Tai Rāwhiti remains under a state of emergency tonight as heavy rain lashes the East Coast yet again, with more on the way on Friday.
More than 130 people from the township of Te Karaka have left their homes as heavy rain caused flooding in the area.
The region is under the highest weather alert level after a state of emergency was declared at 4.45pm.
Significant amounts of heavy rain are expected to fall over the the next three days, on top of what has already come down.
Multiple roads are closed in the region, including State Highway 2 from Napier to Wairoa and Matawai to Ormond, and State Highway 5 from Taupō to Eskadale.
MetService said that orange warnings, meaning possible flooding and slips, are in force for Coromandel and Bay of Plenty overnight to tomorrow afternoon.
The warnings extend to southern Marlborough until mid-afternoon Saturday, and Hawke's Bay, Taihape and Manawatu until Sunday.
More than 150 customers in the Tai Rāwhiti district are without power as of this evening, although so far few homes have been reported flooded.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence said the Education Ministry is not closing schools, but individual schools may decide not to open.
Catch up with our live blog of events from throughout the evening:
