Many parts of the upper North Island and the Chatham Islands have been badly hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, with the country remaining in a national state of emergency.
Widespread flooding and slips have left homes and vast swathes of land under water, and hillsides weakened by slips.
The death toll currently sits at four, including one child and a volunteer firefighter.
The Defence Force has said the army rescued 200 people in Hastings alone on Tuesday. The Air Force rescued another 23 people - and their pets - using helicopters to winch them to safety.
Work is underway to get communication, food and water supplies to communities that have been completely cut off.
Official Government advice:
Severe impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle are now being seen across the upper North Island
If it is safe to do so, stay at home. Avoid all non-essential travel
Have an evacuation plan in case your home becomes unsafe to stay in
If you have evacuated, please stay where you are until you are given the all-clear to go home
Stay away from floodwater and never drive through floodwaters.
Check in on neighbours and family members if it is safe to do so
Please stay up to date with the forecasts from MetService and continue to follow the advice of civil defence and emergency services.Advice on how to get prepared, including in te reo Māori, is at getready.govt.nz
Call 111 if you feel in any danger. Stay safe - don't take any chances.
What else you need to know:
The Government has declared a national state of emergency
- Tens of thousands of people across the Far North, Northland, Auckland, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay are without power
- Residents in Gisborne and parts of central Hawke's Bay are being told to urgently conserve water
Nine-thousand people are displaced in Hawke's Bay alone, the Government says
Some communities on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula are cut off.
Useful websites:
Civil Defence centres and shelters are open in Auckland. A list of where they are is here.
If you need help and support during the emergency, visit the Auckland Emergency Management website.
For a list of disruptions to services and facilities, visit the Interruptions to Service and Facilities page on the Auckland Council website.
For the latest on MetService's weather warnings, click here
For more information on power outages in Auckland check here: Vector - https://help.vector.co.nz/map, Counties Energy - http://app.countiespower.com
For power in Northland click here or the Far North click here
For public transport information visit Auckland Transport here
Newshub's live updates have now finished.
9:45pm - The North Island may be hit by more rain on Thursday, with parts of the island having a chance rainfall could exceed 10mm.
8:45pm - Waka Kotahi's update on the Coromandel:
State Highway 25 is OPEN in sections – restoring access between Thames and Matarangi. Slips between Hikuai and Whangamata have been cleared. Essential travel only.
This means people in towns on the east coast like Whitianga and Tairua can now leave the peninsula and supplies can get in.
Unfortunately due to an emerging risk posed by a slip with suspended trees – SH25 is still CLOSED for now between Ruamahanga Bay and Tapu on the Thames-Coast Highway. Only emergency services and civil defence can get through here.
SH25 Te Rerenga to Kūaotunu: still CLOSED
Still fully closed here due to major slips between Matarangi Road and Kūaotunu. Strictly emergency services / civil defence access via a private land diversion. Unavailable to the general public.
Other parts of SH25 are open but many areas are one lane only and road users should expect significant disruption and delays due to ongoing clean up works. Caution is advised. Essential travel only.
State Highway 2 Paeroa and Waihi through the Karangahake Gorge is now OPEN – essential travel only
Due to remaining areas of debris and mud on the road and slippery surface areas extreme caution is required on this section of SH2.
Some sections have 30km/h or 50km/h temporary speed limits in place.
Clean up works will resume tomorrow and road users should expect significant disruption and potential delays when travelling through this area.
8:30pm - The MetService says a front associated with Cyclone Gabrielle continues to bring heavy rain to central parts of New Zealand.
"Cyclone Gabrielle, now located well to the east of the North Island, is expected to continue moving away to the southeast of New Zealand. However, an associated front brings rain with heavy falls to parts of central New Zealand through until late Thursday morning, and Orange Warnings and Watches remain in place for some regions."
The weather forecasting agency has updated its weather watches and warnings.
The rain warning for Wairarapa south of Masterton, and the eastern hills of Wellington now expires at 11am Thursday. For parts of Marlborough, Canterbury, and the rest of Wellington it remains unchanged.
7:30pm - Counties Energy has restored power to around 1000 properties in Auckland and there is approximately 990 properties in the region currently without power.
Five hundred of the properties restored were in the Awhitu Peninsula, an area that suffered many landslips and trees falling on lines. Around 400 properties remain without power in this area.
"We understand that these customers have been without power for over 48 hours and thank them for their patience and understanding as we work to restore power as quickly and safely as we can. To restore the majority of these customers tomorrow a difficult construction job on the corner of Hamilton Rd and Manukau Heads Rd has been prioritised for the morning," Counties Energy said in a statement.
"There are still some prolonged outages that crews will be unable to restore even as we head into tomorrow night and customers should prepare for this."
6:25pm - Fire and Emergency have confirmed a USAR Team member retrieved the body of the firefighter they had located in the Muriwai landslide.
"It is with great sadness that I confirm that it is our missing firefighter from the Muriwai Volunteer Fire Brigade," Fire and Emergency chief executive Kerry Gregory said.
"My heart goes out to his family and to his friends and colleagues in the brigade. His death is being felt by our Fire and Emergency whānau right across the country.
"Flags will be flown at half-mast on all fire stations to acknowledge our firefighter’s death.
"We are working closely with Police as they lead the formal procedures that are required when someone dies in these circumstances.
"Fire and Emergency respects the family’s wishes that we do not confirm the name of our fallen firefighter at this time."
6:10pm - There are 564 households in Auckland accessing temporary emergency housing accommodation so far.
"We are aware this is the largest emergency housing project the country has had to deal with," Woods said.
Woods assumes it will not be thousands and thousands who will be seeking emergency housing, but at the moment the exact numbers are unknown.
A relatively small number of emergency or public housing places had been affected by the flooding, Woods said.
6:00pm - Woods said there are 60,000 households in Hawke's Bay without power, but recent access to Redcliffe substation could help with the outages.
In Tairawhiti and Wairoa there are 15,000 households without power.
5:58pm - Director of Emergency Management for the National Civil Defence Roger Ball said their understanding is 10 to 15 percent of Wairo has been affected by the flooding and urban search and rescue is on the ground to assess the town's ground before the planned BBQ.
5:55pm - Hipkins is urging people to not return home unless you have been given the all clear to do so.
