Part of the highway round the East Coast is reopening for a few hours as many roads in Tairāwhiti remain impassable after two days of torrential rain.
Houses in low-lying areas on Waingake Road, near Manutuke, and around the Waipaoa River, to the west of Gisborne were asked to evacuate overnight as water levels rose.
State Highway 35 between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay, and Pōtaka and Ruatoria, has been reopened for six hours to 6pm to allow people to get home or travel for essential purposes.
Parts of Tairāwhiti received 450mm of rain in 48 hours, but it has stopped for now, allowing contractors to clear roads and debris jammed under bridges.
See how the day's events unfolded with RNZ's live blog:
