As it happened: Cyclone Gabrielle live updates - Tuesday, February 14

Cyclone Gabrielle is pummelling the upper North Island with gale-force winds and heavy rain leaving thousands without power, major flooding and slips. 

Emergency services have seen a rise in callouts overnight and have reported they've lost radio and cellular contact with their people on the ground in Tairawhiti.

Official Government advice:

• Severe impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle are now being seen across the upper North Island. 

• Red Weather warnings are in place for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne and Taranaki, with ORANGE warnings for the rest of the North Island as well as the top of the South (Marlborough, Nelson and Buller).

• If it is safe to do so, stay at home. Avoid all non-essential travel.

• Have an evacuation plan in case your home becomes unsafe to stay in.

• If you have evacuated, please stay where you are until you are given the all-clear to go home.

• Stay away from floodwater and never drive through floodwaters. 

• Check in on neighbours and family members if it is safe to do so

• Please stay up to date with the forecasts from MetService and continue to follow the advice of civil defence and emergency services.Advice on how to get prepared, including in te reo Māori, is at getready.govt.nz

• Call 111 if you feel in any danger

• Stay safe. Don't take any chances.

What else you need to know:

• The Government has declared a National State of Emergency
• Tens of thousands of people across the Far North, Northland, and Auckland are without power

• All domestic and international flights to and from Auckland have been cancelled until midnight

• Aucklanders are urged to avoid travel on Monday night and Tuesday

• Some Muriwai residents were evacuated due to "extreme slip risks" as two houses in one street collapse

• Some communities on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula are cut off

• The Auckland Harbour Bridge is open but authorities say it could close at any time.

Useful websites: 

• Civil Defence centres and shelters are open in Auckland. A list of where they are is here.
• If you need help and support during the emergency, visit the Auckland Emergency Management website.
• For a list of disruptions to services and facilities, visit the Interruptions to Service and Facilities page on the Auckland Council website.
• For the latest on MetService's weather warnings, click here
• For more information on power outages in Auckland check here: Vector - https://help.vector.co.nz/map, Counties Energy - http://app.countiespower.com
• For power in Northland click here or the Far North click here
• For public transport information visit Auckland Transport here
• For nationwide road and travel updates visit here

These live updates have finished.

11:55pm - Hawke's Bay Civil Defence says a woman in Putorino has died after a bank collapsed onto her home.

Police visited the property following a missing person's report and undertook rescue efforts but were unsuccessful, they said.

Additionally, Hawke's Bay Civil Defence said Wairoa is completely isolated following the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle overnight, with a loss of lifelines to Napier and Gisborne, including power, phones, internet and roads. A NEMA rep is on route to Wairoa via helicopter from Napier to support the team and the response effort.

Evacuations have taken place in Ruataniwha, Waihirere and Ormond Rd earlier in the day. Those areas are now accessible but are covered in silt. Takiwa is isolated by water.

Evacuation Centres were activated at Taihoa Marae, War Memorial Hall and Presbyterian Hall.  An Evacuation Centre in Nuhaka has been established at the Mormon Church. 

With power back on to most of Wairoa by 5pm, with the exception of Mahia/Tuai, the key concern for the welfare of the community will be dwindling food and water supplies, Civil Defence said.

Hawke's Bay Civil Defence controller Liz Lambert said that with the loss of roads, they would be relying on supplies coming in by air.

"Wairoa only has one day's worth of food, and enough drinking water for two days. We have made a request to NEMA for enough food and water to supply the district for seven days," she said.

The district had been inundated and although levels are receding there is a lot of silt and forestry slash, which will leave the community with a "lengthy" clean up.

In Hastings and Napier, the cause of power outages has been linked to the flooding of the Redclyffe substation causing the Transpower network to go down. Unison reported outages for 60,000 customers across Hastings, Havelock North, Napier, north along east coast to Tūtira and south to Waimārama. It is expected to take some time before power is fully restored across the region, Civil Defence said.

A number of the region's cell towers are being operated on battery supply allowing some network coverage although this is still intermittent. Mobile communications are still out in Wairoa with response teams relying on radio and FENZ communicating via satellite phones.

A significant area of Haumoana was advised to evacuate out of precaution ahead of high tide during the evening, Civil Defence said. In Napier, residents of house numbers 210 - 274 Te Awa Avenue were requested to evacuate with residents in the adjacent Hunter Drive told to be on high alert and ready to evacuate if requested.

Police and FENZ have carried out numerous rescues and continue to respond to stranded residents. Evacuations occurred across Eskdale, Taradale (lifted at 4pm), Porangahau village, "high risk" areas of Waipawa township, Waipukura, Awatoto, Te Awa, Brookfields, Wairoa and Haumoana.

A number of bridges remain impassable and there is still no access between Hastings and Napier.

11:50pm - Auckland Airport is asking people who were booked to fly tonight to please remain at home or in your accommodation, rather than coming to the airport.

Ground handlers and airlines at Auckland Airport suspended operations at 7pm today due to high winds and for safety reasons.

This means no international or domestic flights will be taking place for the rest of the day/night, Auckland Airport said.  

11:35pm - Here's the forecast for Wednesday from WeatherWatch:

A southwesterly airflow lies over the country [on Wednesday], strong for some eastern coastal areas meanwhile ex tropical cyclone Gabrielle sits out to the east of the North Island.

Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay Of Plenty

A mix of sun and cloud, the odd shower for Northland and Auckland from midday, especially in the west. West to southwesterly winds, strong at first then easing.

Highs: 22C-26C

Western North Island (including Central North Island)

Mostly cloudy with showers, rain about the Central North Island down into Kapiti eases from afternoon. South to southwesterly winds, gusty at first then easing.

Highs: 16C-23C

Eastern North Island

Showers, rain about Wairarapa then starting to dry out from afternoon, some sun may break through before dusk. Gusty southwesterlies ease later in the day.

Highs: 19C-25C

Wellington

Heavy rain at first then easing to showers, perhaps drying up in the afternoon with some sun breaking through. Strong south to southwesterly winds ease later.

Highs: 18C-19C

Marlborough and Nelson

Mostly cloudy, the odd shower possible. Light southwesterlies. Afternoon north to northeast winds for Nelson.

Highs: 21C-24C

Canterbury

Rain or showers, rain may be heavy overnight about the coast / Banks Peninsula. Gusty southwesterlies, strong to gale about the coast.

Highs: 16C-19C

West Coast

Mostly sunny with some high cloud, a mix of sun and cloud for Buller. South to southeasterly winds.

Highs: 24C-25C

Southland and Otago

Partly cloudy for Southland and Central Otago. Coastal Otago is cloudier with a few light showers, more so Otago Peninsula northwards. South to southeasterly winds.

Highs: 18C-23C

11:20pm - Footage supplied to Newshub shows a group of orchard workers in Hawke's Bay being rescued from a rooftop amid severe flooding.

The men were successfully rescued via helicopter and taken to an evacuation centre in Hastings.

Watch the footage here.

11:10pm - Many roads across the North Island remain closed tonight, blocked by slips and downed trees. 

Mark Owen, Waka Kotahi national emergency response team spokesperson, gave an update to Newshub Late.

10:55pm - The Moutoa floodgates located between Foxton and Shannon in Manawatū-Whanganui are now open to relieve pressure on the bottom stem of the Manawatū River.

Horizons Regional Council regional group controller Ged Shirley said the floodgates divert water down a spillway that acts as a short cut to the sea.

"The bottom stem of the Manawatū River is windy and slows water down. As this happens the channel fills and risks significantly overtopping into adjacent properties," he said.

"Diverting flood flows down the spillway reduces that risk but this doesn't have any impact on water levels upstream. There's a common misconception that opening the gates acts like a plug, draining upstream and dropping levels in the likes of Palmerston North and the Tararua District.

"We also can't operate the gates until the river is within the operating range of 8.2 metres at Moutoa as there needs to be enough flow left to not deposit heaps of silt into the lower channel. So it's a bit of a balancing act but the gates were opened at 10.40pm which was a bit later than we initially predicted."

Shirley said river levels in the Rangitīkei, Ōroua and Tararua District are all starting to peak and recede.

"The Rangitīkei River is reaching its peak at Tangimoana now and the water level is below the top of the stopbanks. We have staff onsite monitoring the stopbanks on both sides of the river tonight so that if an overtopping occurs, we can inform Manawatū District Council as they would coordinate any necessary evacuations," he said.

"Overall the Rangitīkei River is remaining within its active flood channel, meaning there is some water in low-lying land adjacent to the river. This is the same alongside the Ōroua and Manawatū, and there is water in the Taonui Basin as the Kopane spillway is operating.

"There is still an orange rain warning in place for the Tararua District overnight and there may be some scattered showers in other parts of the region. While we don't expect this rainfall to cause rivers to rise significantly, we will have staff in the Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) and on the ground overnight monitoring the situation."

10:45pm - Slips have isolated the west Auckland beach villages of Piha and Karekare, with houses destroyed and flooding making evacuations near impossible.

More than 200mm of rain fell in 24 hours, collapsing a 100-metre stretch of a cliff at North Piha on Monday night.

Nearby Karekare was also hit hard with multiple slips, flooding and landslides. 

Read and watch the full story from Newshub's Amanda Gillies here.

10:35pm - Tens of thousands of people are without power tonight, with some being warned it could be weeks before it's restored.

Transpower CEO Alison Andrew told Newshub Late the latest details.

10:20pm - Here's an update from Colonel Mel Childs, the New Zealand Defence Force's task group commander, who spoke to Newshub Late about the rescue efforts in areas cut off by Cyclone Gabrielle.

10:15pm - The state of emergency has seen small communities all over the North Island pulling together, none more so than in the normally carefree holiday hotspot of Whangamatā.

Richard Abraham is battling cancer and was due back in hospital on Monday night.

Now he and his wife Nora are battling the wrath of Cyclone Gabrielle after their evacuation on Monday.

Read and watch the full story from Newshub's Karen Rutherford here.

10:05pm - Fire and Emergency crews continued their search at a landslide in Muriwai for the second missing firefighter.

Fire and Emergency chief executive Kerry Gregory said the crews have stood down operations for tonight as conditions are not safe for working while it's dark. They are focussed on preparing for the search to resume tomorrow morning.

"We are doing everything we can to get our missing firefighter, friend, colleague and loved one back in what is a very challenging operation," Gregory said.