5:50pm - Digital Economy and Communications Minister Ginny Andersen said the three main areas impacted the most by connectivity is Northland, Coromandel and Hawke's Bay.
There have been five main breaks in fibre across the North Island, two have been restored including Coromandel and North of Taupō.
Generators are in place for the cellphone towers that are down.
Gisborne has two major fibre outages, however, satellite and generators are available for texting and calls.
They are continuing to provide generators for cellphone connectivity in Napier.
5:48pm - Woods said the issue with fuel is power cuts at petrol stations and road closures.
State Highway 2 to Napier has now been open to lifeline services including fuel which is allowing better serving to the region.
5:45pm - Energy Minister Meghan Woods said companies are working to restore electricity as quickly as possible with 65,000 homes across North Island having had power restored.
There are currently 160,000 households without power.
5:40pm - Hipkins said a rapid relief team is working to provide water to 3000 people in Wairo this evening. They are also working to establish a huge BBQ in Wairoa for approximately 3000 people. They are also aiming to provide 300 to 500 food packages on Thursday morning.
5:35pm - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said in a media stand-up the devastation has taken a toll beyond lively hood and property after four people were confirmed dead.
There are also several people missing who police hold great concerns for, Hipkins said.
"We remain in an urgent response mode in the Hawke's Bay region," he said.
5:30pm - KiwiRail update from Chief Operations Officer Siva Sivapakkiam:
With further track inspections completed today, we have been able to open most of the North Island rail network.
We have this afternoon opened the North Island Main Trunk Line rail line between Palmerston North and Waikanae, allowing freight services to now run between Auckland and Wellington and the Capital Connection (Palmerston North – Wellington passenger train) to resume tomorrow.
The rail line between New Plymouth and Marton is now open and the line between Picton and Christchurch will reopen in the morning. Given weather conditions around the top of the South Island, we will do one final track inspection in the morning before our Coastal Pacific scenic train and freight services run.
An initial look at the Napier – Palmerston North rail line has revealed significant damage between Napier and Clive, due to the massive floods over the last few days. This includes substantial damage to a rail bridge, which appears to have lost some of its spans and piers. We need water levels in the area to recede more before we can do a detailed inspection, to understand the scale of the damage and time it will take to repair. We will do what we can tomorrow but expect to really begin the detailed inspection on Friday.
However, we have made good progress repairing a section of track near Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty, where a freight train derailed in late-January. The derailed wagon have been moved clear of the track, and most of them taken away. Our track teams are close to finishing rebuilding more than 500 metres of track, some of which was washed away in the earlier floods. We expect to reopen the section of line on Friday evening and log and pulp freight services can resume.
5:20pm - Waka Kotahi says travel to and from the Coromandel should be possible by Thursday morning providing there is no further deterioration on the network.
In addition State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Waihi through the Karangahake Gorge should re-open by nightfall, restoring a key route in the East Waikato.
"Contractors have made tremendous progress clearing a large number of slips on State Highway 2 through the Gorge and around State Highway 25, the Peninsula’s key thoroughfare,” says Cara Lauder, Waka Kotahi System Manager for the Waikato," Waka Kotahi System Manager for the Waikato Cara Lauder said.
"Coromandel to Thames and Hikuai to Whangamata should have one lane open to vehicles by the morning but extreme caution is advised. The road may still be slippery due to mud from slips. There may still be small amounts of debris on the road. Please follow all direction from our traffic management team and drive to the signposted speed limit."
Contractors also hope to have the slip at Kūaotunu on SH25 cleared and the highway re-opened there as soon as possible.
5:15pm - Residents in Tairāwhiti are being asked to limit water and power use, and a $40 cap has also been applied to all fuel purchases.
"If we do not cut our water demand as a community then our taps will run dry," Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Group Controller Ben Green said.
"Industry have been asked to stop all water use from today, that's how serious it is."
Multiple breaks have been identified along the city supply pipeline and the backup Waipaoa supply will take a couple more days to kick in.
A $40 fuel limit was also put in place today at five petrol stations and it is cash only at this stage.
For the third day, the region remains cut off with no road access in or out of the district, and no internet or cellphone coverage. Cellphone coverage remains out and national planning is working out options to restore access however there is no timeframe available.
Over 20,000 copies of the Gisborne Herald were printed on Wednesday and delivered by volunteers to keep the community informed.
The Ministry of Education has confirmed all schools are closed until Monday 20 February, and this will be reviewed on Monday.
Eftpos terminals have also gone into some supermarkets as they reopen their doors on Wednesday.
There are 4500 customers without power – including more than 1600 customers affected in Wairoa.
There is no timeframe on when power can be restored to these people.
Power has been restored to Gisborne city, including essential suppliers of food, fuel and health services; emergency services; and the police station.
Eastland Network is also running generators in Ruatorea, Te Araroa, Tokomaru Bay and Tolaga Bay townships to keep their power on.
Communities are asked to prepare for the possibility of several days with this limited level of power supply.
There are also multiple major faults across Tairāwhiti, with poles and lines down due to floods, wind, trees and slips. Access is currently limited or impossible in many areas.
There is some significant damage on SH35 including Hikuwai No 1 bridge. There are slips all along SH35 as well. SH2 has sustained less damage.
4:45pm - Police have reported the body of a child was located in Eskdale, Hastings shortly before 2pm Wednesday.
The child is believed to have been caught in rising water on Wednesday.
It takes the death toll from Cyclone Gabrielle to four.
The body of a volunteer firefighter was recovered from a landslide in Muriwai early on Wednesday afternoon.
A person died following a landslip on a rural property in Matahorua Road, Putorino on Tuesday afternoon.
Another body was located on the shore in Bay View, Napier on Tuesday evening.
"Police extend their condolences to the families of those who have died and continue to make enquiries into the circumstances," the police statement said.
Police have also received over 1400 reports of people uncontactable across the North Island in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.
As of 2.30pm Wednesday, 1442 people have been registered via the Police 105 online reporting form as uncontactable.
There are 111 reports of people now safe.
The vast majority of reports are from Eastern District (Hawke's Bay and Tairawhiti) alone, with the remainder from across the North Island.
The numbers include duplicate reports of the same person reported uncontactable by different people.
"While we expect a large number of the reports to be the result of communication lines being down, Police can confirm there are several people missing in the Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti areas, for whom we have grave concerns," police said.
