A damaged house in Wairoa Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Towns and cities remain cut off by road, with no power or phone connection and dwindling water supplies.
- With communities in cut-off regions having limited reception, here's RNZ's text-only updates on what those in Tairāwhiti, Coromandel and Hawke's Bay need to know.
- And here are a few tips for people in affected areas on getting around network connection problems.
- Follow the latest with RNZ's live updates.
A picture emerged on Thursday of roads, power lines, and telecommunication that may take weeks to reconnect.
State Highway 2 between Napier and Hastings Photo: Waka Kotahi
Fire trucks, council, police and electricity crews restore infrastructure in Muriwai which has been cut off Photo: Rayssa Almeida
Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Getting fuel to cyclone-hit regions is urgent (A handwritten sign reads NO FUEL, Emergency Services Only) Photo: Sally Murphy
Local residents in Raukawa clear a large tree branch that blocked a road towards Maraekakaho. Photo: Tess Brunton
The Prime Minister spoke to media in Gisborne. He promised to put more urgency behind improving the resilence of the country's infrastructure. But he told reporters the task ahead would be enormous and expensive. Photo: RNZ/ Nate McKinnon
Residents in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa may have to wait days before supply is reconnected. Power has been restored to Gisborne City and parts of Wairoa while Ruatorea, Te Araroa, Tokomaru Bay and Tolaga Bay townships, and Mahia, are running on generators.
Wairoa on Thursday from the air Photo: Nathan McKinnon
A flood-damaged house in Wairoa Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Photo: Nathan McKinnon
(L-R) Lowen vercoe, Toru noanoa, Horowai Cameron, Jasmine Phillips at a house in Te Karaka in Tairāwhiti Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence controller Ian Macdonald. Hawke's Bay Civil Defence said this morning its priority was establishing contact with communities that have been isolated since Cyclone Gabrielle hit the region. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
A flooded Hawke's Bay orchard after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Supplied / Catherine Wedd
Photo: Supplied / Catherine Wedd
Flooding at Dartmoor, north-east of Napier after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Supplied / Sarah Grant
A damaged road in Dartmoor, north-west of Napier after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Supplied / Sarah Grant
Flood damage at Omaranui Road in Hawke's Bay Photo: Jonathan Bixley
Flood debris at Fernhill bridge and Ngaruroro Road in Hawke's Bay Photo: Jonathan Bixley
Locals and contractors have been busy restoring access to Maraekakaho after the lead up to the bridge was eroded by floodwaters. Photo: Tess Brunton
Damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in Taradale, Napier Photo: Sally Murphy
Damage in Muriwai Photo: Rayssa Almeida
Damage near Muriwai Photo: Rayssa Almeida
National Emergency Management Agency advice:
- Put safety first. Don't take any chances. Act quickly if you see rising water. Floods and flash floods can happen quickly. If you see rising water do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
- Do not try to walk, play, swim, or drive in floodwater: even water just 15 centimetres deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles.
- If you have evacuated, please stay where you are until you are given the all-clear to go home.
- If you don't need to evacuate, support those who do by staying home, staying off roads and staying safe.
- If you are not able to contact your whānau in the heavily affected areas go to Police 105 website and complete the inquiry form or phone 105 and remember to update if you reconnect through other means.
- Throw away food and drinking water that has come into contact with floodwater as it is often contaminated and can make you sick.
- If you are without power eat the food from your fridge first, then your freezer. Then eat the food in the cupboard or your emergency kit.
- People should stay up to date with the forecasts from MetService and continue to follow the advice of civil defence and emergency services.
- A National State of Emergency is in place for an initial period of seven days and applies to regions that have declared a local State of Emergency.