"The focus now is on planning for work to restart tomorrow morning with a keen focus on safety given the current conditions at the Muriwai site.

"We are also ensuring we support the whanau of the affected firefighters and the other members of their brigade as the impact of this situation is still very raw."

9:55pm - A person has been found dead on the shore in Bay View, Napier.

Emergency services were notified at about 7:45pm, police said. 

It is unknown if this death is connected to flooding.

Formal identification is yet to take place and the Coroner has been notified.

9:40pm - MetService says although Cyclone Gabrielle is moving away from New Zealand and severe weather will ease in most places before sunrise on Wednesday, heavy rain will still batter central parts of the country until Thursday.

9:30pm - The Tongan RSE workers who were stranded on a rooftop, and later a hill, in Hawke's Bay are now "safe and well".

Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua, who is based in Auckland, has posted on social media, saying the workers were stranded on the roof from 9:30am to 3:30pm.

A video posted to social media shows the workers being rescued. A rescue worker is seen on the roof with the RSE workers as a helicopter hovers nearby.

Earlier, Lua said emergency services had taken them from the roof but they then were stranded on Fern Hill.

9:15pm - Here's the latest from Auckland Transport:

Auckland Transport is encouraging Aucklanders to consider whether travel is necessary, plan ahead, think about their safety and allow extra time for their journey.

AT's Executive General Manager of Safety, Stacey Van Der Putten says: "Aucklanders should be prepared for delays and disruption to travel tomorrow as flood damage, sea conditions, power outages and fallen trees continue to affect our roads and public transport network.

"Please check the latest travel information on the AT app or Journey Plan before you head off on your journey. The overall picture on public transport and road closures across the region is being updated regularly at at.govt.nz/weatherwatch

"Bus services will be operating but there may be delays and cancellations due to conditions on the roads. Slips are continuing to cause disruption to train services and conditions on the water are affecting ferries.

"We will prioritise school bus services tomorrow, however, ongoing road closures will affect some school bus routes.

"If you are walking, driving or cycling, please take note of the conditions and avoid flood waters, loose branches and debris."

Work to repair damaged roads

"Work is well underway to assess and repair damaged roads, with over 500 crew members working across Auckland. While dozens of roads have been reopened, there are currently more than 100 roads closed or partially closed.

"The picture on the ground is changing rapidly as our teams continue to address new damage to our roads and public transport network throughout the night.

"Some of the most significant damage to roads is in the Awhitu Peninsula, the Waitakere Ranges and West Auckland more broadly, with no road access currently to Piha, Muriwai and Karekare. Significant roads in central Auckland like Tāmaki Drive are also currently closed."

For information and updates please use the following:

• For updates on the overall transport network and travel advice visit the AT website at at.govt.nz/weatherwatch
• For detailed public transport travel information and journey planning - visit the AT Mobile app and Journey Planner

9pm - MetService has updated its severe weather warnings. Here they are in full:

Cyclone Gabrielle, now east of East Cape, is expected to continue moving slowly away to the southeast of New Zealand.

Although Cyclone Gabrielle is moving away from New Zealand and severe weather eases in most places before dawn on Wednesday, heavy rain continues to impact parts of central New Zealand through until Thursday. In addition, large waves, storm surges and coastal inundation are still affecting exposed coasts of the North Island.

It is important to keep up to date with MetService forecasts and follow the advice of local authorities.

Strong Wind Warning - Red

Impact: These winds are expected to produce widespread damage, especially to trees and powerlines and could lift roofs. Transport and power networks are likely to be significantly impacted, with road closures and power outages. Conditions will be hazardous for motorists and there is a danger to life from flying debris and falling trees or branches.

Auckland, including Great Barrier Island and other islands in the Hauraki Gulf

• Period: 4hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - midnight Tue, 14 Feb
• Forecast: Severe southwest gales gusting 120 km/h in exposed places.

Heavy Rain Warning - Orange

Impact: Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.

Gisborne

• Period: 4hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - midnight Tue, 14 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 10 to 30 mm of rain to accumulate, on top of what has already fallen. Peak rates of 5 to 10 mm/h.

Hawke's Bay

• Period: 6hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - 2am Wed, 15 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 10 to 35 mm, with the larger amounts more likely about the ranges and Wairoa District. This rainfall amount is on top of what has already fallen. Peak rates of 5 to 10 mm/h.

Wairarapa including the Tararua District, and the eastern hills of Wellington

• Period: 9hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - 5am Wed, 15 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 20 to 60 mm of rain to accumulate, with the larger amounts more likely about the ranges and eastern hills. This rainfall amount is on top of what has already fallen. Peak rates of 10 to 15 mm/h. Note, another period of rain is expected over southern Wairarapa from Wednesday evening.

Eastern Marlborough south of Seddon, including the Kaikoura Coast

• Period: 32hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - 4am Thu, 16 Feb
• Forecast: Expect 130 to 180 mm of rain to accumulate, mainly about the ranges. This rainfall amount is on top of what has already fallen. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h through until mid-morning Wednesday, then again from Wednesday evening.

Strong Wind Warning - Orange

Impact: Strong wind gusts could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures. Driving may be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.

Coromandel Peninsula

• Period: 7hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - 3am Wed, 15 Feb
• Forecast: Severe southwest gales gusting 120 km/h in exposed places.

Wellington

• Period: 4hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - midnight Tue, 14 Feb
• Forecast: Severe southerly gales gusting 120 km/h in exposed places.

Heavy Rain Watch

Canterbury Plains and foothills north of the Rakaia River

• Period: 29hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - 1am Thu, 16 Feb
• Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, especially about the foothills and Banks Peninsula.

Strong Wind Watch

Gisborne

• Period: 6hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - 2am Wed, 15 Feb
• Forecast: Southwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

Chatham Islands

• Period: 7hrs from 8pm Tue, 14 Feb - 3am Wed, 15 Feb
• Forecast: Easterly winds may approach severe gale.

Warnings no longer in force

Strong Wind Warning - Red lifted for: Northland: The warning is lifted, and southwesterly gales are forecast to continue to ease.

Strong Wind Warning - Red lifted for: Taranaki: The warning is lifted, and southerly gales are forecast to continue to ease.

Heavy Rain Warning - Orange lifted for: Mount Taranaki : Heavy rain has eased so the warning is lifted.

Strong Wind Warning - Orange lifted for: Wairarapa including the Tararua District, Horowhenua, and the Kapiti Coast: The warning is lifted, and south to southeast gales are forecast to continue to ease.

Strong Wind Warning - Orange lifted for: Marlborough and Nelson southeast of Mapua including Nelson Lakes: The warning is lifted, and southerly gales are forecast to continue to ease.

8:55pm - Hawke's Bay Civil Defence says it's aware a message issued through the Red Cross app incorrectly re-sent on Tuesday afternoon advising Taradale residents to evacuate.

"The evacuation order was lifted at 4pm this afternoon - there is no requirement to evacuate," they said.

"However, if at any point you feel unsafe you may choose to evacuate to friends or family or to your nearest Civil Defence Centre."

The advisory was likely sent due to network issues, they said.

8:50pm - Here are some photos from State Highway 35, just before Tolaga Bay.

8:40pm - Here's an update from Watercare on water issues in Muriwai, Helensville and Wellsford:

Helensville

We are experiencing challenging conditions at our Helensville Water Treatment Plant and are relying on tankering water to maintain reservoir levels. Therefore, we are still encouraging residents to reduce their water use.

Muriwai

Our Muriwai Water Treatment Plant has been damaged by landslides. The plant and associated infrastructure are within the evacuated zone, making access extremely difficult

At this stage, we don't know when it will be safe to assess the damage or how long it might be out of service for.

We have contacted customers to advise them to prepare for water outages this evening and tomorrow morning.

We are working closely with Civil Defence and hope to have a tanker in the area where people can collect water from tomorrow. People will need to bring containers to fill up with water. The tanker location will be published on our website and shared on social media.

Wellsford

Our Wellsford Water Treatment Plant has been flooded, and our operators have not yet been able to access the site.

We have contacted customers to advise them to prepare for water outages this evening and tomorrow morning.

We hope to have several water tankers in Wellsford tomorrow morning, if the roads are open and safe. People will need to bring containers to fill up with water. The locations of these tankers will be published on our website and shared on social media.

8pm - Hawke's Bay Civil Defence is advising a precautionary evacuation of Haumoana and a street in Napier due to high tides and swells.

The evacuation is for the following areas:

• From the intersection of Shrimpton Rd and Beach Rd to the river and Haumoana Rd back to the Park Hill intersection. Refer image
• 210 to 274 Te Awa Ave, Napier.

7:55pm - Here are photos from Waiohiki, Napier, showing the extent of flooding in the area.

7:50pm - Here's the latest from Waka Kotahi on Northland roads:

Northland remains largely isolated this evening due to multiple slips on SH1 and flooding on SH16 (in particular the lower part of Kaukapakapa, Helensville & West Coast Road) and SH14.

Flooding has also caused SH15 at Maungatapere, and SH12 at Taheke to close.

Crews have worked tirelessly to remove an overslip at SH12 Tokatoka today, which was a priority focus due to it being a critical corridor from Dargaville to the Brynderwyns.

There are a number of slips in the Dome Valley and the team are currently working to remove an overslip safely. Emergency vehicles are being escorted through as needed.

SH1 Brynderwyn to Waipu remains closed with a local detour in place for light vehicles. Tonight there is no detour in place for heavy vehicles however the priority remains to clear these roads so these detour routes can re-open as soon as possible.

Our teams will be removed from these sites overnight due to safety reasons, ready to respond to emergency situations if necessary.

The situation can change rapidly – ensure you check the latest weather conditions with MetService, and consult the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner for the most up to date information on road closures.

Journey Planner is updated 24/7 by Waka Kotahi traffic operations centres and is the best source of the most recent and reliable information available on state highway closures and disruptions. Remember to refresh the page when checking the status of highways to ensure that the latest updates are displayed.

7:45pm - WeatherWatch says rain clouds are breaking up significantly across the North Island tonight.

There are still some heavy areas of rain or showers, the forecaster added. The wettest weather is mostly in the lower half of the North Island and the northeastern corner of the South Island.

7:25pm - MetService says the weather will improve in Napier on Wednesday.

There'll be early rain, then it'll become partly cloudy with the chance of a further shower. Additionally, there'll be gusty southwesterlies that gradually ease.