"With other storm-affected districts reporting they are able to manage their response within existing resources, Police National Headquarters is now focussed on critical support for Eastern District.
"We are redeploying more than 70 staff from Bay of Plenty, Central, Wellington, Tasman, Canterbury and Southern districts, as well as the Royal New Zealand Police College, to Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti over the next 48 hours.
"Those staff will support recovery efforts and provide community reassurance.
Police on Tuesday deployed 12 Search and Rescue specialist staff to assist with recovery efforts in Eastern District, which are continuing on Wednesday.
"We are aware that many of our staff in the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne areas have themselves been affected by the storm, but they have continued to work hard to support rescue efforts, manage road closures, and make contact with isolated people.
"Communications into and out of the area continue to be challenging, however, as telecommunication services start to come back online, Police anticipate an increase in the number of reports of missing people, found people, damage to property, and demand for basic resources such as food, water, and fuel."
"In Tāmaki Makaurau and Northland, the focus continues to be supporting the ongoing recovery.
Police are continuing to carry out reassurance patrolling throughout the regions and in affected areas."
Police urge anyone concerned about friends and family to try their usual methods of communication first, whether that’s a phone number, email, social media or a pre-planned emergency meeting place.
When all means of contact have been exhausted, anyone with genuine concerns for a person’s
safety is asked to provide as much information as possible via the 105 online form: https://forms.police.govt.nz/person-inquired-for
Police will use that information to make further enquiries, as and when able.
Those who can should call 111 if they are in immediate danger.
4:25pm - Coastguard is aware of multiple VHF sites that are offline due to localised power outages and damage caused by the cyclone.
They are working to identify all outages and restore these sites as quickly and safely as possible.
Boaties are recommended to use the Coastguard App for Nowcasting or making trip reports. In the event of an incident, boaties can call Coastguard on *500 or call Maritime Radio on VHF channel 16. If it is an emergency, please call 111 and ask for the police.
The following VHF channels are currently offline, or are experiencing cyclone-affected operation:
Northern:
- Cape Rodney (Nowcasting - 20)
- Manukau (18)
- Kaipara (07)
- North Kaipara (66)
- Hokianga (65)
- Whangaroa (05)
Eastern:
- Gisborne (03)
- East Cape (05)
- Whitianga (63)
- Tauranga (01)
- Hawkes Bay (01)
4:10pm - MetService update:
A front associated with Cyclone Gabrielle continues to bring severe weather to central parts of New Zealand.
In this update Wellington, except the eastern hills which is already under a warning, has been placed on a heavy rain watch.
Cyclone Gabrielle, now located well to the east of Gisborne, is expected to continue moving away to the southeast of New Zealand.
Although Cyclone Gabrielle is moving away from New Zealand and severe weather has eased in most places, heavy rain continues to impact parts of central New Zealand through until Thursday evening. In addition, large waves are still affecting the eastern parts of the country today.
It is important to keep up to date with MetService forecasts and follow the advice of local authorities.
3:55pm - Animal welfare update:
MPI is coordinating animal welfare response efforts in flood-impacted areas in Hawke’s Bay.
Please contact MPI’s on-call animal welfare emergency management team directly at awem@mpi.govt.nz or 048940132 if you need assistance with animal rescue or evacuation.
MPI has been made aware of horses and other animals in the Hawke’s Bay that are missing or needing assistance.
If you have a horse that has gone missing please list it for free on www.lostpet.co.nz and then share the listing on equine Facebook pages.
We have received offers of temporary accommodation. Please email awem@mpi.govt.nz or call 048940132 if your animals need to be accommodated.
3:45pm - Auckland Emergency Management advises Aucklanders who live in Karekare not to return home until it is safe.
The ground is unstable and the soil is saturated, therefore, there may be new ground movement in the coming days.
"Do not try to return to your property until it has been assessed and declared safe for return."
AEM said currently everyone is accounted for.
3:40pm - An online form has been set up for people to register names of family or friends who are uncontactable in storm-affected areas.
To register a person whose safety you are concerned for click here.
3:20pm - Interislander update:
Aratere and Kaitaki have both returned to the Cook Strait run today following Tuesday's cancellations due to bad weather.
Both resumed sailing as freight only, but Aratere will be taking passengers later on Wednesday.
However, crewing shortages due to illness and difficulties in crew travelling owing to Cyclone Gabrielle meant Kaiarahi Interislander sailings have had to be cancelled through to lunchtime Thursday. We are working to resolve those issues and expect Kaiarahi to sail at 1pm Thursday from Wellington.
Our freight-only ship Valentine will sail tomorrow, and we are looking at all options to provide extra capacity.
However, we are very heavily booked for February and already dealing with a backlog of passengers and freight as a result of yesterday’s weather cancellations, so there is little space available for disrupted customers.
We apologise for the disruption this is causing. Our customer service teams are experiencing high levels of demand at the moment, and we ask for your patience and tolerance.
3:10pm - The following MetService animation shows Cyclone Garbielle's path:
3:05pm - Fire and Emergency's latest update on Hawke's Bay:
Fire and Emergency is sending Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) crews into Hawkes Bay to bolster firefighters already working hard on the ground.
Three teams of six USAR specialists arrived in the district yesterday and additional teams are due in the district today.
Incident Controller Glen Varcoe says USAR teams bring specialised drone capabilities, and technical rescue teams with the geotechnical expertise needed to navigate areas which are dangerously affected by floods and slips.
Varcoe said the main focus is responding to incidents in areas which are currently flooded.
"We’ve been working closely with other agencies such as Civil Defence, Police and the Defence Force to evacuate areas and carry out rescues," Varcoe said.
"We have around 180 live incidents right now that we’re working through to determine where people are who still need help.
"There are also new incidents coming in all the time, so we are continuing to focus on identifying the most urgent situations and reaching those people first."
Radio communications are being restored across the district, after they were down on Tuesday.
Varcoe said he was grateful for additional help from other Fire and Emergency teams around the country, especially as many families and homes of the Hawkes Bay crews have been affected personally by the cyclone.
"I appreciate the efforts of all our people under such extraordinary circumstances," he said.
"I'd also like to acknowledge the community who have been pitching in with the evacuations, offering their own vehicles to get vulnerable people out safely over the last couple of days."
3:00pm - MetService said the bulk of the rainfall is now over the lower North Island and eastern South Island.
