Cyclone Gabrielle is lashing the upper North Island causing power cuts, downing trees, and bringing surface flooding.
In Northland more than 17,000 homes have been without electricity overnight, and bad weather is hampering efforts to repair power lines.
Electricity providers say more outages are inevitable and it may be several days before some connections are restored.
Civil Defence Northland says some coastal locations have flooded and boats have blown ashore.
Reporter Soumya Bhamidipati spoke to Corin Dann from Whangārei..