7:20pm - Here's the latest weather forecast from Newshub's Heather Keats on where Cyclone Gabrielle will hit next.

7:15pm - NIWA says the long-range forecast is getting brighter.

"Higher than normal pressure is expected to reduce rainfall chances in the North Island starting on Friday and it could stick around for a week or two," they tweeted.

"This will be a welcomed chance for many regions to dry out."

7:05pm - The Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group says the Wairoa River has burst its banks, inundating 10-15 percent of the town.

"With no power or phones the only communication is via satellite phone. There is very limited supplies of food and water with no drinking water supply due to the flooding," the Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group said.

"The Mohaka Bridge on SH2 has been damaged, cutting off Wairoa from the south. With Tairawhiti – Gisborne heavily impacted by the cyclone the roads north are also impassable, isolating around 8000 residents."

In central Hawke's Bay, the Waipawa and Tukituki Rivers have topped their banks and there is a high probability of the stop bank failing with continued rainfall, they said.

The town water supply has failed due to flooding and the community are relying on their emergency supplies, they added.

In Hastings and Napier, around 16,000 people are without power, and, because there is a serious Transpower grid issue, the Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group said it could be days or weeks before power is returned to all customers. 

The Ngaruroro River overtopped its banks, resulting in the evacuation of Ōmahu. Earlier in the day Taradale and parts of Meeanee were evacuated given the level of the Tutaekuri River, however that alert was lifted at 4pm and residents were advised they could return home.

A number of bridges remain impassable, including Fernhill Bridge (Ōmahu), Vicarage Road (Puketapu), Waiohiki (Taradale) and Brookfields Bridge (Meeanee) and the Esk Bridge north of the SH2 intersection with SH5.

6:55pm - Auckland Emergency Management has received the latest power outage figures from Counties Energy.

In that area, as of 6pm, there are 2500 properties without power across the network. To date, 9800 properties have had power restored during the Cyclone Gabrielle storm response.

"The company has suspended work on the west coast of the region tonight due to high wind gusts which are unsafe for its crews to work in," Auckland Emergency Management said.

"Meanwhile, crews in other parts of the region will start to stand down for the night from 8pm due to deteriorating conditions. They will be stood down for safety until first light tomorrow, as a result of high winds, slips, flooding and falling trees.

"Weather conditions are set to improve in the region tomorrow and crews will be back on site to begin repairing severe damage to the network."

6:45pm - Here's the latest from Auckland Airport on cancelled flights: 

High winds have forced the suspension of ground handling operations at Auckland Airport from now until midnight, meaning no international or domestic passenger flights can depart or arrive until tomorrow.

“Safety comes first at Auckland Airport and given current high winds and the need to ensure the safety of everyone working in and around the airport apron areas, ground handling operators have decided to suspend operations for the rest of the night,” said Auckland Airport Chief Customer Officer Scott Tasker.

“These are the people who manage the baggage loading and unloading, airbridge connections, passenger embarking and disembarking, and aircraft refuelling and ground handling services – they need to be safe when they’re working on the airfield, and the airport system can’t operate without them.

“We apologise to travellers for the disruption, particularly those that have already experienced significant travel challenges over the past couple of weeks. The weather just hasn’t been on our side, but the safety of staff and passengers come first as we manage through the impacts of this severe weather event.”

Cargo flights, medical emergency flights and private charter flights can still arrive and depart.

Advice for travellers:

• The international terminal remains open
• All domestic and international flight operations are cancelled until tomorrow
• Passengers set to travel tonight are asked to not come to the airport. Those already in check-in are asked to return home or to their accommodation
• Due to the suspension of ground handling services, which includes baggage handling operations, some travellers arriving tonight will not be able to collect their checked bags as normal, because they cannot be returned to them safely Instead, travellers are asked to complete a form and report their missing bags in the baggage hall
• Travellers should check airline websites, travel apps or email for airline or travel agent updates before leaving for the airport, and monitor Auckland Airport social media channels for updates about airport operations

6:40pm - New footage has laid bare the extent of damage to homes in Muriwai after the area was battered by Cyclone Gabrielle. 

Muriwai was hit hard by the cyclone on Monday night with more than 200 people being evacuated and two firefighters being trapped in a collapsed house. 

"We heard this almighty - trees, branches, earth moving and the house had been flattened," resident Brendan Christensen told Newshub.

"It's horrendous. We've got some good friends who are [affected and] not doing well at all. Yep, it's heavy."

Watch the footage here.

6:35pm - WorkSafe has shared some safety tips for workers and businesses during the state of emergency sparked by Cyclone Gabrielle.

WorkSafe's advice:

Safety messages for workers

• Workers have a right to be kept safe and healthy during the current cyclone emergency. If you're doing a clean-up at work, or clocking on for a shift, keep safety top of mind.
• If you have concerns about the safety of your workplace, speak up if you feel able to do so. You can raise it with your employer, a health and safety representative, or similar if you don't have one.
• You have the right to not do unsafe work if you believe you or someone else is at risk of imminent harm. You should raise these concerns with your employer so they can fix them, but you don't have to do the unsafe work until it's safe.
• If you aren't doing some work because it's unsafe, you need to let your employer know as soon as possible. You don't have to restart the work until you reasonably believe that you are out of danger.
• If you've got a concern about unsafe work, you should let us know. We may take enforcement action if the risks are not appropriately managed.

Safety messages for businesses and organisations

• Businesses and organisations have the primary duty of care for health and safety, and need to manage the risks to workers to enable safe working conditions.
• This means it is the responsibility of businesses and organisations to make sure their workers, and people who interact with their workplace, are looked after.
• We expect to see businesses and organisations ensure a safe work environment for workers and volunteers in the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle, factoring in the circumstances and the specific risks present.
• It's a difficult time for many people and kōrero is important – workers should feel safe to raise concerns, and businesses and organisations should listen and do what they can to help, or explain what the plan is if it can't be fixed straight away.

6:30pm - WeatherWatch says the centre of Cyclone Gabrielle is starting to move slowly away from East Cape tonight.

They warn the severe weather hasn't finished yet, but the next 24 hours will see a gradual improvement for most.

6:18pm - In terms of schools, Hipkins says schools are still in the best position to decide whether to reopen. He encourages families to follow their school's advice.

The press conference has now finished.

6:12pm - Hipkins acknowledges there are some "pretty tired people", especially in Northland, who are dealing with this latest cyclone response.

Having been in Auckland, he said there are some people there who are committed to seeing this weather event through, and workers are "pulling out all the stops".

6:07pm - Hipkins says there are some areas that have power cuts, and it's possible some cellphone towers are running on batteries that will be getting very low in charge. 

He adds that in some areas, communications could get worse if power isn't restored soon.

6:04pm - McAnulty says he's seriously concerned for Wairoa because it is totally cut off and there are no communications.

He's hoping to get a NZDF flight over it to see what has happened.

6:02pm - On the RSE workers stuck in Hastings, McAnulty says some have been rescued and others need rescuing by helicopter.

The weather didn't allow the NH90, the NZDF's helicopter, to go up initially.

6pm - Hipkins says there are tens of thousands of people involved in the response, including volunteers.

Some of the areas affected are very difficult to access, he said, and the NZDF is on stand by and ready to assist when there is access.

Hipkins said it's hard to put a number on the cost of the emergency and the insurance sector will play a big role in meeting part of the cost.

5:58pm - Hipkins says people should still expect bad weather overnight, including on East Coast.

Even if rainfall eases off, rain can compound wet ground, he added. Calm weather is ahead, Hipkins said, and the country is still in for a bumpy road ahead.

5:57pm - McAnulty says about 2500 people are displaced, but this is only an estimate as some areas are out of contact.

5:56pm - Hipkins says there has been reassuring support from the Australian government. He said UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has offered UK's support and assistance.

Hipkins says if you are feeling unsafe, go to your Civil Defence website about centres. If you are re-locating, tell family and friends, and avoid non-essential travel.

If you have to travel, he urges people to drive to the conditions and watch for debris on the road.

He adds it's important to keep up to date with MetService and Civil Defence guidance, even more so if you're power is out.

5:54pm - Hipkins says there are a high number of roads affected by surface flooding and slips, and crews are working around the clock to help.

Waka Kotahi's online Journey Planner is being updated with road closures. Hipkins said this is the best source of information for anyone who needs to travel.

Hipkins acknowledged many communities have born brunt of this cyclone and the previous one. He said he understands loved ones are trying to get hold of those who are cut off.

5:51pm - Hipkins warns more customers could be affected, but crews are working hard to restore power.

They have done that in some parts of the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne. Power outages have also affected telecommunication networks, Hipkins added.

Elsewhere, Hipkins said Woolworths reports 11 stores are closed across North Island and Foodstuffs has 30 stores closed.

Hipkins said the key message is to please only buy what you need. There is enough stock in warehouses, he said, but getting it to stores is the main issue. 

5:48pm - Hipkins says overnight, in most areas, weather will ease.

In the last 24 hours, there have been 1842 Fire and Emergency incidents related to Cyclone Gabrielle. There have been 383 other incidents and 200 NZDF personnel have been deployed.

Twenty-two Army vehicles are on the ground assisting with evacuations in Northland, Waikato, Auckland, Hawke's Bay and the Bay of Plenty.

Hipkins said Transpower has issued a grid emergency due to Hawke's Bay's outages. There are 225,000 people without power across the North Island.

5:46pm - Hipkins and McAnulty have arrived. 

Hipkins says Cyclone Gabrielle is the most significant weather event New Zealand has seen this century and the damage experienced hasn't been felt in a generation.

The centre of the cyclone is just north of East Cape and moving southeast away from the country. Rain is still forecast for Tairawhiti and the surrounding regions,

5:40pm - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty will provide an update on Cyclone Gabrielle at 5:45pm.

We will stream this in the video player at the top of this page.

5:35pm - Photos are emerging showing the extent of the damage in Eskdale in Hastings.

The area experienced widespread flooding on Tuesday.

5:30pm - Here is an update from KiwiRail on rail closures and impacts on Interislander due to Cyclone Gabrielle:

Rail, from KiwiRail Chief Operations Officer Siva Sivapakkiam:

KiwiRail’s track inspection teams have been out inspecting much of the North Island Rail network today, and we are now able to reopen many freight and commuter lines.

