Weather
A fine day after forecast chaos
A change in track minimized the impact of Cyclone Cook, and for most areas of the country it has not been as damaging as originally forecast.
Wild weather and the elephant in the room
Cartoon - Toby Morris asks whether New Zealand's run of abominable weather recently might have a common cause.
'We're happy, even if there was a lot of snoring'
Hundreds of people who sought refuge at a Whakatāne evacuation centre overnight are slowly returning home.
A lucky escape after Cyclone Cook whizzes by NZ
Richard Green, a Canterbury-based weather commentator, says has 'whizzed by quickly' and it has been "a lucky escape'. He says "these systems can change track in the last hour or so and this is what… Audio
AirBnB offers free accommodation for evacuees after storm
Air BnB is offering cyclone evacuees free stays with some of its hosts. Emma, put her 2 bedroom house in Pauanui on offer "If you can help you may as well get stuck in." Audio
Cyclone Cook briefly hangs around Coromandel Peninsula
Thames-Coromandel is one of those regions in clean-up mode. Sarah Robson in Whangamata says their are a few water logged properties but the damage hasn't been too bad and surfers and dog walkers are… Audio
Weakening cyclone reaches Christchurch but few callouts
Christchurch reporter Conan Young says it was a quiet night and there were only a few callouts. He says Avon River was very high - but it stayed within its banks. Audio
Kaikoura Mayor: "We seem to have dodged a bullet"
Kaikoura Mayor Winston Gray says the skies are clear. "We seem to have dodged a bullet." Audio
"You could just hear the cracking" - aftemath in Hawke's Bay
In Hawke's Bay Peter Fowler is without power. He says it's going to be a lovely day today but it was a different story last night. The winds were very severe and "you could just hear the cracking" in… Audio
Gnarly drive for hunters in Hawke's Bay after storm bashes area
Rhys Bloxham set out from Puketapu to go hunting in Havelock North he says there was "quite a bit of destruction" on the roads. Audio
Clean up is under way in Hastings
Hastings District Council Acting chief executive, Alison Banks, says crews have been out all night and will be out again today. She says trees have come down across roads and in private properties and… Audio
Local MP says cyclone weather spectacular but brief
East Coast MP Anne Tolley says it was quite spectacular, but over very quickly. She says things are not quite back to normal, but the attention can now swing back to the recovery in Edgecumbe. Audio
"It was all over bar the shouting by 830" - Gisborne reporter
Gisborne reporter Murray Robertson says it was amazing how quickly the storm came through "It was all over bar the shouting by 830 last night." He says a large part of a retaining wall has collapsed… Audio
In Gisborne, 'short and sharp' storm leave debris, power out
Gisborne District Council's Civil Defence and Emergency Manager, Louise Bennett says the storm was "short and sharp". She says river levels have peaked and are now dropping. Audio
NZTA says people should continue to be cautious on roads
The NZ Transport Agency Waikato/Bay of Plenty Highways Manager is Niclas Johansson is urging drivers to take care. He says it looks like a good day to travel but the network is under a lot of pressure… Audio
Newborns among people who sheltered with Red Cross
Katie Hogg a disaster volunteer from Red Cross says some newborns were among the 135 people who spent the night at the centre in Whakatane. She says "it was pretty busy." Audio
A busy night at the Whakatane Civil Defence centre
Our reporter Adriana Weber is at the Whakatane Civil Defence centre where 135 people spent the night. She says the sun has come out and spirits are pretty high this morning. Audio
Power out, trees down but no storm surges on Ohope coast
Sharon Brettkelly is just outside Opotiki and says there are downed trees all over the road between Whakatane to Ohope. She says people in Opotiki were leaving their homes in the early hours of the… Audio
Many roads closed in Bay of Plenty, Waikato
An update on the road closures around the country as Cyclone Cook reaches New Zealand Audio
Cyclone Cook triggers evacuations, cuts power to thousands
The storm struck Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay on Thursday, triggering evacuations and road closures and cutting power to thousands. Video