The rain band is expected to spread northward on Thursday before clearing on Friday.
2:55pm - Supermarket update:
Supermarkets have shifted their focus to getting essential items to isolated areas and restocking shelves.
Foodstuffs and Countdown are urging North Island customers to only buy the supplies they need for a couple of days as they face supply challenges.
Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin said in a statement their teams are switching from full-time crisis management to a combination of crisis management and recovery.
"We have a focus on getting essentials to communities that haven't had a delivery
for a couple of days and reopening and replenishing our stores where we can make deliveries," Quin said.
As of midday, Wednesday 15 February, two New Worlds and 17 Four Squares are unable to trade. A store might be closed because there’s no power, team members can't get in to run the store, there's flood damage, or Civil Defence has asked them to close until it's safe to open temporarily.
"Thankfully most of these stores are in communities where there is another local option where people can get to for groceries," Quin said.
Countdown's managing director Spencer Sonn said they have a few stores that have been unable to open again today.
Countdown Carlyle, Countdown Napier and Countdown Gisborne are currently closed.
2:25pm - MetService has provided the below update on Cyclone Gabrielle:
Rain is then expected to spread up the east of the North Island on Thursday and there is a risk of thunderstorms in the ranges of Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti/Gisborne.
On Friday, a ridge of high pressure pushes in from the west and Cyclone Gabrielle will no longer be affecting the country. The North Island can expect settled weather from Friday and into next week - good news for the recovery effort.
2:21pm - Due to the ongoing weather conditions caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, promoters Frontier Touring and Eccles Entertainment have made the decision to move Lorde's Solar Power shows from Days Bay in Lower Hutt to Wellington's TSB Arena.
"This is always a difficult decision to make but the current conditions at Days Bay post-cyclone mean that for the safety of ticket holders, band and crew, we have made what we think is the right call and I am confident that Lorde at TSB Arena will be an exceptional live experience," the promoters said.
The shows will now take place on the original dates Tuesday, February 21 and Wednesday, February 22 but at the new venue TSB Arena. All tickets purchased for Days Bay remain valid for the new events.
If you have purchased a ticket for Tuesday, February 21 at Days Bay, your same ticket will give you access to the show at TSB Arena on Tuesday, February 21. If you have purchased a ticket for Wednesday, February 22 at Days Bay, your same ticket will give you access to the show at TSB Arena on Wednesday 22 February.
"As we have moved into a larger venue there are now additional tickets on sale for both shows through Ticketmaster."
2:12pm - Below is a summary of the earlier Auckland Civil Defence (AEM) press conference:
Transport
- Auckland Transport (AT) says the scale of damage to Auckland's roads from ex-Cyclone Gabrielle is unprecedented, with 75 roads fully closed and 60 roads partially closed
- The main priority in coming days is to restore some form of road access for those Auckland communities which are currently cut off, such as Piha, Muriwai and Karekare
- AT advises due to the scale of damage across the region's roads it will take a significant period of time to rebuild and recover
- Train services are running to schedule on the eastern and southern lines on Wednesday, while trains on the western line are operating every 20 minutes between Britomart and Henderson, with hourly rail replacement buses between Henderson and Swanson
- Most scheduled bus services are running as usual and most ferry services have returned to their regular timetables. Gulf Harbour services remain replaced by shuttles today and damage to the structure of Birkenhead wharf was identified last night which means Birkenhead ferry services will be replaced by alternative transport services for the rest of the week.
Accommodation
- There were about 200 people in Civil Defence centres and shelters overnight. This included about 50 domestic and international travellers who took shelter at our Civil Defence Centre set up at The Trusts Arena after flights out of Auckland Airport were cancelled late on Tuesday due to high winds
- We are continuing to review the community requirements for each of our Civil Defence centres and shelters so we can divert resources to where they're most needed. Please continue to keep an eye on the AEM website for the most up to date information - aem.org.nz
- Anyone who may need medium or long-term accommodation as a result of damage to their home from this event, should get in touch with the Temporary Accommodation Service, who may be able to help. Details are available on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website.
Water
- Auckland's tap water remains safe to drink and there are no widespread water outages
- Three small water treatment plants are offline in Helensville, Muriwai and Wellsford. The reservoirs in Helensville and Wellsford will be topped up using tankers as needed - residents and businesses in these areas are encouraged to use water wisely on Wednesday
- The treatment plant in Muriwai has been damaged by the cyclone and the area is out of water. A water tanker has been sent to the area to provide emergency water - residents will need to bring containers to transport the water home.
Cleaning up
- Kerbside rubbish, recycling and food scraps collections have resumed on Wednesday on your normal cycle. If your normal collection day is Monday or Tuesday, your next collection will be next week
- The council will also resume its kerbside collections of flood-damaged items. You can call us to log a request if you haven't done so - please remember, we can't pick up construction material or large items of green waste
- An important reminder flood-damaged items can pose a health risk to you and your family. If you're cleaning up your home and property, please do wear gloves, a long sleeved top and trousers, and a face mask if you can, and take extra care around any mould or possible asbestos - information about cleaning up safely is on our website.
Muriwai information hub opened
- AEM has opened an information hub for residents at Muriwai Rangers Station on Motutara Rd, with members of our welfare and building inspection team on hand to answer questions and provide advice
- We know many Aucklanders continue to be without power and internet coverage, so if you are in contact with affected residents, please them know they can head to the Rangers Station for help and advice.
2:04pm - The body found during the search for a missing firefighter in Muriwai has now been retrieved, Fire and Emergency New Zealand chief exeuctive Kerry Gregory says.
"We are working closely with police as they lead the formal procedures that are required when someone dies in these circumstances," Gregory said in a statement.
2:01pm - The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has provided the below update on the highway networks in the Gisborne and Hawke's Bay regions:
- SH35 between Hicks Bay and Gisborne CLOSED
- SH2 between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne and then Gisborne to Napier CLOSED
- SH2 between Waipukurau and Waipawa OPEN
- SH2 between Napier and Hastings CLOSED
- SH5 between Napier and Taupō CLOSED
- SH51 between Napier and Clive CLOSED
- SH51 between Napier and Elwood Rds CLOSED
- SH50 Expressway between Napier and Hastings CLOSED
- SH50 between Takapau and Hastings CLOSED
1:54pm - Princess Anne has delivered a touching message to Kiwis devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle.