The Auckland Metro Network will be fully reopened from 6pm this evening, as will the main freight route between Auckland and Palmerston North and from Hamilton to Tauranga. This allows Auckland Transport to resume Auckland commuter services, Te Huia to resume running tomorrow morning, and freight trains to begin running again from this evening.

Overall, the North Island rail network has held up well, given the significant rainfall in recent days. I would like to thank commuters and our freight customers for their patience. We will remain focussed on maintaining and raising the standard of our national railway so that it can continue to be resilient to the kinds of weather events we have been experiencing.   

Due to weather moving south, the line between Palmerston-North and Wellington will remain closed today, but inspection teams will be out assessing the line tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, the Capital Connection will be cancelled tomorrow. The Wellington Metro Network remains open.

However, there has been significant flooding south of Napier and we will not be able to inspect and understand damage to the rail line between Napier and Palmerston North until flood waters recede. We expect this line to remain closed for at least the rest of the week but it could be longer, depending on the damage.

In the South Island, the rail line between Picton and Christchurch was closed today as wind and rain moved into the area. We will be out inspecting this line tomorrow morning.

Interislander, from executive general manager Interislander Walter Rushbrook:

Unfortunately continuing bad weather in Cook Strait has led to further ferry cancellations. The first passenger sailing is now expected to be at 1pm Wednesday from Wellington.

Freight sailings may resume earlier.

The situation will be reviewed again tomorrow, and we will keep customers updated.

5:25pm - WeatherWatch has released a video showing where Cyclone Gabrielle is.

The video shows the cycle is swirling near Gisborne, which has been hit hard with flooding and strong winds on Tuesday.

5:20pm - Here's an update from Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, who is proposing an additional $20 million a year for storm response:

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has proposed an additional $20 million a year for storm response activities, focusing on improved prevention and mitigation measures, to increase Auckland's preparedness for severe weather events.

"The impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, on top of unprecedented rainfall and flooding in late-January, has strengthened my resolve to fix Auckland's infrastructure and stop wasteful spending," said Mayor Brown.

Tomorrow, the proposed storm response funding will be tabled by Auckland Council's Governing Body to vote on whether it should go to public consultation for the proposed Annual Budget 2023/24.

In recent weeks, thousands of Aucklanders have been significantly impacted by flooding, coastal inundation, landslips, high winds, and power outages.

"Having inspected stormwater drains myself, while visiting sites across Auckland with building inspectors, I fully support increased maintenance and will revisit the capital projects list to ensure that stormwater is a priority for the next financial year," said Mayor Brown.

In the mayoral proposal, adopted in December, there were technical changes to the way that Auckland Council budgets for reactive stormwater works, but no cuts to operational funding. In fact, increased operational funding for stormwater had already been proposed.

Over the next month, council staff will advise how the proposed storm response funding could best be allocated with the Governing Body to decide on the priorities.

Auckland Council is facing an estimated operating budget gap of $295 million for the 2023/24 financial year.

"Severe weather events have not made it any easier to bridge the budget gap of $295 million. In fact, it highlights the need to think very seriously about selling underperforming assets, so we can make investments that matter," said Mayor Brown.

Aucklanders will be consulted on significant reductions in council group spending to help balance the Annual Budget 2023/24, as well as other measures such as increasing general rates, the sale of shares in Auckland International Airport, and prudent use of debt to counter extraordinary economic conditions.

"It's too early to say what the full financial impacts of these severe weather events might be. In the meantime, we need to proceed with the annual budget timetable and go to public consultation on February 28 as planned," said Mayor Brown.

"In the long-term, we need to significantly increase our capital investment in stormwater to address years of under investment, which will be dealt with in the long-term plan."

5:10pm - Auckland Emergency Management says kerbside collections are expected to resume on their normal schedule tomorrow.

"If your collection was cancelled and you can't store your waste until your next collection, you can take this to one of the participating 15 facilities for free," they said.

"We are working our way through collections of previously reported flood-damaged materials. If you have materials damaged by the floods or Cyclone Gabrielle that require removal, please place these on the kerbside and call 0800 22 22 00.

"Report downed trees on public land via the council's online 'Report a problem' tool. If a tree has come down on your property, please contact an arborist. Smaller green waste can be taken to a transfer station for free. Please do not place on the kerbside.

"Please do not place any building or demolition waste on the kerbside. This needs to be removed by a contractor."

5:05pm - Powerco says it's made good progress reconnecting customers today, but access issues continue to prevent restoration efforts.

Customers not currently connected will unfortunately remain without power overnight, they said, and should prepare for this possibility.

As of 4:30pm there are 19,040 customers without power across Powerco's network, spread across the following regions:

• Coromandel – 7427 customers
• Taranaki – 3056 customers
• South Waikato – 3131 customers
• Bay of Plenty – 3495 customers
• Manawatū – 374 customers
• Wairarapa – 902 customers
• Whanganui – 456 customers.

Powerco head of network operations Caz Haydon said customers are being reconnected wherever crews are able to safely do so.

"Given that we had 47,000 customers without power at peak today, we've made some progress in reconnecting those impacted but unfortunately accessing fault sites continues to be our biggest challenge.

"Although we have every crew working to restore power, fallen trees, slips, flooding and road closures are preventing them from accessing fault sites – especially in the Coromandel. High winds have also made it unsafe for crews to scale ladders, and we've had to stand them down in these instances until the weather subsides."

In the Coromandel, Powerco said today it attempted to assess faults using a helicopter in Tairua, but this became too hazardous due to high winds. Haydon said as soon as they have the opportunity to get back into the air safely, they'll continue their assessment.

"With the storm moving away and conditions easing from Wednesday, we're optimistic we can make good progress in getting the power back on."

Unfortunately in the interim, Powerco expects many customers currently without power will remain disconnected overnight.

"Our crews will work into the evening as long as safely possible but eventually, we'll need to stand them down until morning, except for responding to emergencies such as downed power lines.

"We know it's tough for customers to be without power for so long, but we need to manage the safety and fatigue levels of our crews, who have been out in force since Sunday in challenging conditions.

"We cannot thank our customers enough for their understanding and ask those who are still impacted to be kind to our crews who are doing their best in difficult situations."

For information about power cuts, customers can visit Powerco's live outage map at www.powerco.co.nz/outages or contact their electricity retailer.

5pm - Multiple Tongan RSE workers who were trapped on rooves of houses in Hastings due to flooding are no longer up there.

Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua told Newshub the official representative from Tonga, Tevita Niu, contacted him to update that the workers were no longer on top of the houses they had been on since around 9am today.

Emergency services have taken them but they are stranded on Fern Hill, Lua said.

4:55pm - A number of roads are shut due to Cyclone Gabrielle's effects.

SH3 in Eltham, Taranaki, is closed between Conway Rd to Maata Rd due to fallen trees.

And SH56 between Tane Rd and Alve Rd is shut due to flooding of the Opiki River Bridge.

4:40pm - MetService says Cape Reinga has reported 30 consecutive hours of gale-force winds.

4:35pm - Police have set up a Major Operations Centre (MOC) at Police National Headquarters in response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

The MOC provides logistical, resource and communication support for all districts under emergency management.

An online form has been set up for people to register the names of family or friends uncontactable in storm-affected areas, police said.

"Cyclone Gabrielle has severely impacted electricity supply and communications in parts of the North Island, particularly Tairawhiti and Hawke's Bay," police said in a statement.

"During the first 72 hours of an emergency, all resources — including telecommunications — are stretched.

"Police urge people to try their usual methods of communication first, whether that's a phone number, email, social media or a pre-planned emergency meeting place.

"When all means of contact have been exhausted, anyone with genuine concerns for a person's safety is asked to provide as much information as possible via the 105 online form."

Police will use that information to make further enquiries, as and when they are able. Those with online access can let police know they're safe by submitting their details here.

"Police across the country, particularly in the North Island, continue to support emergency response groups and partner agencies," police said.

"Police are particularly focussed on Eastern District, where patchy communication has made the emergency response challenging.

"An additional 12 staff with Search and Rescue speciality skills have been deployed to the district and further support is under consideration."

Police are asking people to call 111 for emergencies. This means if you are in immediate danger or a life-threatening situation.

4:30pm - Here are the latest photos from Gisborne, showing the widespread impact flooding there is having.

4:25pm - Here's an update from Vector on power outages in Auckland:

As of 3:30pm, 42,000 Aucklanders were without power across the region.

We continue to see the same pattern we have been seeing since the cyclone began, whereby we are fixing faults, only for new outages to occur. We expect the number of people without power to continue to fluctuate for some time yet due to the ongoing weather and ground conditions.

For some areas, restoration times will take longer as our crews are not able to access damaged equipment due to blocked roads.

We know that other lines companies we are in touch with are experiencing similar conditions and challenges. Our thoughts are with everyone across the North Island who are without power, road access or communications.

Thank you Aucklanders for your continued patience. We know this is a deeply frustrating and upsetting time.

Please remember to stay well clear of fallen power lines or damaged electrical equipment, and to treat them as live at all times. ​If you or someone in your household is using medical equipment that relies on electricity, let your retailer know (for example; Mercury, Contact or Genesis) if you lose power. If there is an immediate health threat, please contact your health provider or call 111.​

To report an outage or check an address for an outage go to: Vector.co.nz/outages

4:20pm - MetService has released a new weather video showing satellite images from 9am today.

"This helps show how the winds move clockwise around Cyclone Gabrielle," MetService tweeted.

"You can also see how the whole system is slowly moving to the south and east."

4:15pm - Countdown is closing a number of its stores early today to keep its customres and team safe.

Countdown's managing director Spencer Sonn said all of their stores will reopen as normal tomorrow.

There are also a number of stores that have not been able to open yet today, and Sonn said they are working hard to reopen these as soon as they can.

Countdown stores already closed and closing early today:

Already closed: Countdown Whitianga, Countdown Carlyle, Countdown Napier, Countdown Hastings, Countdown Cambridge, Countdown Gisborne, Countdown Tikipunga, Countdown Spotswood.

7pm close: Countdown Paeroa, Countdown Te Aroha, Countdown Taupō, Countdown Taupō South.

