Heavy rain has been hammering the Tai Rāwhiti - Gisborne region this week, with officials placing a state of emergency until Sunday.

Tai Rāwhiti Civil Defence says more than 40 roads are closed, and 35 families were sheltering in evacuation centres as of Friday night.

A slip has taken out a chunk of Tai Rāwhiti's State Highway 35 north of Tolaga Bay, exposing underground wiring.

More than 150 people had evacuated their homes, and about 14 families were cut off by floodwaters in the Tolaga Bay region.

Heavy rain has caused a slip on State Highway 35 north of Tologa Bay. Photo: Supplied / Dion Milner.

Gisborne residents are being asked not to flush toilets or do washing, as the city's wastewater system reaches capacity.

Tai Rāwhiti Civil Defence controller David Wilson says the pipes were overwhelmed by heavy rain coinciding with high tide.

MetService had forecast some easing in heavy rain sweeping Tai Rāwhiti, but a red rain warning is still in place.

Contractors are at work on the SH35 slip, caused by heavy rain overnight, about 1km past the Waiau Road turn-off.

The highway remains closed between Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay.

Earlier, Civil Defence spokesperson Greg Shelton says roading crews were heading to the area to investigate reports the road had been affected by floods.

"North of Tologa Bay at the moment there is surface flooding and although it might not have been officially closed, I have heard back from contractors that today we have got issues," says Greg.

State Highway 2 north of Gisborne remains closed with Waka Kotahi reporting convoys would operate on Saturday afternoon along the route.

Flooding on State Highway 2 in Otoko in Tairāwhiti District. Photo: NZ Police

State Highway 50 between Ongaonga and Tikokino in Central Hawke's Bay is also closed due to flooding.

Orange heavy rain warnings are also in place for Hawke's Bay, Taihape and Manawatū, as well as in the Nelson and Marlborough regions.

Updated Heavy Rain Warnings - Sat 24th 9am

Red warning continues for Tairāwhiti/Gisborne

Orange warning for Hawkes Bay and Tasman

Yellow watches for Coromandel, western Bay of Plenty, northern Hawkes Bay, Kaikoura District, and Westlandhttps://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/tAS3sfJvNL

— MetService (@MetService) June 23, 2023

MetService predicted a drop in rainfall, and intensity in Tai Rāwhiti - but Civil Defence say these remain significant amounts, and people should not become complacent.

Seventy to 100mm was expected to fall south of Tolaga Bay, and 150mm to 200mm north of Tolaga Bay.

Coastal and low lying areas could now expect 40mm to 80mm.

Peak rain intensities had also dropped to 15mm to 20mm per hour, down from 20-25mm.

Emergency management was keeping a close watch on the region's Hikuwai River.

Greg says he is comfortable with the 9.1m height level recorded at the river monitoring station at Willowflat on Saturday morning.

"With more rain that could get up to 10, that's still within our comfort zone, Gabrielle was 14.6, around about 10-and-a-half we're getting concerned, so we've got a bit of leeway there yet."

Civil Defence said rain was falling steadily in and around Tolaga Bay with some flooding.

Tai Rāwhiti Civil Defence says11 evacuation centres are open, while another five are on standby.

Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz urges residents to get in contact if they need help.

"Our region is already so saturated, so we are expecting more landslides, we have a lot of surface flooding already on our roading network," says Stolz.

"We are asking our community to be our ears and eyes on the ground to let us know if there is any place that they need assistance and we will come and help them."

She says the area is prepared to weather the storm and some communities had pre-emptively evacuated ahead of this weekend.
Surface flooding on Poverty Bay Flats. Photo: Gisborne District Council.

Fire and Emergency crews head to Tai Rāwhiti

Fire and Emergency sent two crews in late on Friday to help with flooding in Tai Rāwhiti.

It says one crew left from Hawke's Bay at 5pm and another landed from Auckland at Gisborne at 8.30pm.

They could help in multiple ways, Assistant National Commander Steve Turek said in a statement on Friday night.

A separate flood rescue crew in Auckland had not been sent.

Any water rescue, if required, is being carried out by Surf Life Saving crews, says Steve.

This is standard practice in Tai Rāwhiti and FENZ had "the utmost confidence in the arrangement" to meet local needs.

"We are working within a declared state of emergency and therefore under the control of Tai Rāwhiti Civil Defence.

"The flooding currently being experienced, while significant, is not beyond the capability of local multi-agency resources."

FENZ began training six flood rescue teams after Cyclone Gabrielle but most of them are not fully equipped yet or operational until mid-July.

However, the Auckland team has been stood up for longer, since shortly after the January Auckland Anniversary Day floods.

Mood gloomy in rural community as cyclone clean-up already delayed

A tractor towing a vehicle through a flooded field near the township of Te Karaka. Photo: Supplied / Matawhero Lloyd.

A Tai Rāwhiti farmer says the mood is gloomy in the rural community.

Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams says farms are already fragile so any rain would have a big impact.

He says many farmers gave up on cyclone clean-up work a few weeks ago because it was too wet and dangerous.

"Things aren't great if we're honest, it's very wet."

Toby says weather events this year and over the last two years had taken a toll on farmers and others in rural communities.

"Morale started to really wane in farmers and with our rural residents and town residents, it's just really tough to be constantly dealing with weather warnings."

Toby says with another week of wet weather ahead, people should get off the farm for a break if they could, and talk to someone if they are feeling anxious about the weather.

Where to get help:

• Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz
• What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.
• Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
• Healthline: 0800 611 116
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

RNZ