain will continue overnight. do expect impacts such as slips. people in that region should listen to civil defence."

2:55pm - Auckland Emergency Management is giving an update at 3pm you can watch live above. 

2:45pm - Metservice has released an image of the rain bands over the North Island. 

2:25pm - Here are MetService's key talking points for Tuesday afternoon:

• Red heavy rain warnings are in place for Northland, north Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula. Red warnings are only issued when significant weather systems are expected to cause widespread disruption by way of flooding, slips, road closures and possible power outages
• In parts of Auckland, an additional 100mm or more of rain may fall on top of the wet weather in the past several days
• Rain will move into Westland on Wednesday afternoon, kicking off a prolonged wet spell in that region.

2:15pm - Below is a forecast update from WeatherWatch:

When you look at the various rain forecasts coming up for the next few days you can see some familiar patterns - like the rain bands that look a bit like claws, stretching out from the atmospheric river of moisture from the tropics.

So where is the uncertainty in the new rain forecast? The precise placement of those training lines of rain and the precise duration of rainfall.

A slight movement west or east makes a huge difference as to where that rain goes... Sometimes much of the worst rain can remain at sea, other times rural areas only, then occasionally, like Friday, it can make bullseye with a major urban centre.

Bay of Plenty is currently showing up as perhaps receiving some of the most of the upcoming rain.

2:03pm - Northlanders have received a phone alert after the state of emergency declaration.

2pm - Authorities are urging Aucklanders to travel home early ahead of Tuesday's predicted heavy rain.

"We continue to urge Aucklanders to take extreme care when travelling on the network, consider whether your travel is necessary and plan your full return journey," Auckland Transport said in a statement.

"With the current heavy rain warning for this afternoon and overnight, Aucklanders should make plans to travel home early to avoid this afternoon and evening's heavy rain."

1:39pm - A state of emergency has been declared for the Northland region amid the ongoing weather event.

"This afternoon and evening are the key times of concern, with the possibility of localised downpours compounding widespread rainfall," the Northland Regional Council said in a statement.

"Emergency services and partner agencies such councils and contractors, health and welfare agencies have all been making co-ordinated preparations, holding regular briefings and sharing information. Police, Fire and Emergency, Hato Hone St John and NZ Defence Force have all brought additional personnel and equipment into the region."

1:30pm - Many renters and landlords are facing the prospect of a damaged property after the deluge of rain which hit the upper North Island. 

The flooding has seen more than 100 Auckland homes red-stickered, meaning they're uninhabitable.

So if you're a tenant or landlord and your property has minor damage or is uninhabitable, what are your rights? 

Read more here.

1:15pm - Watercare is warning Aucklanders to prepare for further disruption to services.

"After Friday's storm there were about 3000 properties without water. Our staff and contractors have been working flat tack to find and repair broken pipes and restore service and we now believe all customers should have water on," chief operations officer Mark Bourne said.

"With more intense rain on the way though, we're not out of the woods yet. We've been busy sandbagging some of our pump stations and sourcing back-up generators in case we need them tonight."

1:05pm - Newshub understands Auckland schools may reopen earlier than originally planned, should the forecasted severe weather not cause as much disruption as predicted.

It's understood the Ministry of Education will notify schools about this on Wednesday.

The ministry said on Monday afternoon it was directing all Auckland educational facilities to close until February 7.

But there was confusion after this directive was announced by Civil Defence at a press conference before the ministry had advised the schools directly, meaning many principals found out about it through the media.

An apology was subsequently issued by the ministry.

1pm - Below is an update from Auckland Airport: 

As international travellers return to the air following Friday night's deluge, operational and engineering teams at Auckland Airport have plans in place to manage heavy rain expected to hit Auckland tonight.

Sucker trucks and pumps are on standby and more than 600 sandbags are in position around terminals at the airport. Across the precinct all storm water systems have been checked for debris, with engineering and contractor crews on standby today and through into the night.

We also have emergency food, water and bedding are also at the ready.

Last night, 40 stranded passengers spent the night on stretchers in the international terminal, supported by Auckland Airport staff and community response organisations, with the Auckland Airport Novotel accommodating around five people who needed some additional support. BBQ sausages were again freely handed out to any travellers and staff who needed something hot to eat.

Today a total of 109 international flights are scheduled to arrive and depart, with around 26,000 travellers expected to travel internationally. The domestic terminal has been operating normally since midday Saturday.

12:45pm - Foodstuffs, the parent company of supermarket giants including Pak'nSave and New World, has provided the below update:

As we head into day four of the cleanup of our stores, our teams have changed gear from crisis management to project management and we're seeing some amazing results.

As of 7am this morning, New World Newmarket has re-opened for business. The $7.5 million store opened just four months ago and was inundated with floodwater on Friday night.

To have it turned around and open for business in just three days is testament to the hard work and commitment of local owner/operator Matt Hayward and our teams.

