Max Towle

Our reporter Lauren Crimp speaks to Max Towle from the Civil Defence centre in Hastings. Audio

A small ray of sunshine - the forecast for the weekend and early next week is clear and sunny.

Metservice meteorologist Lewis Ferris put some of this week's dangerous weather into context with Max… Audio

The toll from Cyclone Gabrielle has risen to seven.

Many communities - some still isolated - are reeling after flash flooding ripped through their homes.

Dozens of volunteer surf lifesavers assisted… Audio

As the waters recede, and some connections are restored, we're learning more about how quickly floodwaters rose and hearing about the courage of those who went to help.

Max Towle heard from Army… Audio

Gisborne's water supply has failed.

A ban is now in force and residents are being told to stop using water immediately.

Tairāwhiti Emergency Management group controller Ben Green spoke to Max Towle.

There are miraculous tales of survival coming out of Turkey. 

One confused woman who survived under the rubble for about 230 hours asked her rescuers, "what day is it?"

But the world they are… Audio

When the floodwaters rose south of Napier in Waiohiki, the flow was so fast and deep it swept cars right through homes.

160 people gathered at the local marae where they were looked after, as waters… Audio

The massive operation to reach people continues.

Police are working through about 3000 reports of people who can't be contacted, but they stress some of those may be multiple reports about the same… Audio

In Tairāwhiti many roads are impassable - they've been washed away, or covered by slips, silt and water. 

Food supplies are limited and residents are asked to conserve water.

Māni Dunlop spoke to… Audio

Supplies are on the way to the isolated district of Wairoa, after fears that food and drinking water would run out.

But communications are mostly still down and people have been struggling to reach… Audio

More bad weather is bearing down on already devastated communities today, as rescues and evacuations continue.

MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for Wairarapa where many roads are impassable… Audio

The Government is providing an initial four million dollars in funding support for farmers and growers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

It would be used to help support rural communities in regions… Audio

A body has been found by searchers looking for a missing firefighter under a collapsed house in Muriwai.

It's been more than 24 hours since Dave van Zwananberg went missing beneath the wreckage.

A… Audio

Tairāwhiti's connections to the outside world are severed - power is patchy, a fibre optic cable is down - affecting Internet and phone services; while many roads and bridges are damaged and unusable.

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

The devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle is becoming clearer, but there are communities that are still isolated.

Two have died in Hawke's Bay, and Fire and Emergency has confirmed a body has been found… Audio

Te Pūrongo o te Poutūtanga, Midday Report, bids farewell to one of the all- time great songwriters - Burt Bacharach - who's died aged 94. Audio

Cyclone Gabrielle is heading our way and could make a miserable couple of weeks even worse, should it bring the intense rain and strong winds that are forecast.

It'll be a nervous wait for North… Audio

Six UN trucks carrying urgently needed aid have finally crossed the border from Turkey into Syria.

The combined toll from the massive earthquakes has topped 20,000 people and is still rising. 

The… Audio