Police say more than 1000 people remain uncontactable following Cyclone Gabrielle.
Among them is Joseph Ahuriri - a father of eight who lives in Gisborne. He was in Napier the night the storm hit.
His partner has spent days searching for him.
Clarissa Poi has been worrying for more than a week because her partner Joseph Ahuriri hasn't come home from Hawke's Bay and his phone is going straight to voicemail.
"I mean it's the most annoying message, but it's him. And just like everyone else that calls just to hear him, hoping that this might be the day or this might be the call that goes through, but it doesn't," Poi told Newshub.
Ahuriri was visiting family in Hawke's Bay on Monday when the bad weather began. He tried to drive home that night but the roads had already closed, so Poi booked him into a hotel. The last contact she had was a text at 1am on Tuesday.
"And he just asked if yous are okay," Poi said.
When State Highway 2 to Opotiki re-opened she drove to Napier herself - searching the streets for his White Toyota Hilux and checking welfare centres.
She's also been checking a local Facebook page - Hawke's Bay Floods Lost Family & Friends - that's keeping a list of missing people.
"I hate checking it. Because his name is the only one that's clear between these green blocks. And you know, I want him to be green," Poi said.
The page has 16,000 followers and was started by Richard Lay who was looking for his mum.
"If I can make a Facebook page and everybody can go to the same place, those posts that people are doing [that] will potentially get lost on any other page won't get lost," Lay told Newshub.
Police said they are investigating reports of those missing as matter of urgency. They are asking anyone who has made contact with a person previously reported as uncontactable to update their status on the 105 website, so police can prioritise looking for those they still haven't contacted.
Poi is still waiting for any news.
"We miss him," Poi said.
She is one of many who desperately want to hear from their loved ones.