We have two stores currently closed, while we recover them to be safe for our teams and customers: 

• New World Fresh Collective, Alberton Road, Mt Albert, Auckland
• PAK’nSAVE Wairau Road, 30-60 Wairau Road, Glenfield, Auckland

 Wairau PAK'nSAVE is the largest of our stores in New Zealand, the flood damage was extensive and the sheer size of this store means getting it ready for re-opening is a huge exercise. Led by owner/operator Quintin Proctor, his incredible store team, Foodstuffs support centre, contractors and supplier partners are working around the clock to re-open for the local community. 

We can't yet provide a re-open date but our goal is days, not weeks.

Aucklanders are keeping calm and shopping local.  Four Square stores across Tāmaki Makaurau have seen an increase in customers as they're staying closer to home and thankfully, no evidence of panic buying. 

We'd like to thank our customers for only buying what they need, so everyone gets their fair share when they shop. 

Our supply chain remains in good shape and we have plenty of stock in reserve thanks to the dedication and mahi of our distribution centre teams, many of whom live in flood affected areas.  We've largely caught up on the delays with transportation and whilst we can’t reach Four Square Coromandel due to the closure of State Highway 25, we're exploring other options to replenish the store.

It's still too soon to tell what impact the rain will have on our locally grown produce partners.  Our buying teams remain in close contact with our suppliers and growers so we can anticipate any potential issues with supply and work with them on their recovery plans.

We work with lots of community partners and they're all working tirelessly to support their local communities. Our emergency funding support for flood impacted communities across Tāmaki Makaurau has seen us donate over $137,000 worth of goods to date.

We'll keep working with our partners to ensure they’ve got all the support they need to deliver their services.

12:28pm - The hospitality industry is being hit hard by the ongoing weather event, the Restaurant Association says.

"A survey... has shown that 85 percent of respondents have been impacted by the current weather situation," the association said in a statement.

"Of those that responded to the survey, 75 percent have seen a significant downturn in trade, particularly in Auckland, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty areas where the anniversary weekend is traditionally a busy weekend.

"Fifty-four percent of respondents have experienced material damage to their business as a result of the weather."

12:15pm - The Early Childhood Council is urging Auckland parents to check with their centre to ensure they're open before dropping kids off.

"Unlike schools, essential workers children can attend early learning. The definition of essential workers isn't restricted like it was during COVID," council chief executive Simon Laube said.

"Any child whose parent needs them to physically attend ECE for reasons like work, staying home pumping out flood water, attending to whānau or providing community support for example can do so.

"Parents who haven't heard from their centre should call to check if they're able to open. If the centre is open, their children will be welcome."

11:56am - Fresh vegetable shortages are expected in the coming months after storm water contaminated crops in the upper North Island. 

United Fresh New Zealand food safety representative Anne-Marie Arts says floodwaters can pose a safety risk when they come into contact with crops. 

Arts says contaminated crops aren't harvested which could result in shortages. 

"After the flooding subsides, growers will not harvest the affected crops and will have special protocols for disposing the affected plant matter. Replanting the land will not occur for some time until it is dry and considered suitable. These delays might result in supply gaps of some varieties." 

She said home growers should also dispose of contaminated crops. 

"Whether it's a commercial farm or a home vegetable garden, floodwaters present a real risk to the health of your whānau.  

"Floodwaters can flush through sewer systems and across rural land collecting human and animal waste. The waters may contain pathogens that can make you seriously ill," she says.

 "We're advising anyone with a home garden that may have had floodwater enter to throw away affected plants immediately," she says.

11:52am - Fog is still disrupting flights in Wellington with most flights in and out being cancelled or delayed. 

More details can be found here.

11:50am - Senior lecturer at Massey University Dr Mikael Boulic has some tips for making homes safe if they've been flooded. 

Dr Boulic says current temperatures in Auckland are perfect for growing mould so it's important to wear protective equipment. 

"Before returning to your home, first wait for the green light from Civil Defence. Then put on as much protection equipment as possible (gloves, mask, disposable overalls). Don't go in if it's already too mouldy, ask for professional mould cleaners. Don't go in if you have skin or respiratory conditions.

"If you go back to a flooded house, be careful, there are a lot of potential hazards. Know what you are doing. It could be a very unhealthy environment if there is sewage overflow in the floodwaters.

"Once it's safe to do so, dry out the home ASAP. Unfortunately, the current weather will not help with this effort."

Dr Boulic says mould is very hard to clean because it is often insatiable but the best way to kill mould is to dry your house out as much as possible. 

"If you have power (and it's safe to use), turn on your air conditioner, a dehumidifier, and/or every fan you own. 

"Keep the windows closed if you have a dehumidifier and an air conditioner to help the air circulate inside and get rid of excess moisture. Keep your windows open if you have only fans, and if there is no power and weather permits, open all your windows and doors to create airflow." 

11:46am - Renters United has provided some advice for renters whose homes have been damaged in the floods. 

Read the full advice here.

11:45am - Auckland mayor Wayne Brown says the weather is worsening quicker than expected.

11:25am - Heavy rain has turned a paddock near the train tracks between Waimauku and Helensville into a lake. 

11:02am - Aucklanders are being urged to prepare their homes ahead of the wild weather which is expected to hit tonight. 

Auckland Emergency Management has released some ways people can prepare. 

Key preparations you can make:

• Secure outdoor furniture and structures
• Relocate items from any areas of your property that are prone to flooding
• Relocate stock from flood-prone areas and bring pets inside
• Have supplies including food and medications ready in case of any power outages or if you are isolated for a period
• Have a grab bag and a plan in case you need to evacuate. 

10:36am - NIWA has posted an update warning of strong winds. 

10:25am - Metservice has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Northland, Canterbury High Country, Central Otago, Clutha and Southland. 

Area: Northland

Period: 16hrs from noon Tue, 31 Jan - 4am Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: A front is expected to bring heavy rain to Northland during Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday, as detailed in the Heavy Rain Warning. There is a moderate risk of SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS with this front, bringing localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h or possibly more.

Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips.

Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.

Expect thunderstorms to ease from the north Tuesday evening and overnight.

Area: Canterbury High Country, Central Otago, Clutha, Southland

Period: 7hrs from 2pm - 9pm Tue, 31 Jan

Forecast: Afternoon and evening heating and wind convergence are expected to produce scattered heavy showers across Southland, Clutha, Central Otago and inland parts of South Canterbury. There is a moderate risk of thunderstorms in these areas, and some of these thunderstorms may become SEVERE with downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h in localised places.

Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips.

Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.

Expect thunderstorm activity to ease tonight.

10:21am - The Whitianga Summer Concert has been cancelled due to the wild weather, organisers say. 

But the two other shows in the upcoming Summer Concert Tour will still go ahead. 

10:16am - Eden Park bosses say they are "100 percent focused" on making sure Ed Sheeran's upcoming Mathematics tour dates will take place in Auckland.

The comments come as footage from Eden Park showed the stadium underwater following Friday's unprecedented deluge. 

The entire cricket ground was submerged after the heavy rain, with games due to be played on Monday in the domestic Twenty20 competitions called off.

However, Eden Park posted on social media that it was working to ensure "the stadium is fit for purpose" for the 'Shape of You' singer's first concert, which is due to take place on Friday, February 10.

"As you will have seen, like many areas around Auckland, Eden Park sustained significant water ingress as a result of the weather events over the past 72 hours.

"We have been incredibly humbled by all the offers of local and international support, and we are privileged to be part of such a kind community.

"We are 100 percent focused on ensuring the stadium is fit for purpose, and we are looking forward to hosting Ed Sheeran and delivering the internationally recognised Te Matatini festival.

"Kia Kaha," the post said.

Read the full story here. 

10:13am - A senior lecturer at the University of Waikato says the " impossible is now becoming plausible, thanks to climate change". 

Senior climate change lecturer Dr Luke Harrington says the Auckland floods are just one example of the extreme weather global warming is causing.

"January 27th saw records smashed, with total rainfall over 24 hours at Auckland Airport beating the previous record by a whopping 60 percent (most of which fell within three hours)," Dr Harrington said. 

"Because of the different mechanisms involved, hourly rainfall extremes are intensifying more rapidly with climate change than equally rare downpours which persist for three or five days. Depending on the location, every degree of global warming could add between 5 and 15 percent to the total rain falling, possibly more. It is worth remembering, though, that even if we trimmed 20 percent off the top of the rain gauge records witnessed last Friday, there still would have been widespread devastation.

"Rainfall this intense would challenge many cities worldwide. Even so, the impacts of the next event can be significantly reduced if we improve stormwater system capacity and make additional space for nature-based drainage solutions.

"It's also worth noting a strong connection exists between the speed of global warming and the chances of witnessing record-shattering events in the future. Any efforts to reduce that warming speed - by reducing our emissions - will help to reduce the number of events which really catch us off guard, like what we’ve seen in recent days."

9:59am - Mayor Wayne Brown is currently inspecting damage in the Rodney area. 

9:55am - Auckland Council has released an update on its flood response. Read the statement in full below. 

Overnight, we've had no reports of habitable floors being flooded. There were 126 requests for service – 47 percent of those were in the North, 45 percent were central, 7 percent in the South.

Last night, MetService extended the timing of the severe weather warnings we have in place, bringing the red warning forward.

Auckland, north of Ōrewa, has a Red Heavy Rain warning from starting today at 4pm to tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7.00am. Expect 80 to 120 mm of rain about the ranges, with lesser amounts about the coast. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, mainly about the ranges. But localised areas may see downpours of 25 to 40 mm/hr. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Auckland, south of Ōrewa, and Great Barrier Island has an orange rain warning from 6pm today through to 9am tomorrow (Wednesday)

This rain is expected to cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities.

From 2pm today through to 8am tomorrow, a strong wind watch is also in place which may lead to trees toppling.

We appreciate people want to support those who have been flood affected. The best way to do this is to reach out to your local community group to understand what they are hearing is needed from their communities and how best to get it to them.

Waste management

The Auckland Emergency Management website www.aem.org.nz  has information on waste collection options and is being updated regularly. The following summary is correct as of 9am.

• New Zealand Defence Force will be helping the clean up today.

• We now have nine facilities across the region that Aucklanders can access to dispose of storm damaged material free if they are unable to cover the cost of disposal. We are working with private operators to make eight more facilities available.

• 26 skip bins have been delivered to communities who have reached out to us with a need, with more suburbs being assessed. Please note skips may come and go quickly, connect with your community to get the latest information on locations. If your community needs a skip bin for disposing of storm damaged material, please contact 0800 22 22 00 to register the need in your area.

• Besides delivering skip bins, contractors have also been picking up waste from Browns Bay, Milford and Rānui – approximately 16 truck loads have been sent to landfill from these areas. Contractors will be working in other parts of Auckland today based on need.

• To date, 58 tonnes of storm/flood waste has been dropped off at Waitakere Transfer Station. A gentle reminder, please call 0800 22 22 00 before taking your storm damaged material to the Waitakere Transfer Station to ensure they don't get overwhelmed. No hazardous material will be accepted; this requires specialist disposal methods.

Community support available

Three Civil Defence Centres are currently open, and we have the ability to stand up additional Civil Defence Centres if needed. 82 people stayed in Civil Defence Centres last night.

The locations of Civil Defence Centres are:

• St. Leonards Road School, 15 Saint Leonards Road, Kelston

• Massey University Albany Campus, Sir Neil Walters Lecture Theatre, Massey University East Precinct, Albany Expressway SH17

• Manu Tukutuku, 32 Riverton Drive, Randwick Park

The pop-up community and agency information hub has changed to Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Pool and Leisure Centre, 66R Mascot Avenue, Māngere, Auckland. It will be open from 8am – 8pm.

Those who need to evacuate and cannot stay with friends or whānau can go to a Civil Defence Centre or phone us on 0800 22 22 00. Please bring with you any essential items you may need, e.g. medication, warm clothing, and baby items.

Iwi liaisons are reaching out to all marae and iwi in the region to identify any unmet needs. Seven marae have been activated, and are providing support with accommodation and food.

Donated goods

We are working with Civil Defence Centres to ensure they have the supplies they need. Civil Defence Centres are unable to accept any more donated goods. We kindly ask the community to refrain from taking goods directly to Civil Defence Centres. We understand this seems like a good idea, but often the donations don't match what the community needs, and they cannot be used.

Transport

Auckland Transport is urging Aucklanders to take extreme care while travelling, and to consider whether the travel is necessary. Plan your full return journey while taking note of the weather reports.

Please check the Auckland Transport website throughout the day for regular updates on road closures and public transport as this weather system moves through. With the expected high winds, the Auckland Harbour Bridge has to potential to be closed.

The Airport is now fully operational, for both international and domestic flights. While the Auckland Domestic terminal is operating as usual, reduced capacity at the Auckland International terminal is impacting flights and passengers. Red Cross Disaster Welfare and Support Team continue to provide assistance at Auckland International Airport & the Civil Defence Centres.

Water supply update

Significant progress was made yesterday resolving water supply issues in west Auckland. However, customers living in the wider Titirangi area are asked to be prepared for intermittent water supply issues over the coming days while damage as crews will need to turn off the water supply for short periods of time in localised areas as they fix the damage.

Tankers are in west Auckland providing emergency water, with the locations being shared on the WaterCare website and social media. If you are unable to reach the tankers, please call 0800 22 22 00 for assistance.

Building assessments

As of 8pm last night, our building assessment numbers are 78 red, 319 yellow, and 748 white placards. Building assessments are being scaled up today, so these numbers are expected to change.

If you are concerned about your home or building and would like to request a building assessment, please call a 0800 22 22 00.

If you were affected by the floods and need information, advice or support, you can contact the following service providers.

• To report flooding, damage to drains, or stormwater issues, please phone us on 0800 22 22 00.

• To report slips on private land contact the landowner, or if you are the landowner, your insurance company. 

• For landslides that might affect public land, contact Auckland Council on 09 301 0101. For landslides that might affect public roads, contact Auckland Transport on 09 355 3553.

• If your life is at risk, phone 111.

• If you need urgent accommodation assistance, phone us on 0800 22 22 00.

• For welfare assistance you can phone the Ministry of Social Development on 0800 400 100.

9:50am - NIWA says Auckland has averaged less than five hours of bright sunshine per day so far in January.

9:47am - A petition calling for Wayne Brown to be removed as Auckland's mayor has reached more than 16,000 signatures. 

