Otorohanga severe weather damage on Sunday afternoon. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
A State of Emergency has been declared by Mayor Scott Gilmore for the whole Tararua District pre-emptive of the severe weather expected this evening and overnight.
Local states of emergency were also in place in the Waipā District and Ōtorohanga District.
Heavy rain and severe gales are forecast to batter the eastern and southern North Island, parts of Marlborough and North Canterbury, and the Chatham Islands.
MetService issued a red heavy rain warning in parts of Manawatu and Ruapehu districts, as well as multiple orange heavy rain and strong wind warnings on Sunday, warning of dangerous conditions from Sunday morning through to Monday evening.
Emergency Management in the Manawatū-Whanganui region warned there's likely to be flooding and landslides.
The council's spokesperson, Chay Hook, said people living in a warning area that regularly floods should be prepared to leave before waters rise.
He said they shouldn't wait for official evacuation orders.
Heavy rain warnings in place
A red heavy rain warning will be in place at Manawatu, Rangitikei and Ruapehu Districts north of Feilding and east of State Highway 1 from 6pm Sunday through till 2pm Monday.
The regions are expected to experience 140 to 180mm of rain with peak rates of 10 to 20 mm per hour on Sunday night and Monday morning.
An orange heavy rain warning is in force for Gisborne/Tai Rāwhiti south of Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay, about and east of Wairoa, from 2pm on Sunday until 5am on Monday, with 90 to 140mm forecast and peak intensities of 20 to 30mm an hour overnight.
There is a moderate chance of an upgrade to red.
Further south, Hawke's Bay south of Waipukurau, including the Ruahine Range and eastern hills from Cape Kidnappers southwards, is under an orange warning from 2pm on Sunday until 9am on Monday, with 120 to 160mm expected.
Inland Whanganui and Manawatū north of Marton, including Taihape, face 120 to 170mm from 6pm Sunday until 2pm Monday.
A prolonged warning is also in place for eastern hills of Wellington, Wairarapa, the Tararua District and the Tararua Range from 3pm Sunday until 7pm Monday.
MetService said 140 to 180mm of rain is expected, especially in eastern Wairarapa and the Tararua Range.
Intensities of 20 to 25mm per hour are possible in elevated areas, particularly overnight Sunday to Monday.
Further south, an orange warning is in place for Kaikoura District and Canterbury north of Amberley from 8pm Sunday until 9pm Monday with 110 to 150mm of rain expected. Peak rates of 10 to 20mm per hour are possible in elevated areas.
MetService warns streams and rivers may rise rapidly, with surface flooding, slips and hazardous driving conditions likely.
A heavy rain watch is also in place in Hawke's Bay from 5pm Sunday till 5am Monday.
A watch will also be active in Wellington away from the eastern hills from 7pm Sunday till 5pm Monday, and in the Banks Peninsula from midnight Sunday until 6pm Tuesday.
East Coast bracing
Gisborne's Mayor is urging people to stay away from beaches as heavy rain, strong winds and large waves hit the region.
Rehette Stoltz said gales could gust up to 130km/h, waves may reach six metres, and dangerous seas pose a serious risk. Many roads are cut off, including SH35 and SH2, and some Hicks Bay residents are self-evacuating.
In Wairoa, flood barriers are being deployed as rivers rise ahead of the heaviest rain.
Councils along the East Coast from Gisborne to Amberley are preparing for further heavy rain and gale-force winds.
Damaging winds forecast
Severe gales are forecast across much of the lower North Island.
Wairarapa and the Tararua District are under a strong wind warning from 6pm Sunday until 6am Monday, with gusts reaching 130km/h.
In Wellington and eastern Marlborough, north of Clarence, south to southwesterlies of up to 130km/h are expected from 6pm Sunday until 3pm Monday, possibly lingering into the evening.
Air New Zealand is warning of possible flight disruptions. Chief operating officer Alex Marren said winds above 50 knots, low visibility and ongoing airport upgrades in Wellington could lead to delays and cancellations.
Officials are monitoring the coastline amid concerns strong swells could push wastewater from the damaged Moa Point plant towards beaches.
Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Taihape face west to southwesterlies of up to 130km/h from 5pm Sunday until 7am Monday. North of Poverty Bay is also under a warning from midnight.
Strong wind watches are in place for Taupō, Manawatū, Whanganui, Horowhenua, Kāpiti Coast, Marlborough, away from the east coast and the Chatham Islands.
MetService said winds could bring down trees and powerlines and make travel hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
Flooding at Ōtorohanga Primary School. Photo: Ōtorohanga Primary School principal Catriona Chrystall
Emergency relief fund activated
Ōtorohanga District Council has activated an emergency relief fund for people affected by Friday's storm.
Mayor Rodney Dow said the Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund would help families, small businesses, community groups and marae facing hardship.
He said the focus was on helping people immediately, while other government and insurance support options were explored.
Dow said many evacuated residents had returned home, but some remained displaced.
"I'm just really feeling for the people - we've got one of the primary schools that was flooded.
"It was only a couple of weeks ago I went down because they'd cleaned up their swimming pool so they could do swimming lessons, and it was really happy kids going back to school, going to a great year ahead, and now that's all just going to be paused for a bit."
Dow planned to meet with Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell and other government representatives Sunday morning to discuss next steps in the recovery.
Emergencies ongoing
The latest warnings come as parts of the country remain in recovery mode from recent storms.
Local states of emergency are in place in the Waipā District and Ōtorohanga District after widespread flooding in Waikato, where a man died in floodwaters near SH39 on Friday.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the country is in a "perpetual cycle of response and recovery", with 25 local states of emergency declared in the past two years.
In Waipā, the district council said its Te Tahi Water Treatment Plant has been significantly damaged. Water has been redirected to Pirongia at reduced flow, and residents are being asked to conserve water for drinking and hygiene only, and to flush toilets sparingly.
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