8pm close: Countdown Dargaville, Countdown Kaikohe, Countdown Kerikeri, Countdown Regent, Countdown Waitangi, Countdown Paihia Central, Countdown Warkworth, Countdown Whangārei, Countdown Cable Car Lane, Countdown Crofton Downs, Countdown Johnsonville, Countdown Johnsonville Mall, Countdown Karori, Countdown Kilbirnie, Countdown Newtown, Countdown Tawa,  Countdown Bayfair, Countdown Bethlehem, Countdown Bureta Park, Countdown Fraser Cove, Countdown Greerton, Countdown Papamoa, Countdown Tauranga, Countdown Te Puke, Countdown Whakatane, Countdown Otorohanga, Countdown Bridge Street, Countdown Chartwell, Countdown Claudelands, Countdown Hamilton, Countdown Huntly, Countdown Rototuna, Countdown St James, Countdown Dinsdale, Countdown Nawton, Countdown Te Rapa, Countdown Tokoroa, Countdown Putaruru, Countdown Matamata, Countdown Morrinsville, Countdown Te Awamutu, Countdown Stratford, Countdown Hawera, Countdown Vogeltown, Countdown New Plymouth Central, Countdown The Valley, Countdown Victoria Ave, Countdown Wanganui, Countdown Central Mall, Countdown Fairy Springs, Countdown Rotorua, Countdown Broadway, Countdown Feilding, Countdown Kelvin Grove, Countdown Levin, Countdown Otaki, Countdown Palmerston North, Countdown Paraparaumu, Countdown Rangitikei St, Countdown Waikanae, Countdown Marton, Countdown Awapuni, Countdown Aotea, Countdown Lower Hutt, Countdown Maidstone, Countdown Masterton, Countdown Petone, Countdown Porirua, Countdown Queensgate, Countdown Upper Hutt, Countdown Wainuiomata, Countdown Katikati.

4:05pm - Waka Kotahi has released new photos showing the impact Cyclone Gabrielle has had across state highways.

"Conditions remain hazardous on many roads which remain open, and several state highways are closed as you can see—due to downed trees, slips, and flooding. Local roads are affected too," they said on Twitter.

"Stay home unless it's absolutely necessary to travel. If you have to travel, watch out for flooding, slips, rock and tree falls, and other hazards."

In the embedded tweet below, the first and second pictures are of State Highway 25 through Thames, the third of SH25 north of Tararu, and the fourth of SH2 in Matata in the Bay of Plenty.

4:03pm - Air New Zealand says all domestic flights in and out of Auckland have been cancelled for the rest of Tuesday.

This is expected to affect around 55 flights, they said.

Air New Zealand chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan said the strength and direction of winds at Auckland Airport are making it challenging to service aircraft, and it would be unsafe for our people to continue to operate in these conditions.

International flights are still operating at this stage. These are able to operate because the international terminal is more sheltered from winds, however, the airline said it will be monitoring wind gusts closely and will reassess if conditions change.

With forecast strong winds for the remainder of the day, customers are warned to expect ongoing disruption and delays.

Although Air New Zealand plans to resume scheduled services from tomorrow, there will be challenges.

"Today's disruptions mean tomorrow will begin without all aircraft and crew in the locations required. We can also expect ongoing weather challenges, so we're asking customers to please bear with us -our people are doing everything they can."

Customers are advised to change their flight or put it into credit via the Air New Zealand app.

4pm - Here are more photos from Muriwai, showing the devastation slips are having.

3:50pm - Auckland Airport says domestic and international flights are currently suspended, due to high winds.

"Ground handling operations (baggage loading/unloading) have needed to pause due to wind speed on the airfield, and the need to protect the safety of airport workers," the airport told Newshub.

"Our apologies to anyone who is experiencing delays. Please bear with us as we manage through the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle."

3:45pm - A new video posted to Twitter shows Brookfields Bridge in Hastings being washed away.

3:35pm - Here are photos from Muriwai, west Auckland, showing slips and debris on roads.

3:28pm - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is attempting to take a Defence Force flight back to Wellington.

He has been in Auckland the past few days.

3:25pm - The Whakatāne District Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will be stood down at 5pm today after forecasted heavy rainfall and severe winds were significantly less than predicted, the Whakatāne District Council says.

Mayor Dr Victor Luca says activating the EOC on Monday meant the Whakatāne District Council was able to collaborate with partner organisations to ensure plans were in place to maintain the safety of everyone in the District.

"We feel very grateful that the Whakatāne District has avoided significant damage as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle," he said.

"Our thoughts are with those around the country who continue to deal with the critical impact from this weather event."

A state of local emergency was declared at 3pm Monday, and an order to evacuate was issued to residents at West End and a section of Port Ōhope. The decision to evacuate early meant there were plenty of daylight hours available to get residents prepared to leave, and avoid any distress in the middle of the night, the Council said.

"The technical data we were receiving pointed to a significant storm surge effect and damaging high winds," Luca said.

"We'd much rather apologise for inconveniencing people than put them at risk because we failed to follow expert advice. You've only got to look at what's happened in areas surrounding ours to see the destruction we were lucky enough to dodge."

Whakatāne District Council says staff will continue to closely monitor weather conditions, including the status of roads and power outages throughout the District.

3:15pm - WeatherWatch says the centre of the storm is now approaching East Cape.

The windy back of the storm is crossing Auckland and lower Northland, they added, and rain is now moving down over the northeastern South Island.

3:00pm - A volunteer firefighter who was caught in a slip on Auckland's west coast on Monday has been named. 

Newshub understands Dave van Zwananberg is one of the firefighters who became trapped in a slip while investigating flooding at a house on Motutara Road in Muriwai. 

Van Zwananberg and another firefighter were in the house when a landslide occurred causing the house to collapse on Monday night. 

Read the full story here. 

2:50pm - Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is advising motorists to plan ahead for potential travel disruption and road closures in the Greater Wellington region as consistent rainfall and high winds are expected in the next 24 hours. 

Water levels at the SH53 Waihenga Bridge in the Wairarapa are expected to peak later this afternoon, and the bridge is likely to close.

Conditions may be hazardous on some highways and local roads in the region, with the possibility of trees and other debris down, surface flooding, continuing heavy rain and high winds making driving conditions potentially difficult.

Waka Kotahi is updating on-line Journey Planner with the latest available information, and this is still the best source of the most current information for anyone who does need to travel in the region.

Waka Kotahi is also urging anyone who does need to drive in areas affected by severe weather to adjust their driving to the conditions, which means slowing down, increasing following distances, switching headlights on and watching for flooding and other debris on the road.

2:45pm - Broadcaster Kate Hawkesby and former Auckland mayoral candidate Leo Molloy are under fire for their comments downplaying Cyclone Gabrielle.

Both posted comments on social media about Cyclone Gabrielle and you can read the full story here.

2:25pm - Stacey van der Putten from Auckland Transport is updating on the state of the roads. 

van der Putten says road maintenance crews are currently assessing damage and there are significant road closures across west and north Auckland. 

Road crews are struggling to even access some sites to carry out repairs and are working with NZDF and Police. She says across all of Auckland around 80 roads are fully or partially closed. 

Train services will resume today on the eastern, western and southern lines and bus services are running with cancellations and detours because of safety risks. School bus services are operating for the small number of schools which are open. 

Auckland Harbour Bridge is open but may close later today due to high winds. 

van der Putten says ferry services are very disrupted and there are limited services. She also warned there is lots of debris on the roads so people are urged to be careful if they do need to travel. 

2:20pm - Rachel Kelleher says there have been widespread power outages across Auckland and more more outages are expected later in the day as the wind picks up. Around 44,000 people are without power in Auckland.  

Vector says severe gales are making it hard to restore power to communities. Vector staff are fixing faults only for new ones to pop up so more outages are expected. Today one crew member had to abandon their car because of floodwaters. 

People in rural areas should prepare to be without power for several days. Vector said at this stage it is an estimate and some outages require multiple repairs and crews are working in tough conditions.

2:10pm - Fire and Emergency are now giving an update, saying 18,000 storm-related incidents were logged in the past 24 hours. 

FENZ said the priority is the most urgent, life-threatening ones.

They also updated on the missing rescue worker, saying crew responded to a routine flooding call in Muriwai and while doing so a landslide occurred and two were trapped. 

One was rescued early this morning and is in hospital, the second has not yet been found.

NZDF's Mel Childs says they have staff responding across the country with others on stand by if needed. 

NZDF are helping to evacuate people from the Esk Valley where people are trapped.

2:05pm - AEM deputy controller Rachel Kelleher says Cyclone Gabrielle's impacts are still  being felt. She says the state of national emergency will help first responders. 

 Kelleher says Muriwai is still cordoned off and people are asked to stay away from the area. 

She says many other areas have aslo suffered. 

Deputy mayor says Desley Simpson says her heart goes out to residents in the hard hit West Auckland areas. She thanked emergency and civil defence staff for their work. 

Simpson says Aotea Great Barrier was hit very hard but the community has shown "tremendous resilience" and the clean up will be significant. 

She also sent her thoughts to other areas that have been hit hard. "We will get through this together," she said.

2:00pm - Auckland Emergency Management is holding its daily 2pm press conference. You can watch the livestream below.

1:50pm - Auckland Airport says flights have resumed but delays and disruptions are likely.

Read Auckland Airport's full statement below:

Flights are flowing again at Auckland Airport today but with widespread travel disruption caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, travellers are advised to expect a bumpy restart.

By breakfast today international flights were running again, with domestic services underway at noon, said Scott Tasker, Auckland Airport's Chief Customer Officer.

"We're expecting it to be busy across both terminals as airlines work to get people who have had their travel plans disrupted over the past few days back flying. To help clear the travel backlog faster, some airlines are opting to add extra flights or to operate with bigger aircraft," said Mr Tasker.

"Our teams are all working really hard to get people where they need to be after the storm disruptions, but at times there may be delays and queuing, particularly if high winds make it unsafe for airline ground handling staff to load and unload baggage from the aircraft.

This may impact arriving international flights and we ask travellers to please bear with us as we work with airlines and border agencies to keep things flowing."

Around 104 international flights and 96 domestic flights were set to arrive and depart today, but airlines and their pilots always make the final decision about whether to fly based on the expected weather conditions and operational requirements.

Terminal operations, including retail, dining, car parking and transport, are all up and running as normal.

"It's still possible that over the coming days there may be some short-notice flight delays or cancellations, so travellers will need to carefully monitor for any updates from their airline or travel agents."