It comes after NZ Herald published texts in which Brown complained about having to cancel tennis "to deal with media drongos over the flooding tomorrow". 

9:33am - Metservice has updated its latest weather warnings and watches. 

Heavy Rain Warning - Red

Impact: This rain is expected to cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities.

Area: Northland

Period: 19hrs from 9am Tue, 31 Jan - 4am Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Expect 100 to 140 mm of rain in the north and east, with lesser amounts in the west. However, localised areas may receive 140 to 220 mm. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, mainly in the north and east, but localised areas may see 25 to 40 mm/h, or possibly more. Thunderstorms are also possible, and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is also in force.

Area: Auckland north of Orewa

Period: 15hrs from 5pm Tue, 31 Jan - 8am Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Expect 80 to 120 mm of rain. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, but localised areas may see downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Area: Coromandel Peninsula

Period: 17hrs from 10pm Tue, 31 Jan - 3pm Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain about the ranges, with lesser amounts about the coast. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h, especially about the ranges. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Heavy Rain Warning - Orange

Impact: Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.

Area: Auckland from Orewa southwards, and Great Barrier Island

Period: 14hrs from 8pm Tue, 31 Jan - 10am Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Expect 50 to 80 mm of rain, especially north of the Harbour Bridge. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h, but localised areas may see downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h. Thunderstorms are also possible.

Area: Bay of Plenty west of Whakatane

Period: 18hrs from 3am - 9pm Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Expect 100 to 150 mm of rain. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h.

Area: Bay of Plenty about and east of Whakatane, also Gisborne north of Ruatoria

Period: 21hrs from 1pm Wed, 1 Feb - 10am Thu, 2 Feb

Forecast: Expect 100 to 120 mm of rain, with the largest amounts likely about Gisborne north of Ruatoria.

Heavy Rain Watch

Area: Tasman northwest of Motueka

Period: 13hrs from 7am - 8pm Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.

Area: Westland south of Otira

Period: 41hrs from 4am Thu, 2 Feb - 9pm Fri, 3 Feb

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may exceed warning criteria. Note, heavy rain eases north of the Glaciers for a time Thursday evening and Friday morning.

Area: Waikato

Period: 13hrs from 2am - 3pm Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.

Area: Mount Taranaki

Period: 20hrs from 6am Wed, 1 Feb - 2am Thu, 2 Feb

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.

Strong Wind Watch

Area: Northland

Period: 18hrs from 9am Tue, 31 Jan - 3am Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Northeast winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Area: Auckland

Period: 12hrs from 6pm Tue, 31 Jan - 6am Wed, 1 Feb

Forecast: Northeast winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

9:27am - Several water tanks are available for Aucklanders who are still without water. 

They are located at:

• 716 South Titirangi Rd
• End of Tawini Rd
• 1 Cochran Rd, Oratia
• Shetland Street, Glen Eden
• 66 Avonleigh Rd, Green Bay
• Ceramco Park, Glen Eden
• Cnr Kotinga Avenue & Puketitiro Street, Glen Eden
• Cnr Withers Rd & Paewai Rd, Glen Eden

9:24am - Metservice has issued a strong wind watch for Auckland and Northland. Earlier Auckland Emergency Management controller Rachel Kelleher warned the Harbour Bridge may close this afternoon if the wind gets too strong.

9:20am - Ferry services have been reduced for Tuesday and Wednesday because of the weather. 

Fullers360 said its Devonport services are operating on an hourly timetable while Waiheke is also on an hourly timetable until 7.15pm and then the usual timetable applies.

Meanwhile Hobsonville, Beach Haven, Bayswater and Birkenhead services will be operating on weekend timetables. 

Gulf Harbour services are cancelled along with services to Rangitoto Island and Rotoroa Island - which are cancelled until Auckland's state of emergency is lifted. 

9:12am - Metservice says waves of up to four metres are expected in the northeast of the North Island today, which could exacerbate flooding.  

9:05am - WeatherWatch has released a video showing the wild weather on the way. 

9:01am - Auckland Emergency management warns high rivers, flooding and slips are likely as more heavy rain batters the region.  

8:51am - The New Zealand Principals Federation backs the decision from the Ministry of Education to keep Auckland schools closed due to the recent flooding.

The decision was made to shut schools to ensure roads weren't overcrowded, while vital infrastructure continues to be repaired.

The Ministry of Education was forced to apologise to principals who learnt of the news through the media.

However, Leann Otene from the federation says they know it was made with the best interests.

8:45am - Fog is causing disruptions to flights in Wellington this morning. 

8:36am - Auckland transport is urging people to only travel if it is necessary. 

8:35am - Givealittle says its website is crashing because of the huge demand to support flood-stricken Aucklanders. 

8:31am - Renters United President Geordie Rogers has provided some details about the rights of tenants whose homes have been affected by the flooding.

He added if your home is completely uninhabitable you can stop paying rent but there are a few steps to take first. 