The King's sister visited the National Crisis Management Centre below the Beehive earlier on Wednesday.
"My thoughts are with all New Zealanders whose homes or livelihoods have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle," Princess Anne said in a statement following the visit.
"I have been given the opportunity to visit the national disaster and crisis headquarters today and I am impressed by the major efforts being undertaken by first responders, local and national agencies to ensure the best possible support for everyone, especially those still at risk.
"You should all be proud of the resilience, strength and care for your communities you are showing in the face of adversity. Kia Kaha."
1:45pm - GNS Science says thousands more landslides are expected after Cyclone Gabrielle.
"We determine landslide probability across regions by using rain forecasts and measurements to generate landslide forecasts," GNS engineering geologist Chris Massey said. "Then we can estimate the locations of communities and infrastructure most exposed, to help visualise the likely impacts.
"Landslides can be highly unpredictable and if you're not an experienced engineering geologist or geotechnical engineer please stay a safe distance away from any existing landslides and potentially dangerous slopes."
1:24pm - The Government has unveiled a $4 million support package to provide assistance to farmers and growers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
"This is a difficult time for many, with thousands of people's homes and businesses affected by this large-scale adverse event - the Government is here to provide support," Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said. "This recovery mobilisation fund will help provide extra resources for sector organisations to support affected areas
"I expect we will provide more support once a full and thorough assessment of the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle across the North Island is complete. That destruction includes flooded farms and orchards, damage to vital roading and electricity infrastructure and isolated communities."
1:14pm - The forestry industry is under fire after extensive damage was caused during the recent cyclone by slash in the floodwaters.
This has promoted calls by Civil Defence Minister Kieran McAnulty for the forestry industry to clean up its act.
1pm - Hawke's Bay Emergency Management says evacuations are continuing across the region.
"As of this morning, the Maritime NZ Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand said there were 25 active requests for assistance around Hawke's Bay including people trapped in houses, on roofs and people's neighbours had been calling in requesting welfare checks," Civil Defence said.
"There are numerous requests for assistance from people with young families and from the elderly. A lot of households also had pets with them.
To date at least 300 people have been rescued through a multi-agency response supported by St John, police, NZ Defence Force and Fire and Emergency. Helicopter support has also been provided by local companies."
12:55pm - Waka Kotahi has provided the below update on Northland's transport network:
The following roads have now re-opened:
- SH11 Taumarere to Kawakawa
- SH1 Kawakawa to Morewa
- SH16 Wellsford to Kaukapakapa (signposted detours available for heavy vehicles - please use extra caution as some areas are down to one lane)
On SH1 Dome Valley we have crews and machines onsite today clearing slips. Weather and safety permitting, we hope to reinstate emergency critical access by the end of the day.
SH1 Brynderwyn to Waipu remains closed with a number of severe underslips and overslips. The damage is very significant, and we have a huge job ahead of us which will take some time.
While the road is closed, a local detour is in place for light vehicles via Cove Rd/ Mangawhai and our partners Northland Transportation Alliance confirm access to Paparoa /Oakleigh Rd for lifeline freight only until the main State Highway 12/14 detour route is restored. Our roads are fragile and we urge travellers to use extreme caution given how critical these routes are for Northland.
Please note this information can change rapidly - ensure you check the latest weather conditions with MetService, and consult the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner for the most up to date information on road closures.
12:50pm - Maritime NZ's rescue coordination centre says it's completed more than 80 missions in the past day.
"Most of these rescues require a lot of technical expertise and we are proud to be able to support the response to Cyclone Gabrielle with the skills we have at the Rescue Coordination Centre, alongside our search and rescue partners," operations manager Michael Clulow said.
"Everyone working on the coordination effort across the agencies understands this is a highly stressful and scary situation for those impacted by the floods and they are at the front of our minds as we undertake our work."
12:47pm - At 1pm, we're due to hear from the Auckland Emergency Management team - who will be holding a live news briefing. You can watch that on Three, ThreeNow or in the video above.
12:42pm - The Mayor of Wairoa, which has been completely cut off by Cyclone Gabrielle, has issued the below call for help:
12:30pm - WeatherWatch says Cyclone Gabrielle will fully leave New Zealand within the next day.
"Some lingering wind and rain for the southern and eastern sides of the North Island today and the north eastern side of the South Island - but the storm is slowly tracking away from the North Island and is weakening at the same time too," the forecaster said on Wednesday.
"A few heavy downpours and isolated thunderstorms will develop around the upper North Island in the coming days - but they don't look overly widespread."
12:12pm - Northland Civil Defence has provided the below list of services whānau might need to assist with the clean-up from Cyclone Gabrielle:
District councils
If you need information, assistance or to report urgent cyclone-related issues, here are the key contact details for each district:
- Whangarei: 09 430 4200 or facebook.com/WhangareiDC/
- Far North: 0800 920 029 or facebook.com/FarNorthDistrictCouncil
- Kaipara: For welfare assistance contact 09 439 1111. To report damage to roads or log other service requests please phone 0800 727 059. facebook.com/KaiparaDistrictCouncil
Emergency financial assistance
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) may be able to help with urgent or unexpected costs - from emergency food, medical costs, and bedding to home repairs, power bills and loss of income. See reverse side for further information.
Support Service Directory - Hearts & Minds Tai Tokerau
This directory is your pathway to the support and resources available in your local community. Services listed include community information and resources, crisis and emergency disability/special needs, hardship support including foodbanks, counselling/support and many more. www.heartsandminds.org.nz/support-services-directory/tai-tokerau-directory
Māori community / iwi support
Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups are working alongside marae, hapū, iwi and Māori community groups across the region. To be connected in with the appropriate person or agency for advice and support please contact Carol Manukau, Te Kahu O Taonui - Email: carol@tkot.org.nz or phone 021 025 98435.
Animal welfare
If you are concerned about your animals or pets, contact your veterinarian in the first instance. If you need to report an animal welfare issue or have an animal welfare query, contact Ministry Primary Industries (MPI) animal welfare team 0800 008 333. If you need assistance or advice on farm, please contact the Rural Support Trust for advice 0800 787 254.
