Natural Disasters

Wairoa's mayor Craig Little has made contact, saying the town's been hit by the most catastrophic weather event in living memory. 

He says there's been severe river flooding after the water rose at… Audio

Evacuations continue in Hawke's Bay.

Six army trucks have arrived at the Hastings Sports Centres full of rescued people.

RNZ's reporter on the ground Lauren Crimp told Max Towle there were about 90… Audio

As flood waters rose throughout Hawkes Bay yesterday the call went out for anyone with a jet boat to get in the water to help rescue people and stock.

Andrew Hardie is a dairy farmer from Dannevirke… Audio

There have been two further deaths in the past 24 hours, both in Hawkes Bay.

Civil defence reported late last night that a woman in Putorino had died after a bank collapsed onto her home.

Police… Audio

Hawkes Bay was one of the hardest hit regions in yesterday's floods, with crops swallowed by water and people stranded in their homes.

Among them is Jonty Moffet an orchardist in the Hastings'… Audio

The Gisborne Mayor says newspapers will be delivered to all residents in Gisborne today with an urgent conserve water notice. 

Internet is down in Tairāwhiti. 

Mayor Rehette Stoltz says the region… Audio

In Hastings and Napier, around 60,000 people are without power and it's expected to be days or weeks before power is returned to all customers.

Transpower announced a national grid emergency… Audio

Houses are underwater and roads have been washed out across Hawkes Bay following yesterday's extraordinary amount of rain.

People were rescued from their roofs by helicopters and boats to escape… Audio

Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty says this morning's evacuation in the Te Awa Estate in Napier shows that the worst is still not over, despite Cyclone Gabrielle moving away from the… Audio

Helicopter pilots from the Defence Force, rescue services and private operators plucked between 300 and 400 people off roof tops across the Hawkes Bay yesterday as Cyclone Gabrielle caused rivers to… Audio

Hundreds of people have evacuated in Dargaville with the Awakino River bursting its banks.

Most are staying with family or friends, but 160 people from the small town slept in evacuation centres last… Audio

Limited power is back in parts of Gisborne after the Tairāwhiti region was cut off from the rest of the country by ex-tropical cyclone Gabrielle.

Communications with the region are still spotty, and… Audio

Hundreds of people there were forced to flee their homes when the Wairoa river burst its banks yesterday.

Power is now mostly back on but the eight-thousand residents have no phone service, only one… Audio

Residents in Napier's Te Awa Estate near Marine Parade are being told to evacuate immediately due to rising flood waters.

Civil Defence says this covers Kenny Drive north to Hurunui Drive. 

RNZ… Audio

Key roads across the North Island are badly damaged and isolating communities.

Bridges have been taken out by floods and roads have been severely damaged across the country - requiring a big clean up… Audio

Cyclone Gabrielle is expected to continue moving slowly away to the southeast of New Zealand.

Severe weather is easing in the top half of the North Island, but heavy rain is expected in central New… Audio

"The most significant weather event this century."

That's the way Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has described the impact of ex-tropical cyclone Gabrielle.

Communication and physical access to many… Audio

To Coromandel now where large parts of the Peninsula remain cut off and without power due to cyclone Gabrielle. A huge slip during last month's floods meant State Highway 25A between Kopu and Tairua… Audio

Dargaville and Whangarei were the Northland towns worst affected by ex-tropical cyclone Gabrielle. Evacuations and road closures continued yesterday as the storm's tentacles moved away from the… Audio