"If it's uninhabitable, and that usually means you don't have access to cooking facilities and cleaning facilities, then you do have the right to stop paying rent until that can be repaired. If it's only minor damage, which means you can't use one or two bedrooms, you can engage in a conversation with your landlord about making sure your rent is reduced appropriately," he said. 

8:25am - In Auckland 78 buildings have been red stickered along with 319 which have been yellow stickered. 

8:20am - AEM says all of Auckland should be vigilant and stay home if they can because the weather is likely to be severe. 

8:19am - Waka Kotahi released a statement about the Harbour Bridge on Monday night. Read the full statement below. 

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is urging caution on the roads as heavy rain and wind watches are in  place for the region tomorrow.

A strong wind watch is in effect for the Auckland Harbour Bridge from 12pm Tuesday until 4am Wednesday, triggering an amber alert and a possible red alert.

Under an amber alert, speeds are reduced and lanes may close. Under a red alert, all lanes on the bridge are closed.

Heavy rain is also expected from 6pm tomorrow until 7am Wednesday which could result in surface flooding.

Motorists are urged to drive to the conditions, look out for the electronic message boards which will indicate lane closures and reduced speeds, or full bridge closure, and stay within their lane while travelling across the bridge.

Drivers of high sided vehicles and motorcyclists are advised to avoid the Auckland Harbour Bridge and use the western ring route on State Highways 16 and 18.

Waka Kotahi is working closely with Metservice to monitor wind speeds with maintenance crews out on the network ready to react and close lanes on the bridge if wind gusts exceed threshold levels. The safety of road users is our top priority and we won't hesitate to reduce speeds, close lanes or close the bridge if necessary.

Waka Kotahi is providing regular updates to the public as the severe weather continues to affect Aotearoa this week. Our Journey Planner page is updated by our traffic operations centres 24/7 to provide the latest available information on state highway closures and disruptions.  Remember to refresh the page when checking the status of highways to ensure the latest updates are displayed. 

8:11am - AM's flood appeal has raised more than $150,000 with a generous viewing pledging to match the donations to the dollar bringing the total to more than $300,000. The money is for Auckland City Mission -Te Tāpui Atawhai to fund their emergency response to the flooding. 

8:09am - AEM says there are nine facilities across Auckland where people can get rid of flood-damaged goods free of charge if they cannot afford it. 

There are several skip bins across the city as well, primarily in the worst-hit areas.

8:04am - Auckland Emergency Management says strong winds may close the Harbour Bridge this afternoon. Officials also warn more flooding is expected as heavy rain batters the Auckland region. 

Auckland, Northland and the Coromandel are all under red heavy rain warnings.

8:01am - Mayor Wayne Brown is facing further criticism over his handling of the floods are NZ Herald published texts showing him complaining about having to cancel tennis "to deal with media drongos over the flooding tomorrow". 

7:57am - Auckland Emergency Management officials are providing an update on the weather. You can watch the live stream at the top of this article.

7:56am - Consumer NZ has released details about what your rights are if you've been affected by the floods. Read the statement in full below. 

Consumer NZ has produced concrete advice for people impacted by the recent and ongoing weather events.

"The effects of the devastating flooding will be varied and wide-reaching," said Jon Duffy, Consumer NZ's chief executive. "We want to help people understand their rights in these unprecedented and challenging times."

Tenants' rights

Landlords should be aware they are responsible for maintaining the property. This includes damage caused by flooding and storms.

If you're a tenant and the property has been damaged by flooding, you should contact your landlord – they are responsible for drying out the property. This includes any costs associated with the drying process, including the cost of electricity.

Landlords are not responsible for any damage flooding has caused to tenants' belongings. If you're a tenant and you have contents insurance, contact your insurer.

If your rental has been damaged but is still inhabitable, the rent should be reduced. Alternatively, the landlord or tenant can apply to the tenancy tribunal to end the tenancy.

The tribunal can decide whether the landlord should fix the property or whether the tenant should stay on with a reduced rent.

If a rental property is destroyed or seriously damaged, the tenant can give notice to end the tenancy.

The tenant must give two days' notice, but the landlord needs to give seven days' notice. The tenant can then stop paying rent. These time frames apply to periodic and fixed-term tenancies.

Temporary emergency housing is available. If you need emergency housing, refer to NEMA in the first instance.

Earthquake Commission (EQCover) for flood and storm damage

If you have private house insurance which includes fire insurance (most policies do), you have EQCover.

EQCover provides some cover for damage to residential land if your property is damaged in a storm or flood.

Contact your house insurer – it will manage any EQCover for land.

EQCover is provided for land under or within 8 metres of a home as well as some outbuildings, such as a shed or garage. It will cover the cost to repair damage to the insured land, or the value of the land – whichever is less.

Where a landslip has occurred, EQCover will cover damage to the home or surrounding land which has been caused by the landslip.

Flooding cancellations – know your rights

The flooding has led to cancellation of flights, accommodation, events, and various other bookings. Consumer has summarised guidance for people impacted by these cancellations.