Advice for travellers

·      Travellers are advised that airline schedules may be disrupted for several days as operations gradually return to normal
·      Both international and domestic terminals are expected to be busy as travel resumes. We ask that only passengers with a confirmed booking on a flight scheduled to depart come to the airport
·      We recommend you pack any essential medication and a change of clothes in your carry-on baggage just in case your travel is disrupted midway through your journey
·      Terminal retailers and dining options will operate as normal
·      Travellers should check airline websites, travel apps or email for airline or travel agent updates before leaving for the airport, and monitor Auckland Airport social media channels for updates about airport operationsParking and transport operations. 

 Updates to Auckland Airport's operations will be shared on its website and social media channels – www.aucklandairport.co.nz , Facebook: AucklandAirport, Twitter: @AKL_Airport, and Instagram: aucklandairport.

1:45pm - MetService has released a graph showing how much rain Auckland has received this year already compared to other years. And it's only February.

1:40pm - The red heavy rain warning for Northland south of Kaitai has been lifted by MetService. 

1:28pm - The Tararua District has now been added to the state of national emergency.

The area joins Northland, Auckland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group areas.

1:25pm - Newshub reporter Lauren Hendricksen says there are still at least 44,000 households without power in Northland and it could be out for "at least a week".

1:20pm - A law expert says the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act doesn't go far enough.

Professor John Hopkins from the University of Canterbury said the state of emergency declaration provides extensive powers to the national controller to order individuals and groups to act in a way that is required to address the emergency.

"These powers include forced evacuations, closing roads, providing supplies, etc. When the state of emergency is extended to the national level it applies these powers nationally. This is largely used to direct resources from other parts of the country to be sent to the affected area but can also be used to stop travel to the area or anything similar," Hopkins said.

"However, the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act (which empowers the state of emergency) is still relatively limited in its scope (by intention) as we discovered in the cases of Canterbury and COVID.

"This is particularly true in relation to longer-term recovery powers which do exist in the Act but are quite limited."

Hopkins said the Government also appear reluctant for political reasons to use the ACT over a long period as the concept that New Zealand is in a state of emergency is not a good look internationally.

"For this reason, New Zealand tends to introduce new and rather rushed acts to extend "emergency" powers well into the recovery phase," Hopkins said.

"In both Canterbury and COVID, this approach proved problematic and controversial. It will be interesting to see whether a similar thing happens in the wake of cyclone Gabrielle."

1:15pm - Gisborne hospital is open and wasn't affected by the cyclone but it is operating at a limited capacity due to limited power, water and staff shortages.

Interim Lead for Hospital and Specialist Services Lynsey Bartlett says hospital occupancy is 90 percent and the priority is emergency care for the community and continued care for those in hospital.

"Urgent care is available to those who need it. Please do not hesitate to call 111 in any emergency," Bartlett said.

"Power, water, internet and phone services are cut to most of the region, however the hospital is running on generators for essential power.

"Bridges are affected in the city which limits mobility so we are working with St John and have nurses available in welfare centres."

An emergency operations centre has been stood up at the hospital and meetings are being held regularly.

1:11pm - Air New Zealand says planned flights are resuming today to all ports other than New Plymouth, Napier and Gisborne.

But the national carrier said there are extremely challenging conditions and ongoing disruptions are expected.

Read the full statement below:

Air New Zealand is adding extra flights to get customers where they need to be as flights resume today across its North Island network. Challenging winds at airports remain.

Domestic and international jet operations started from mid-morning today but have been temporarily paused due to strong gusts at Auckland Airport.

Air New Zealand intends to resume turboprop operations from mid-afternoon today, however high winds may inhibit this, and the airline will keep a watching brief. Turboprop flights in and out Auckland are subject to weather considerations, and flights in and out of New Plymouth, Napier and Gisborne remain suspended due to airport closures and poor weather conditions.

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says 11 flights have been added to its domestic schedule to help with recovery efforts, with more to come.

"While its good news that planes are able to start flying again across the North Island, unfortunately conditions at New Plymouth, Napier and Gisborne airports mean flying isn't possible until tomorrow at the earliest.

"Our hearts go out to these affected regions who continue to be battered by Cyclone Gabrielle. We'll get services back up to connect these regions as soon as possible.

"We're ready and waiting to support the national state of emergency response and are talking to affected communities on how we can help. We're also supporting our own people who are still badly affected by the terrible weather. We will continue to monitor the situation and support wherever we can.

"Once again we thank our incredible customers for their patience and understanding as we work through the impacts of these major events."

Extra flights to get customers flying

The airline says a total of 592 flights have been impacted due to the cyclone, with around 35,000 customers disrupted across our whole network.

"Urgent work is underway to rebook customers onto other flights – with around 1,500 international customers still to be rebooked.

"Flights are very full but we're working as fast as we can to rebook these remaining customers into the next available seats, and we've been in touch with them to let them know we're pulling out all the stops to get people flying again. This includes getting all our customer teams to support the rebooking effort.

"This includes adding extra flights where possible to get our customers where they need to be as quickly as possible. We're looking at all available options, including adding larger planes, working with Star Alliance partners, converting cargo flights and adding additional services where possible. These aren't easy to stand up but they're the right thing to do."

Extra international flights and bigger planes to Fiji, Samoa and Tahiti will speed up recovery from the Pacific.

Extending international flexibility

Air New Zealand is also extending flexibility for those customers affected by cyclone disruptions up to 17 February 2023.

International customers can now change travel up to 8 March 2023 without a change fee, service fee or fare difference applying. If travel is only available in a higher cabin, the fare differential will apply.

Tickets can also be put into credit towards travel within 12 months.

For those travelling domestically, flexibility applies until 22 February 2023.

Customers who booked through a travel agent or third-party online agent should contact them directly about making changes to their bookings or credit validity.

The airline's Travel Alerts page has the most up to date information on operating flights.

The airline is focused on managing these impacts for our customer and will not be able to provide specific flight details at this time.

1:07pm - Counties Energy says approximately 5000 homes are currently without power.

It says crews are working incredibly hard to restore power but worker safety comes first.

"We have increased safety concerns for our crews with high numbers of trees falling on roads and slips in our region today. We will be calling in crews before complete darkness tonight to keep our people safe. Access issues are increasing by the hour," a spokesperson said.

1pm - The Government is proposing postponing Parliament sitting this week in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

"This is an unprecedented storm which is affecting people and property across much of the North Island," Grant Robertson said.

"Government Ministers and MPs from all political parties will be focussed on assisting their communities with the response so the Government is proposing to postpone this week's sitting programme."

The House will meet briefly today at 2pm to consider a motion on the earthquake in Turkey and Syria then the Minister for Emergency Management will deliver a statement on the declaration of a state of national emergency. There will be questions and answers on that statement.

"I will then move a motion for Parliament to adjourn until Tuesday February 21. That week will follow what was the original plan for this week. The House will begin with the Prime Minister's statement and debate. Wednesday will be the first day of oral questions," Robertson said.

12:55pm - Photos sent to Newshub show another slip, this time in the Thames-Coromandel District.

12:51pm - Photos sent to Newshub show a massive slip on Lighthouse Road in the Awhitu Peninsula.

12:48pm - MetService has released an update about the weather warnings. Read the full statement below:

While some MetService Red Rain Warnings are lifting there are still several Warnings and Watches in place as severe weather from Cyclone Gabrielle continues throughout the day (Tuesday).

Overnight and this morning, significant rain and wind affected large parts of the North Island, especially in the north and east with Tairāwhiti/Gisborne cut off.

"Napier Airport had its second wettest day on record with 175mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am this morning, "said MetService meteorologist Andrew James, "That's more than three times the February average."

"Wind gusts over 140km/hr have been recorded at many exposed coastal locations, but urban areas have been affected too with New Plymouth airport gusts reaching 128km/hr, "continues Andrew, "With wave heights close to 11 metres recorded off the coast of the Bay of Islands."

All this wild weather has led to significant and widespread impacts across the North Island, with large areas without power or communications, major flooding and wind damage in many regions.

Over 30 state highway closures and the shutdown of air, sea, and rail transport for much of the northern half of the North Island. Several communities and regions are isolated, and a National State of Emergency is now in force.

Today, rain begins to ease in the upper North Island, but continues in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne and northern Hawkes Bay until tonight, with rain also affecting the lower North Island and parts of Marlborough.

Andrew continues, "A continuing focus will be wind. We are still expecting gusts in excess of 120km/hr over parts of the upper North Island, Taranaki and central New Zealand, and warnings are still in place."

Chatham Islands, lying 850km offshore from Christchurch, is expecting heavy rain and strong winds from this afternoon, with the system passing just to the north of them on Wednesday. This will be tied with large easterly waves, an unusual direction for the Islands.

Though Gabrielle takes a southeast track moving away from Aotearoa New Zealand from early tomorrow, the impacts from this event will be felt for much longer.

Looking farther ahead for the North Island recovery, Wednesday sees rain continue into the capital and a few showers around for central and northern North Island, though a dry break across Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

Following that, there is some more wet weather from Thursday but apart from Wellington and Wairarapa most areas will see showers.

For the South Island, wet weather continues for Canterbury and Marlborough during Wednesday, dry elsewhere but a few showers in the far south. This continues on Thursday with an easing tread through the day.

12:45pm - Photos sent to Newshub show extensive flooding in Clevedon.

12:38pm - Photos sent to Newshub shows the force of Cyclone Gabrielle, which has uprooted trees on Thornton Road near North Shore Hospital.

12:33pm - Auckland Emergency Management deputy controller Rachel Kelleher told Newshub it was a difficult night for Aucklanders and "devastating" for those out in western communities.

"Unfortunately we are still in a period of very heavy winds and they are expected to continue throughout the day," she said.

"People still need to remain vigilant and it's likely those winds will cause further issues in terms of trees coming down on power lines making it difficult to restore power and making driving conditions and things like that very hazardous."

Kelleher said they're currently looking into workarounds to help restore cellular contact for people in Muriwai.

She told Newshub the best thing Aucklanders can do is stay home if it's safe to do so but said if people don't feel safe they should evacuate.

"The other key message is to be prepared, we may have these power outages continuing in some areas for some time, so think about what your plan is to get yourself through the next couple of days if that is the case."

She said water in the Auckland region is still safe for drinking and cleaning but urges people to reduce their water consumption for things like washing machines and dishwashers.

12:30pm - Cyclone Gabrielle saw Whangārei experience its wettest February day on record.

Napier meanwhile had its second wettest February day on record. Additionally, Auckland had over 55 percent of its annual normal rainfall in just 45 days.