Insurance
If your home, car, or contents have been damaged by the severe weather please contact your insurance company. Many household insurance policies will also cover commercial accommodation if you have to leave your home due to damage. The Insurance Council has some good information for landlords, renters, and business: www.icnz.org.nz
Victim Support
Victim Support can deliver 24 hours, seven days a week support services to help people recover from the stress and trauma brought on by the storm. Call 0800 VICTIM (842 846).
For further information visit www.nrc.govt.nz/cyclonesupport
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT | WORK & INCOME
Civil Defence Payment
Support and assistance may be available if you're in the Northland region and have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
There are lots of ways we can help, and we can point you in the right direction based on your situation. You don't have to be on a benefit. You may have to pay the money back depending on your situation.
Who can get it
You may be able to get a Civil Defence Payment if either:
- a Civil Defence emergency has been declared, or
- the event meets the guidelines for a Civil Defence emergency.
You must be in one of these situations because of the emergency:
- you had to leave your home (e.g. you've been evacuated or you're on stand-by)
- you were away from your home at the time of the emergency and can't return
- you need help with food, bedding or clothing
- you can't go to work.
You must also:
- not be able to cover your costs from insurance (or you haven't been paid yet)
- not have access to any other help, e.g: o public donations
- other government relief funds
- charitable relief funds.
If you're not sure whether insurance will cover your costs, you may still qualify for a Civil Defence Payment. However if you get a Civil Defence Payment and then your insurance pays for any costs covered by this, you'll need to pay us back.
What you can get depends on your circumstances. You can apply for help with more than one type of cost.
What Civil Defence Payments can help with
- emergency food, clothing and bedding if yours has been damaged or destroyed by the cyclone
- costs if you've had to leave your home
- loss of income because you can't work due to the cyclone
- a payment if you have evacuees staying with you in places such as a private home, marae or community centres.
Other costs we can help with
We can also help with:
- medical costs
- bedding
- food
- power bills
- repairs or replacing appliances.
We also provide other help such as benefits and help with paying your housing costs.
Everyone’s situation is different, so what you qualify for will depend on your situation.
How to apply
To apply, call us on 0800 400 100. We’re open 7am-5pm Monday to Wednesday, and 8am-5pm Thursday and Friday.
These payments are available for a limited time. There’s more detail about the Civil Defence payments, including who can get these and how much you can get on the work and income website. www.workandincome.govt.nz
12:11pm - An estimated 9000 people have been displaced in Hawke's Bay alone, Civil Defence Minister Kieran McAnulty has told reporters.
12:02pm - Princess Anne, the King's sister and one of the most senior members of the royal family, has visited the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) below the Beehive.
The Princess' initial plan to attend the Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals Centenary event at Linton Camp near Palmerston North on Wednesday morning was called off in the wake of the destructive weather.
Instead, she visited the NCMC to meet with staff overseeing the response.
11:58am - Hawke's Bay residents are still urged to stay off the roads on Wednesday unless travel is urgent.
"Private vehicles are causing unnecessary congestion on local roads, delaying the emergency services response to people in need of assistance," Eastern District police said in a statement.
"Call 111 if you are in immediate risk of danger or in a life-threatening situation."
11:39am - The press conference is getting underway now - watch live in the video above.
11:35am - The ministers are running slightly late for the press conference. Stand by, it should be underway soon.
11:25am - In sad news just in, a body has been found in the search for a missing volunteer firefighter in the west Auckland community of Muriwai.
"We have not yet identified who this is and will be working with police to retrieve and identify the body," Fire and Emergency chief executive Kerry Gregory said in a statement. "We will provide more information later today.
"I acknowledge the difficult time this is for all of us, particularly for family, the Muriwai Volunteer Fire Brigade and all at Fire and Emergency New Zealand."
11:20am - Officials in Gisborne are continuing to urge residents to conserve water, with the city facing a "signifcant crisis".
"We have multiple breaks in the water pipe supplying Gisborne city, with severe damage to the main water treatment pipe," Tairāwhiti Civil Defence controller Ben Green said. "Our water supply is now assessed as critical and we are dealing with this as a significant crisis. We need to use less than a quarter of the amount of water usually used on a day in February, otherwise, there is a real risk that the city will have no water.
"The city water supply should only be used for drinking, food preparation and hygiene. The severe restrictions remain in place, meaning no outdoor use of the city's water."
11:12am - Civil Defence Minister Kieran McAnulty and Defence Minister Andrew Little are fronting a press conference at 11:30am providing updates on the Government's cyclone response. You can watch that live on Three, ThreeNow or in the video above.
11am - There's also been widespread damage in the Ruapehu District despite being spared the worst of Cyclone Gabrielle, Emergency Management officer Andy Chambers says.
"There was more rain overnight in the worst impacted areas but this is not expected to increase flood risk," he said in a statement. "There are still reports of some road outages but contractors are moving quickly to clear these."
10:45am - Cyclone Gabrielle caused air pressure to plummet to "historically low levels" in the North Island, NIWA says.
10:39am - ACT Party leader David Seymour questions why the state of national emergency was declared on Tuesday morning, rather than the previous day before the full wrath of Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand.
He asked Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty: "What was different today that wasn't true the previous day on Monday?"
Other than that, Seymour told AM Early it's hard to fault a Government "trying to react as quickly as possible, like everybody else, as the waters rose and their homes were in danger".
But Seymour said his party was opposed to Parliament being suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday.
10:30am - The centre of Cyclone Gabrielle is now out of shot on MetService's satellite.
10:23am - Speaking to AM earlier, National Party leader Christopher Luxon called for bipartisan political support on more investment in infrastructure and climate adaptation.
"We can't go rebuilding roads that keep getting wiped out and then get wiped out at the next event," he said.
"It's going to be a multi-decade effort starting from tomorrow of recovery and making sure that infrastructure is resilient."
10:15am - Some positive news is that most of the North Island can expect more settled weather on Wednesday, MetService says.
But a lingering front will bring rain to southern areas, which will spread up the east coast bringing further wet weather on Thursday and Friday.
10am - At least 12 homes in Piha are still surrounded or submerged by floodwaters, Newshub's Michael Morrah says.
9:45am - WeatherWatch says Cyclone Gabrielle is weakening slowly and continuing to track away from the North Island.
"A line of strong southerlies & still some rain from north Canterbury to about Wairarapa - but improving elsewhere," the forecaster said.
9:30am - The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) says the army rescued 200 people in Hastings on Tuesday.