Domestic flights

When a domestic flight is cancelled because of the weather, the airline does not have to provide a refund or reimburse any costs you incur as a result of the cancellation.

Your rights depend on the type of fare purchased and the airline's terms and conditions. If you bought a refundable fare, you are entitled to a refund regardless of the reason for the flight cancellation or delay.

If you don't have a refundable fare, the airline will usually rebook you onto another flight or give you a credit.

Air New Zealand is offering flexibility on all flights to, through and from Auckland – domestic travellers can either get a credit or defer travel up to (and including) 6 February.

Jetstar is offering passengers a credit or the option to defer a flight up to (and including) 30 January, for up to 14 days from the original travel date.

International flights

If an international flight is impacted by flooding, your rights depend on which country you're in, where you're going and which airline you're flying with.

Usually, when an international flight is impacted by something outside the airline's control, the airline will rebook people onto the next available flight or provide a credit.

If you have travel insurance, you could be covered. Check your policy and talk to your insurer.

Air New Zealand is allowing international travellers with flights to, through and from Auckland, to defer their travel up to (and including) 13 February. It is also offering credits to customers booked on international flights.

If you have booked a fully refundable fare, you can ask for a refund.

Airbnb bookings

If you have to cancel an Airbnb booking because of flooding, Airbnb's extenuating circumstances policy will apply. This overrides the usual cancellation policy and means you will be entitled to a credit or refund.

If an Airbnb host cancels your booking prior to check-in, you should automatically receive a full refund. Airbnb may also be able to help you find alternative accommodation.

Other accommodation providers

Cancellation rights and refund eligibility will depend on the accommodation provider's terms and conditions.

If you're impacted by an accommodation cancellation, check the terms and conditions of your booking. Look for these terms: 'cancellation', 'refund', 'act of God' and 'force majeure.' A 'force majeure' or 'act of God' is an event which no one is at fault for – including natural disasters. Contracts will normally have terms outlining your rights in such circumstances.

For Bookabach reservations, the cancellation policy will be unique to the accommodation. If you can't find that policy on your booking confirmation or on the accommodation listing, contact the host.

Cancellation fees may apply but should only be charged if the terms and conditions allowing it were in place at the time of booking.

Cancellation fees must be fair – a company can't charge whatever it likes. Any term which lets a company charge a steep cancellation fee risks being unfair and breaching the Fair Trading Act.

Concert cancellations

If a concert or festival is cancelled, you should get a refund from the ticket agent. Contact the ticket agent for advice.

Refunds will normally be made to the credit or debit card used to purchase the ticket(s).

Ticket agents will currently be dealing with a significant number of refund requests. If an agent refuses a refund request, providing you paid for your ticket(s) using a debit or credit card, you can ask your bank for a chargeback.

If you bought your ticket from a private seller, it may be trickier to get a refund.

Restaurant bookings

If you can't get to a restaurant you've booked because of flooding, the contract between you and the restaurant is likely to be 'frustrated'. This means it was impossible for you to hold up your side of the deal and you should not be charged for a no-show.

If possible, let the restaurant know you can't make it.

Retirement village residents' rights

Residents who need to evacuate a retirement village should receive clear direction from the retirement village operator.

If a resident needs to move, this should be at the village operator's cost – regardless of where the resident is moving to.

When it comes to weekly fees, if a resident is moved to another unit within the same village, it's likely the resident will continue paying their weekly fee.

If a resident is relocated to a different retirement village, then it's up to the two village operators to negotiate the rate.

If a resident's unit is not repairable, the village operator should talk to the affected resident(s) about next steps. Options could include replacing the unit, transferring to another unit or leaving the retirement village.

The village operator must consider the residents' views but does not have to agree with those views. It must set out the terms of its decision in writing and provide the resident with a copy.

As with tenants, retirement village residents are responsible for their own contents, and should contact their contents insurer.

Consumer has created a dedicated page with detailed advice for people affected by the flooding.

7:46am - There's been a brief reprieve from the rain for Aucklanders overnight but more is on the way.

Most of the Super City is under an "orange" heavy rain warning.

In Northland, a "red" heavy rain warning came into force on Tuesday morning until at least early on Wednesday. That red warning will also come into effect in Auckland north of Orewa from 4pm.

Anyone travelling is still being advised to take extreme care, with many roads still impacted by slips and flood water.

Click here for Metservice's latest forecast. 

7:40am - Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty has provided an update on Twitter. 

"Overnight FENZ attended 6 weather-related incidents in the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Auckland and Northland areas. None of these events involved people requiring to be rescued," McAnulty said. 

"Auckland Emergency Management have recorded 493 households requesting assistance;

604 people (157 households) requiring accommodation; 84 people (20 households) supported into accommodation.

"Approx 3000 properties are without water and 600 without electricity. Seven Marae have been activated – these are providing support with accommodation and food."

