Flooding signs were out to warn drivers in Tai Rāwhiti. Authorities are telling people to stay out of flood water where possible and to watch out for landslides. Photo: RNZ/ Kate Green
Parts of Tai Rāwhiti region have had significant flooding, with warnings the saturated land could be vulnerable to landslides.
MetService had put the region under a severe weather warning, expected to last until noon on Sunday.
About 300 homes were without power in Tai Rāwhiti on Saturday, with damaged roads, slips and floods preventing repair crews from getting to some areas.
By Saturday afternoon there were 48 evacuees in Tai Rāwhiti welfare centres, though more had self-evacuated to stay with families and friends. A council team was helping those in need of assistance.
Residents west of Gisborne city at Bushy Knoll were cut off after a local bridge was damaged by flooding, and also had no electricity.
Another 30 to 40mm of rain is forecast for Gisborne from Tolaga Bay north until 6am on Sunday.
MetService said while the amount would not normally be significant on its own, there was a high risk of slips, falling trees and dropouts due to the repeated drenchings in the region.
The Tasman Ranges also remains under an orange heavy rain warning until 1am Sunday.
However, MetService has lifted warnings for other parts of the motu.
On Saturday evening, heavy rain watches for the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Marlborough were lifted.
In Tai Rāwhiti, Emergency Management had reports of toilets backing up and gully traps overflowing.
Group Controller Ben Green said children and pets should stay out of floodwaters as they could be contaminated.
Supermarkets were busy and people should just to buy what they need.
Land movement triggered by the heavy rains was now the biggest concern, Green said.
Even though the rain had not been as intense as forecasts said it could have become, a lot had fallen and it had been consistent, filling up waterways and overwhelming wastewater pipes.
Saturated ground was vulnerable to slips, Green said.
People on hilly sections should check their land, and call the council if they notice cracks, creaking noises, doors sticking or retaining walls leaning.
In the past week, 546mm of rain had been recorded inland from Ruatoria, and about 240mm in the city.
Subsidence on State Highway 35 had been temporarily repaired by Saturday afternoon. Photo: Supplied/ Dion Milner
Te Karaka cut off to the north
The town of Te Karaka was cut off to the north due to damage on State Highway 2, but a local firefighter was hopeful the worst of the rain had peaked by Saturday afternoon.
About 130 people self-evacuated Te Karaka township on Thursday, most to stay with friends and family.
The road north had closed due to slips and subsidence.
Volunteer fire chief Jamie Simpson said at his place, about 35mm of rain fell overnight, which was less than what had been forecast.
He had been worried about the height of the river near his house, but was happy it had not become as bad as it could have.
"It's about 7 metres. It went down to about 5.5, and now it's back to 7 so it is slowly rising, but I think we've dodged a bullet."
However, Simpson said there was still a lot of surface water around and the ground was saturated.
Gisborne mayor urges caution
Gisborne's mayor Rehette Stoltz said there was still reason to be cautious and she urged residents not to take unnecessary risks.
The ground had now been saturated for months, with the wet from Cyclone Gabrielle still affecting the area, and this latest downpour had caused large cracks and drop outs on the roads, and landslides.
Stoltz said it added up to another difficult time for residents.
"Some people are cut off at this stage and we do have families that have evacuated to marae or to our evacuation centres.
"It is tough out there, but as always we are asking people - if they don't feel safe it's just so much better to evacuate and come to a safe space or to go to whānau and friends."