"Also yesterday, crew on three Royal New Zealand Air Force helicopters rescued 23 people and five dogs, including by winching people off roofs of houses," the NZDF said.
"Two pallets of medical supplies were also delivered to a medical centre in Napier.
"In some cases, flood waters were up to the second story of homes where people were being rescued."
9:25am - The below footage from on the ground in Piha shows the scale of the damage to beachfront properties.
9:20am - MetService has now issued heavy rain warnings for Tararua, Wairarapa, Wellington and Marlborough.
9:15am - Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand Hawke's Bay has provided the below update:
The following services are cancelled for Wednesday, February 15, 2023:
- Elective surgeries
- Endoscopy services
- Outpatient (Napier, Hastings, Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay) appointments cancelled
Affected patients are being contacted and offered a telehealth appointment if appropriate or rebooked as soon as possible.
Acute theatre continues as well as urgent radiology procedures.
Two urgent care clinics open
As at Wednesday, February 15, all general practices are shut except for the below two urgent care clinics which remain open:
- City Medical at Napier Health Centre (24 hours)
- Urgent care clinic at Hastings Health Centre (until 7pm tonight).
Pharmacies open
Napier
- Napier Health Centre
- Unichem on Munroe Street at The Doctors Napier
If any Napier pharmacists are in a position to assist please report to Napier Health Centre.
Hastings
- Hastings Health Centre
- Unichem on Russell Street at The Doctors Hastings
- Gilmours Pharmacy in Havelock North
- Flaxmere Pharmacy
- Unichem Waipukurau
Te Whatu Ora acknowledges whānau will be concerned about the whereabouts of loved ones who may have been impacted by flooding but asks people do not come into the Hawke's Bay emergency department unless seeking urgent medical care.
Public health and hygiene
Te Whatu Ora is reminding residents to take care with their health and hygiene following flooding.
Keep out of flood waters as the water may be contaminated with sewage, farm run-off or other hazardous material. One of the main risks from flood water is gastroenteritis.
Most people who develop gastroenteritis can manage their symptoms at home but it can be more serious for the very young, very old or those with underlying medical conditions. If you feel unwell after coming into contact with floodwater call your doctor or call Healthline for free on 0800 611 116.
If you have no power, use another heat source such as a BBQ to bring the water to a rolling boil for one minute. (Note: keep the BBQ outside at all times. Do not bring it inside the house or garage because charcoal or gas BBQs produce large amounts of carbon monoxide which can be fatal).
If you cannot boil your drinking water, then add purifying tablets or plain, unscented household bleach. Add half a teaspoon of bleach per 10 litres of water, mix and leave for at least 30 minutes or follow instructions on purifying tablets.
Store treated water in a covered container.
Meals on Wheels
Please note that Meals on Wheels is not operating. If you need support please ring the Civil Defence Emergency Management.
Staffing
An urgent care centre has been stood up at Napier Health Centre.
Staff who are based in Napier and have the availability to assist are asked to phone 06 873 2158 or present to Napier Health Centre to be added to a roster.
Napier-based pharmacists are also asked to report to Napier Health Centre if they can assist.
Hawke's Bay Hospital is mindful of the difficulties some staff face getting to work and is proactively developing rosters for the next 72 hours.
Hastings-based nurses can also ring 06 873 2158 present to the hospital Operations Centre on the second floor of the Tower Block, or email emergency.response@hbdhb.govt.nz to express their availability.
Details regarding any assistance required in Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay will be forthcoming.
Plans are being put in place to ensure accommodation and food will be provided, close to the hospital, for staff who are unable to return home safely.
9:13am - Cyclone Gabrielle obliterated much of what was in her track and incredible helicopter footage captured by Newshub shows the sheer destruction she's left.
The helicopter footage captured on Wednesday morning paints a devastating image for communities in Muriwai, Piha and Karekare.
Large slips have claimed homes and covered roads.
9:05am - Auckland power authority Vector says 30,000 people in the region remain without electricity, down from 42,000.
"The bulk of the outages continue to be across the north and west of Auckland where challenges such as blocked roads, caused by fallen trees and slips, are making it difficult for our teams to access," Vector said in a statement. "The significant damage to electricity networks across the North Island, including the Auckland region, will take time to repair and some people, particularly in more rural areas, should expect to be without power for several days.
"We understand that this is frustrating and would like to reassure affected families that we are deploying all resources available to get them back up and running. We will provide more detailed updates about how long it will take to restore different areas in the Auckland region, as soon as we have them."
9am - Forecaster WeatherWatch has mapped the below comparison between 1988's Cyclone Bola and Cyclone Gabrielle:
8:53am - Below is an update from St John ambulance:
Overnight, Hato Hone St John received 668 111 calls nationally and responded an ambulance to 510 incidents. Of those 510 responses, 98 were in Northland, 328 in Auckland, 165 in Central West, 110 in Central East (includes Tairāwhiti) and 276 in Central South (includes Hawke's Bay).
While incident numbers and ambulance responses are down on previous days, the work is complex and response and transport are taking significantly longer.
8:45am - Earlier, Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told AM she's in constant contact with Civil Defence and the Government on how the region can get through this difficult period.
8:43am - A cargo plane is on its way to Gisborne with satellitle equipment and generators to restore essential communications to the region, Vodafone chief executive Jason Paris has confirmed.
8:32am - Gisborne residents are being told to urgently conserve water as the region remains cut off, and large parts remain without cellphone service or power.
Multiple breaks in pipes that feed water into the city has left their supply at "critical" levels.
Supermarkets remain closed and, while authorities are reassuring residents there is enough food and fuel to go round, the advice is for people to use what they have wisely.
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told AM officials will be delivering a message to every household to dramatiaclly drop their water use.
8:30am - West Auckland's Karekare is cut off from power, internet and cellphone reception.
"We have suffered major loss to infrastructure and personal property," chief fire officer Toby Hyman said in a statement. "My understand is that at least six homes have slipped from their foundations."
8:27am - Below is an update from Auckland Transport, which says it's expecting fewer disruptions on Wednesday.
Bus
Most scheduled bus services are running as usual today but there are some delays, detours and cancellations across the network, especially up north and out west where there are more road closures. If you're in these areas, please check before you travel and allow extra time.