7:38am - Waka Kotahi has released a statement on road closures. Read the statement in full below.

Roading contractors will be continuing to monitor the State Highway network as more heavy rainfall is forecast.

Metservice is expecting the wet weather which has targeted upper North Island in recent days to spread further down the North Island from tonight.

If you're driving in the forecast heavy rainfall, please drive to the conditions, which means keeping a safe following distance and dropping your speed and watch for flooding and other debris on the road.

Waka Kotahi is providing regular updates to the public as the severe weather continues to affect Aotearoa this week.  Our Journey Planner page is updated by our traffic operations centres 24/7 to provide the latest available information on state highway closures and disruptions.  Remember to refresh the page when checking the status of highways to ensure the latest updates are displayed.

State Highway closures as of 4pm:

Northland region:

SH1 Brynderwyn to Waipu:

This stretch of road remains closed from the SH12 intersection to Waipu.

Motorists should expect delays with a detour via Waipu / Mangawhai. Slips have now been cleared but the risk of further slips means the road will remain closed for now.

SH16 at Stoney Creek Road, Kaukapakapa:

This is currently impassable and Waka Kotahi is looking to close this between Kaukapakapa and West Coast Roads. Please keep refreshing our Journey Planner for details.

Waikato / Coromandel region:

SH2 Mangatawhiri to Maramarua 

Due to flooding and slips, SH2 is closed between Mangatawhiri Rd and Kopuku Rd. There is a detour available but please allow an extra 30 minutes travel time for the detour and expect delays. We expect this may reopen later this evening.

SH2 Pokeno to Mangatarata 

Due to a large slip, SH2 is closed between SH25 and SH27. Expect delays through this area and take extra care

SH25 between Coromandel and Whitianga

Contractors have been working to clear multiple slips throughout today. SH25 at Ruamahunga Bay is now open and we expect the stretch of road at Whangapoua will be open later this evening.

SH25A Kopu to Hikuai:

The highway remains closed until further notice following a large section of road collapsing  over the weekend

The Tapu-Coroglen and 309 roads are also closed. Detour is State Highway 2 via Karangahake Gorge.

The gorge remains open however we are closely monitoring for any signs of flooding. The DoC carpark is closed and we discourage access to leisure facilities during this time.

SH37 Waitomo

SH37 remains closed between the roundabout at SH3 and Fullerton Road.

Work is being undertaken to reopen this slip to one lane as soon as possible.

Hawke's Bay

SH5 Napier-Taupo

        A failed culvert has closed the northbound lane near Tarawera. The road is under stop/go traffic management.

Taranaki region

SH43 Stratford to Taumarunui

The large drop out remains but the road is now open and under stop/go traffic management.

7:31am - Auckland Emergency Management is holding a press conference at 8am to provide an update on weather conditions. You can watch the livestream at the top of this article. 

7:28am - If the extreme flooding wasn't bad enough for Auckland businesses, some have been targeted by thieves.

Forma Furniture in Parnell, which was severely damaged on Friday night by the deluge of rain, has also had multiple items stolen.

Furniture designer Matt Smidt told AM the business got flooded like many other places around Auckland and a lot of their items were "completely wrecked".

"Some people came in here to make things worse and ripped all our alarm out and stole the last of [the] stuff that was left, which wasn't much," he said.

But Smidt had a positive view of things.

"I look at it and say, 'Hey, I'm still a lucky one that some of the people that work for me have had homes flooded and everything else'".

7:09am - Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Len Salt told AM he is "concerned" about the 'red' heavy rain warning in place for his region, which comes into effect at 7pm on Tuesday.

He said the area has seen four weeks of "significant rain". Since January 1, there's been 1.3m of rainfall - an amount that usually takes until June or July to build up.

Salt told AM there hasn't been any significant rainfall overnight but is urging his community to be prepared.

"We are concerned about this," he said.

He said the hills are saturated, roads are compromised and more slips are expected.

"It's going to be a rough couple of days." 

7:02am - State Highway 16 north of Kaukapakapa is closed after a crash blocked both lanes.

6:50am - Far North Mayor Moko Tepania told AM they're currently monitoring the situation "closely" after being battered by a significant amount of rain over the past couple of days.

Tepania said seven local roads were closed on Monday but they managed to re-open five of them. But with more rain overnight he fears there could be further closures on Tuesday.

He said so far there is no guidance from the Ministry of Education for schools to close in the Far North but Tepania told AM some have already made the decision not to open on Tuesday.

The region is currently under a "red" heavy rain warning, so he urges his community to "be prepared".

"The ground is incredibly saturated and we’re expecting more heavy rain today," he said. 

6:30am - AM has launched a fundraising drive to raise as much money as possible for the Auckland City Mission to help flood-stricken families.

With the help of a generous anonymous donor who is willing to match up to $150,000 for flood-affected residents.

So, the aim of the fundraising drive is to raise $300,000 to help flood-stricken families.

You can donate at this Givealittle page here.