12:20pm - Metservice has lifted all severe weather watches and warnings for the Central North Island including the Ruapehu district.

Emergency Management Officer Andy Chambers said despite the severe weather warnings being lifted the impacts from Cyclone Gabrielle are still being felt.

"People should remain vigilant as high wind gusts are still possible," Chambers said.

"Please continue to exercise care if driving as the rain and high winds may have caused downed trees and slips on local roads.

"It is also recommended that people wait until the wind has subsided before commencing any clean-up work."

12:16pm - FENZ Hawke's Bay district manager Glen Varcoe says the region is being battered by Cyclone Gabrielle.

In the last 12 hours, Fire and Emergency has logged 366 storm-related incidents in the Hawke's Bay, including rescues.

Varcoe also confirmed multiple people on SH5 were trapped in vehicles and in houses and have been rescued. People are still trapped awaiting rescue in Puketapu.

"There are also many houses flooded in Eskdale and Whirinaki which can’t be reached by road at this stage," he said.

At 7:19am, Fire and Emergency was called to a landslide at a home in Putorino, Hawke’s Bay. One person has been reported as trapped and Fire and Emergency has been unable to determine the status of this person.

"Local brigades have been unable to access the property to carry out a rescue. Fire and Emergency has deployed a local Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team with equipment by helicopter," he said.

"Fire and Emergency personnel are currently assessing how widespread the damage is. It is unclear yet how many houses have been affected. This is an ongoing situation and we are monitoring it closely.

"Fire and Emergency urges people to only call 111 when life and safety are at risk to ensure people who urgently need help can get through to our communications centre."

12:14pm - Here is the full press conference with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

12:12pm - Several Foodstuff supermarkets are closed on Tuesday due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

A Foodstuff spokesperson says 23 Four Square stores, five New World stores and two PAK'nSAVE stores are closed, mainly due to power issues, or under Civil Defense advice.

12:05pm - Spark says they have 136 cell towers currently impacted by the cyclone due to power outages.

They are working as quickly as possible to restore services, but say the safety of technicians on the ground as work is hampered by the weather and road closures.

12:03pm - Hastings District Council says the weather has well-exceeded forecasts and Hawke’s Bay is significantly impacted. 

Here is the statement: 

On Tuesday mornning the focus remained on welfare with active rescues, and evacuations, followed by the protection of critical assets. 

• Omahu and Taradale residents being evacuated (Level of the Tutaekuri River and Ngaruroro River overtopping stopbanks).

• Hawke’s Bay Regional Council engineers are constantly assessing river levels in relation to areas under evacuation notice.

• Evacuations and rescues are continuing in Esk Valley (Rissington and Waiohiki were previously evacuated).

• Flooding risk in Waipawa has triggered evacuation.

• All other suburbs – residents may choose to self-evacuate if they feel unsafe.

• If possible, evacuees should stay with family and friends.

• If that is not possible there are evacuation centres: Hastings Sports Centre is open now and Flaxmere Community Centre in Hastings from 1pm, Waimarama School; St Joseph's Māori Girls' College, Napier; Tamatea Intermediate, Napier; Centralines Stadium and Waipawa Municipal Theatre, Parongahau Hall, Tikokino Community Hall, in Central Hawke’s Bay. More are being set up as needed.

• Some communities have opened halls, schools and marae.

• Defence Force assets are on their way to Hawke’s Bay and active rescues are underway.

Power and communications

• There are significant power outages across the region. It could take days to restore to isolated or remote areas given roading issues.

• Communications are also proving a challenge with cellular networks out this morning. As at 11am, email had been restored however phone services are still extremely patchy.

Roads and bridges 

People should not travel unless absolutely necessary.

Hundreds of roads across the region and impacted by slips, fallen trees and power lines. There are five bridges in Hastings and Napier that are impassable (Esk River Bridge, Waiohiki Bridge, Puketapu Bridge, Fernhill Bridge, Rissington Bridge, Brookfield Bridge).

There are likely to be more bridges affected and not all of the region has net been surveyed. Teams are working on that.

SH51 between Napier and Clive is also closed, along with wider network closures.

Three waters

Water use needs to be minimised: Hastings and Napier residents are asked to reduce water use as much as possible as the storm has inundated the wastewater network.

Water should be used for drinking and personal washing only. Do not use dishwashers or washing machines and avoid showering if possible. The issue is causing toilets to back up. Teams are across the district working to keep the network as clear as possible.

11:59am - Approximately 29,991 Powerco customers are without power across the country.

The power cuts are:

• Coromandel – 12,228 customers
• Taranaki – 6230 customers
• South Waikato – 6045 customers
• Bay of Plenty – 3631 customers
• Manawatū – 619 customers
• Wairarapa – 856 customers
• Whanganui – 380 customers

In total, more than 66,000 Powerco customers have been impacted by the storm over the last 24 hours.

Powerco Head of Network Operations Caz Haydon says while reconnecting customers continues to be the priority, the ongoing stormy weather today is still posing challenges.

"We have every crew working to restore power, but flooding, slips and road closures as well as the ongoing high winds and heavy rain, continues to hamper efforts to access fault sites and carry out repairs. Until conditions settle and roads are cleared, our crews are unable to restore power for some of these outages.

"We know this is difficult for our customers to hear – particularly those who have been without power for some time – but the safety of our crews and customers is paramount."

Haydon says the severity of the situation is reflected in the National State of Emergency that was declared this morning.

"If you see our crews out in your community, please be kind and patient with them – they are doing everything they can in extremely challenging conditions, but it will take time for power to be restored.

"Our continued thanks and appreciation goes out to all those impacted, for your patience and understanding as we work as quickly and safely as possible to get you reconnected."

Customers wanting information about power cuts can go to Powerco's power outage webpage www.powerco.co.nz/outages or can contact their electricity retailer.

11:57am - Video footage shows the extent of the flooding in Taradale in Hawke's Bay.

11:55am - Photos sent to Newshub show severe flooding on SH26 near Komata.

11:51am - The press conference has now ended.

11:50am - Hipkins has asked all MPs to follow guidance around safe travel and he understands they will be wanting to support their electorate.

11:48am - Hipkins says the Defence Force is providing a lot of land support and helping with the evacuation. The Navy is also providing support.

11:46am - Hipkins says because of the sheer scale of the damage the clean-up won't happen overnight.

He says people and businesses will likely be affected for some time.

11:45am - Hipkins says the response is focused on the most pressing needs first because of the size and scale of the damage.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his support for New Zealand when he spoke with Hipkins on Monday.

11:43am - Hipkins says it will take some time to understand how many families have been affected by the cyclone.

That will include working with insurance companies to understand how much will be captured by insurance, he said.

11:42am - The Prime Minister also acknowledged the financial and mental health impacts from an event like this.

He says "it is a lot" and the recent weather plus the COVID-19 pandemic accumulate and cause real stress for people.

11:40am - Hipkins says he and the Emergency Minister have been getting updates every four hours.

He says it's too early to get an account of the number of people displaced.

Hipkins also revealed one FENZ volunteer is missing and extended his thoughts to their family and friends.

11:38am - Hipkins says Cyclone Gabrielle is probably the biggest weather event in recent times.

"This means it is a particularly tiring and stressful time for responders," he says.

He reiterated his thanks for those working around the clock.

11:36am - Hipkins is hoping to get back to Wellington to meet with NEMA and then provide a fuller update. 

He says the national emergency means "we are throwing everything at this to support the response". 

The Defence Force is providing logistical support and helping with evacuations, keeping supplies moving, and will help with the cleanup

11:33am - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has started speaking. You can watch the press conference above.

11:29am - Vector says there is currently 38,000 people in the Auckland region without power. Here is the full statement: 

The severe gales that continue to pummel the Auckland region are hampering our efforts to restore power to thousands of people, with crews needing to stand down at times for their own safety.

One crew has had to abandon their vehicle in rising floodwaters and others have had to stop restoration efforts at various times through the night and morning.

However, they continue to respond to outages whenever it is safe to do so. As of 10.30am those without power stood at 38,000, with some faults fixed since our previous update, only for new outages to occur and we expect the number to continue to fluctuate throughout the day

We would like, once again, to thank Aucklanders for their patience as we try to reach them. This will take time in some areas, for example Piha, where trees have blocked roads and we are unable to access damaged equipment.

In other areas, we are finding multiple faults, which are challenging to fix. In the Warkworth, Wellsford, and Snells Beach area we are facing a complex scenario, with the Dome Valley road closed, multiple faults to deal with, difficulty accessing damaged equipment, and concerns around crew safety

While we are able to restore some outages relatively quickly, families and businesses, particularly in more rural areas, should be prepared for several days without power. We hope to provide more detailed information later today about how long we expect it will take to restore different areas.

With the gales forecast to continue throughout the day, including gusts of 130kph, our crews will need to stand down when the conditions become unsafe.

Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the cyclone and we want you to know we are putting every effort into getting your power back on.

Our contact centre is under pressure, so if you have already called to report an outage, and it is showing on our outage centre, there is no need to call again. Please avoid blocking the phone lines, so others can report any new outages. Please refer to the outage centre for any updates. 

11:26am - Transpower has declared a Grid Emergency following the loss of electricity supply to Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.

The outage is a result of flooding to the Redclyffe substation following extreme weather from Cyclone Gabrielle. The Unison and Eastland networks that distribute electricity to the region are currently down as a result.

"Due to the current situation, we are not able to obtain communications from our substation, but it is likely the Redclyffe substation is underwater. While we cannot currently access the site, we have a helicopter on standby for further investigation when possible," Transpower says.

"Until we are able to gain access to the substation we will not have a clear picture of how long the region will be without power, but we are advising that the community should be prepared to be without power for days to weeks, rather than hours. We are working closely with Unison and Eastland to understand the situation and develop a restoration plan to ensure power is returned as quickly as possible.

"All options are being considered, but the safety of our work crews and the community is paramount. We will not take actions to bring power back before it is safe for them to do so.
"Transpower will update people through our website and social media channels as the situation becomes clearer. We advise people to follow Civil Defence instructions and stay safe.

"While we had a brief outage overnight in Taranaki, we were able to quickly restore power there. We have been fortunate that the grid has held up in other parts of the country and we are working closely with local lines companies to support where possible.

"Our people are continuing to work tirelessly to manage the grid and keep power flowing where we can."

