As the clean-up after Cyclone Gabrielle continues, more rain is forecast for the flood-hit regions of Hawke's Bay, Taraiwhiti and Auckland.
The MetService has an orange level heavy rain warning in place for Hawke's Bay until 10am on Saturday and there are heavy rain watches in a number of other areas including Gisborne, Wairarapa and the Tararua District, Auckland, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty over the next day or two.
This is how the clean-up had been progressing over the last couple of days, mostly before rain had again set in.
Esk Valley and Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence is again having to keep a close watch on the rivers with more rain forecast for the region.
Meanwhile, the government has announced a ministerial inquiry into forestry slash which has been blamed for making the recent flood damage worse.
RNZ reporter Phil Pennington has been out and about in Hawke's Bay.
A clean-up at an Esk Valley house off State Highway 5 on Wednesday. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Police patrol between banks of silt in a small gathering of now-trashed homes by the Esk River on 22 February. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Digging out at Petane wines and Zeelandt brewery by the Esk River on Wednesday. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Winemaker Philip Barber outside Petane Wines where 12,000 bottles of wine were unearthed from the silt. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Army trucks heading east on State Highway 5 in Esk River Valley on Wednesday. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Roadworkers stand either side of a 2m wide, 3m deep gash across the width of SH5 adjacent to Marshall's Bridge near Glengarry. A crossing to the side allows contractors' vehicles across. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
The conditions in Pakowhai in the Hastings District were miserable on Thursday. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Rain turns silt to mud, adding to travelling time, and risks, in Pakowhai. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Rail tracks scoured out underneath by the Esk River. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington
Hawke's Bay Regional Distribution Hub manager Kirsty Meynell on Thursday shows Prime Minister Chris Hipkins around a warehouse full of goods for donation. Photo: RNZ / Soumya Bhamidipati
Wairoa
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the immediate priority in the town was to clean-up the damaged houses so they could have the yellow sticker removed and so people would safely be able to move back in.
"I won't rest until all those people are back in their homes, or back in sound accommodation."
RNZ visual journalist Samuel Rillstone captured these images of Wairoa.
The clean-up continues in Wairoa on 21 February. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Silt covered land in Wairoa. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The clean-up continues in Wairoa on 21 February. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Hinemihi Marae in Wairoa. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Auckland
Auckland Transport says they have attended 1300 slips due to extreme weather and 75 percent of the 130 roads, which were closed have been reopened.
Chief engineer for Auckland Transport, Murray Burt, said they had prioritised roads that connected vulnerable communities such as those on Auckland's west coast beaches, but there was still a mammoth task ahead.
Houses came toppling down in the West Auckland settlement of Karekare after 16 slips in the area due to Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell
A house balanced precariously on the edge of a cliff in the Auckland suburb of Remuera after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Mohammad Alafeshat
Barriers at the bottom of a slip on Shore Road in the Auckland suburb of Remuera. Photo: RNZ / Mohammad Alafeshat
Household items still wait on the kerbside in Auckland's Mount Roskill. Photo: RNZ / Tom Taylor
Household items still wait on the kerbside in Auckland's Mount Roskill. Photo: RNZ / Tom Taylor