With most Auckland schools having reopened today we are providing school bus services. As usual we have asked our operators to prioritise running school these services.
Train
Services are running to schedule on the eastern and southern lines today, while trains on the western line are operating half-hourly between Britomart and New Lynn, with hourly rail replacement buses in place between Britomart and Swanson.
Rail replacement services continue to operate in place of trains on the Onehunga Line and the southern line between Newmarket and Ōtāhuhu because of KiwiRail's rail network rebuild.
Ferry
Most ferry services have returned to their regular timetables today since conditions on the harbour have eased overnight, although Gulf Harbour services remain replaced by shuttles today.
Damage to the structure of Birkenhead wharf was identified last night which means Birkenhead ferry services will be replaced by alternative transport services today.
8:15am - Residents across central Hawke's Bay are waking up to mass devastation after floodwaters inundated homes.
Earlier, Central Hawke's Bay District Mayor Alex Walker told AM making sure everyone is accounted for is a priority on Wednesday morning.
Walker has also confirmed water supply for Waipukurau, Waipawa and Ōtāne has nearly run out. She said Fonterra tankers are helping to replenish supply.
8:03am - There are reports evacuation centres in Napier are at capacity, forcing people to sleep in their cars.
Civil Defence is positive it'll be able to access the region on Wednesday and provide much-needed support, Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty told AM.
8am - Earlier, Air New Zealand boss Greg Foran told AM he was confident flights would resume on Wednesday - although he warned the schedule would be "clunky".
"We are pretty sure we're going to be able to get underway today but there will be some challenges because we were hoping to get underway yesterday," he said. "So now it's a matter of juggling planes and crew to get them in the right place because we sort of got halfway through it yesterday and then we had to bring things to a stop. So the start this morning will be clunky, would be the best way to put it."
7:45am - A person was critically injured by a falling tree in Auckland on Tuesday afternoon, police say.
Emergency services were called to the scene on Allum St in the suburb of Kohimaramara just before 3:45pm.
One person was taken to hospital in a critical condition, a police spokesperson confirmed to Newshub.
7:41am - FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory has confirmed the identity of the firefighter hospitalised by the slip in Muriwai.
He's been named as Craig Stevens. He remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.
7:36am - Officials from Fire and Emergency New Zealand have confirmed the search for the missing firefighter in Muriwai have resumed on Wednesday morning.
7:15am - Fire and Emergency New Zealand officials are providing the latest on its Cyclone Gabrielle response at a 7:30am press conference. You can watch this live in the video above.
7:14am - Orchard workers who livestreamed their ordeal being stranded on roofs in Hawke's Bay were eventually rescued after six hours waiting for help.
Incredible vision supplied to Newshub shows the group of workers getting air lifted from a roof amid severe flooding.
They were then taken to an evacuation centre in Hastings.
The workers became stranded after Tutaekuri River burst its banks, forcing them to use anything they could to stay afloat before finding their way to the rooftops.
7am - Hawke's Bay Civil Defence is urging anyone in Napier's Te Awa Estate to evacuate immediately due to rising flood waters.
Rescues are still be carried out throughout the eastern region, with some in the Esk Valley still waiting for assistance.
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence controller Liz Lambert told AM the focus is now on reaching isolated groups to avoid further tragedy.
6:55am - MetService has confirmed all severe weather warnings for the North Island have been lifted.
6:53am - Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty is speaking to AM now. He's confirmed the search for a missing firefighter in Auckland's Muriwai was supended again overnight.
6:45am - Transpower is yet to examine damage to a major substation supplying electricity to the Gisborne and Hawke's Bay regions.
Dangerous conditions prevented crews from carrying out aerial checks to infrastructure on Tuesday, forcing thousands to spend the night in the dark.
Transpower chief executive Alison Andrew told Newshub Late it will be a matter of days, if not weeks, before connection fully resumes.
6:35am - Flights are resuming from Auckland Airport on Wednesday morning after widespread disruption caused by cancelled flights unable to operate in high winds.
About 50 stranded passengers were taken from the airport to the Trusts Arena evacuation centre in Henderson overnight.
Auckland Airport has confirmed flight operations have resumed on Wednesday morning.
Speaking to AM, Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran said the past couple of days have been busy - with domestic and international flights either forced to turn around or land at another port.
Foran said it could be a messy restart to operations and urged passengers to be patient.
6:30am - There are fears people are still in urgent need of rescue in Hawke's Bay as officials scramble to understand of how widespread Cyclone Gabrielle's impact has been.
Wairoa remains an area of concern, with communication being hampered by network failures.
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence controller Liz Lambert told AM rescue efforts are ongoing.
6:27am - Auckland Airport says normal operations have resumed on Wednesday morning.
"Travellers are advised that airline schedules may be disrupted for several days as operations gradually return to normal," it said.
"Both international and domestic terminals are expected to be busy as travel resumes. We ask that only passengers with a confirmed booking on a flight scheduled to depart come to the airport.
"We recommend you pack any essential medication and a change of clothes in your carry-on baggage just in case your travel is disrupted midway through your journey."
6:15am - Hawke's Bay Civil Defence has issued an evacuation request to residents of Napier's Te Awa Estate.
"Due to rising flood waters, HB Civil Defence is recommending residents in Te Awa Estate that have not already evacuated to do so now," it said. "This covers Kenny Dr north to Hurunui Dr.
"Please stay with friends and family where possible. Alternatively, the Rodney Green Events Centre is the Napier Civil Defence Centre."
6am - AM will have extensive coverage of Cyclone Gabrielle. You can watch AM on Three and here.
5:45am - The desperate search for a firefighter trapped in a landslide-hit home in west Auckland will resume this morning.
Volunteer firefighter Dave van Zwananberg remains unaccounted for after a building collapsed while officers were inside.
Fire and Emergency halted the search overnight due to the conditions.
"We are doing everything we can to get our missing firefighter, friend, colleague and loved one back in what is a very challenging operation," Fire and Emergency chief executive Kerry Gregory told Newshub.
"The focus now is on planning for work to restart tomorrow morning with a keen focus on safety given the current conditions at the Muriwai site."
5:20am - A woman in Putorino has died after a bank collapsed onto her home, Hawke's Bay Civil Defence said in a statement on Tuesday night.
Police visited the property following a missing person's report and undertook rescue efforts but were unsuccessful, they said.
