In Tai Rāwhiti more than 150 people have been forced to leave their homes in the last 24 hours as foul weather hammers the area that is still trying to get back on its feet after cyclone Gabrielle.
About 30 people have evacuated to welfare centres in town, on top of 130 who left their Te Karaka homes before dark yesterday.
Meanwhile Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz is sending a message to anxious east coast residents:
We can't control the weather, but we can control how prepared we are.
Kate Green in is Te Tai Rāwhiti, which has been in a state of emergency since yesterday.