11:24am - Fire and Emergency New Zeland has released an update. Read the full details below:

Firefighters are working extremely hard in Cyclone-affected areas across the North Island, particularly in efforts to reach people isolated by Cyclone Gabrielle on the East Coast.

Multiple people on SH5 in the Hawkes Bay are trapped in vehicles and in houses, and people are trapped awaiting rescue in Puketapu. There are also many houses flooded in Eskdale and Whirinaki which can't be reached by road as the bridge access is washed out.

Helicopters aren't currently able to rescue people trapped on roofs due to the high winds. This is an ongoing situation and we are monitoring it closely.

Around 1,700 incidents related to Cyclone Gabrielle have been received by Fire and Emergency in the past 24 hours.

Fire and Emergency logged 82 storm-related incidents between 10am and 11am this morning, bringing the total for the previous 12 hours to 999 incidents (in a rolling 12-hour period).

Of the 82 incidents logged between 10am and 11am, 10 are in Northland, 31 in Auckland, 9 in Waikato, 1 in Manawatu-Whanganui, 5 in Taranaki and 26 in Hawke's Bay.

Fire and Emergency is prioritising responses where life and safety is at risk. Examples from this morning include:

• Trees falling on a house and roads in the Far North
• Trees fallen on houses and taking out powerlines in Whangārei
• Flooded houses and evacuations in Kaipara
• Houses flooding and trees down on houses in Auckland
• Trees fallen on houses and taking out powerlines in Waikato
• Tree fallen on house in Waipa
• Flooding in Otorohanga
• Powerlines and trees down and trees on fire in the Western Bay of Plenty
• Roofs lifting off in Taranaki
• Evacuations in Wairoa
• Rescues from flooded houses and carrying out evacuations in Hastings.

We are still in the process of restoring radio and cellular contact with firefighters in Tairawhiti.
Fire and Emergency urges people to only call 111 when life and safety are at risk to ensure people who urgently need help can get through to our communications centre.

11:23am -  Residents in Muriwai, Helensville and Wellsford are being urged to reduce their water use immediately as Cyclone Gabrielle has knocked out power, communication systems and/or access to their water treatment plants and water storage reservoirs.

The three water treatment plants are offline. Incident controller Nigel Toms says the plants have generators available however staff are unable to access the plants due to roading issues.

"Currently, residents in these areas have safe drinking water flowing through their taps. However, their local water storage reservoirs have the potential to run dry if they do not reduce their water use immediately.

"Early this morning, we sent crews to restart the plants. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to access the sites due to roading issues. We are liaising with Auckland Emergency Management to see if there is a way to provide safe access.

"In the meantime, we are urging residents in Muriwai, Helensville and Wellsford to reduce their water use immediately. They can still use water for drinking, hand washing and toilet flushing purposes. But they should not use their washing machines or dishwashers. And if they can hold off on showering, that would be helpful."

"Our aim is to reduce the likelihood of water outages in these areas, and we can all work together to make this happen."

"I'd like to reiterate that the water in your taps is safe to drink. If anyone in Auckland is without water or has low water pressure, please check our website for updates on known outages and/or pressure issues.  If your area is not already listed, please let us know by reporting a fault on our website."

11:20am - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will give an update on Cyclone Gabrielle after a national state of emergency was declared earlier on Tuesday morning. The press conference is expected to begin at 11:30am.

11:18am - WeatherWatch says southwest winds are "ramping up" again with severe gales in Auckland.

"These winds may be stronger than yesterday for some areas (especially the very western coastline & north-west of the region)," Weatherwatch said on Twitter.

11:15am - People are being asked to stay off the roads in Tairāwhiti as heavy machinery is being brought in to clear woody debris from the city's two bridges which are both critical transport routes and also carry vital utilities for the region.

Residents are also being asked to urgently conserve water, and use it only for drinking and hygiene. There are multiple breaks in the pipe between the dams and the Waingake treatment plant.

The city has limited capacity from Waipaoa but it takes some time for that to come online.

Tairāwhiti Civil Defence controller Ben Green says it is a crucial time for the region.

"The water problem is significant and everyone must play their part to conserve water," Green says.

"This won't be a quick fix. We need everyone to be cautious with their water use. We understand people are keen to tidy up but given the damage, this is not the time to start cleaning your properties."

The loss of the fibre optic cable means people can only use cash to purchase goods and services, with ATM machines also out of action.

But Green says there is no need to panic buy.

"Use what you have at home. Come together with neighbours and support one another."

Both the Gladstone Road and William Petty (Rutene Road) Bridges will be shut from 11am to clear the woody debris building up to a dangerous level. It is expected to take at least three hours, but possibly a lot longer.

To ensure the community is safe, emergency services will be based on both sides of the river.
Cyclone Gabrielle hasn't finished with Tairāwhiti with more rain forecast for today, and running through tomorrow.

"Stay at home," says Green. "This is no time to be out and about rubbernecking. It's dangerous for everyone."

The region remains completely cut off with SH2 shut to both Napier and Opotiki, and SH35 from Okitu to Opotiki.

Power is also out for the wider region with Eastland Network working closely with Transpower to restore it as quickly as possible and caution people to treat all lines as live.

11:12am - Vodafone says 115 cell sites are down due to power outages from Cyclone Gabrielle.

The sites include 46 in Northland, 15 in Auckland, 18 in the Waikato and 30 in the central North Island.

"Many of them are rural but we’re working hard to restore power and deploy generators where possible,' Vodafone says.

11:08am - Wellingtonians are being urged to think twice before travelling today as Cyclone Gabrielle makes its way to the capital.

"Wind speeds appear to be increasing along with heavy rainfall – and the Council is starting to receive reports of trees toppling and some surface flooding,"  Wellington City Council resilience manager Chris Mathews says.

"Two large trees have fallen in Barnard and Sar streets in Wadestown and power lines may have been brought down in at least one case.

Mathews says the risk of slips and surface flooding is increasing and Council staff and contractors are watching the situation closely.

"We ask the public to please be patient and report slips or weather-related hazards to the Contact Centre on 499 4444 or through the FixIt App."

All Wellington City Council services remain operational.

11:06am - Photos from Twitter show extensive damage to a home in Auckland's Piha.

11:03am - Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown told AM the biggest thing the city needs to focus on now is recovering from the wild weather over the last 24 hours and the past few days.

"Preparing ourselves for what will be a long clean up, followed by an even longer fix up," Brown said.

He said there will be more red-stickered houses, roads with slips, and houses in "difficult positions" because of land instability after last night's deluge.

"There is the fixing, there is the thinking about it, there is a lot to be thought about and on top of that I have inherited a $295 million hole in the budget and this lot hasn't made it any easier."

Brown said emergency staff are assessing the damage in the Muriwai area. He says 300 residents were removed/affected last night.

11am - MetService has issued several more strong wind watches and warnings.

10:55am - The sailor who was stranded on a boat adrift near Great Barrier Island has been rescued.

Senior Sergeant Garry Larsen said police, assisted by the Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana and Northland Emergency Services Trust Helicopter rescued the sailor on Tuesday morning.

"We would like to extend our thanks to them, as well as our colleagues from Westpac Rescue, Coastguard and USAR for the joint efforts in the rescue operation," Larsen said.

The person is now being transported back to Auckland.

10:44am - Several Countdown stores are closed on Tuesday because of Cyclone Gabrielle. 

A spokesperson said several stores are unable to open this morning. 

"We are working as hard as we can to open as soon as it’s safe to do so. There may also be impacts to our online deliveries and pick-ups today and we’ll be in touch with customers directly if their order is affected.

"It is possible that there could be further disruption to our store network today and we’ll continue to regularly update our store hours on our website. 

"We’re also checking in with all of our team at the moment, and it looks like we may be a little light on the ground today as some of them need to stay home due to road closures and other weather impacts. 

"We want to thank our customers for their patience today while we work hard to make sure everyone stays safe and can get what they need," the spokesperson said. 

The below Countdown stores are currently closed: 

• Countdown Carlyle 

• Countdown Napier 

• Countdown Cambridge 

• Countdown Gisborne 

• Countdown Whitianga 

• Countdown Tikipunga 

10:38am - A large slip has blocked the Matata Straight straight between Whakatane and Te Puke. 

10:33am - Reports are streaming in of massive flooding in the Esk Valley in Hawke's Bay. One resident says the area is "quickly becoming a disaster zone". 

10:29am - Update on Closures in Coromandel and East Waikato. 

SH25 Kopu to Thames OPEN TO ONE LANE

The Kauaeranga Spill Way outside the Thames Airfield is flooded, but traffic management is now in place and the road is open to one lane.

SH25 Thames to Waiomu: CLOSED

A slip has closed SH25 at Ngarimu Bay.

Due to numerous slips, surface flooding, fallen vegetation and detritus on the road, extreme caution is advised on the rest of this section of SH25.

SH25 Coromandel to Kūaotunu: CLOSED

Fully closed due to slips on the Coromandel / Whangapoua Hill and immediately west of Kūaotunu.

SH25 Kūaotunu to Whitianga: COMPROMISED

Stream levels at Wharekaho are fluctuating and extreme caution must be exercised if travelling between Wharekaho and Whitianga.

Due to numerous slips, surface flooding, fallen vegetation and debris on the road, extreme caution is advised on the rest of this section of SH25.

SH25 Whitianga to Tairua: OPEN but essential travel only

A fallen tree is blocking one lane at Whenuakite.

Due to slips, surface flooding, fallen vegetation and debris on the road, extreme caution is advised on the rest of this section of SH25.

SH25 Tairua to Hikuai: CLOSED

Fully closed between Tairua and Hikuai due to flooding.  Multiple fallen trees are also blocking the road between the Hikuai River Bridge and Hikuai Settlement Road.

SH25 Hikuai to Whangamata OPEN but essential travel only

Due to small slips, surface flooding, fallen vegetation, and debris on the road, extreme caution is advised on this section of SH25.

SH25  Whangamata CLOSED

A fallen tree is blocking the SH25 Whangamata Bypass. A local road detour is available but is suitable for light vehicles only.

SH25 Whangamata to Waihi: CLOSED

Fallen trees are SH25 at the Whangamata Golf Course.

Due to small slips, surface flooding, fallen vegetation, and debris on the road, extreme caution is advised on the rest of this section of SH25.

SH25A - FULLY CLOSED

Existing slip

SH2 Mangatarata to Paeroa – OPEN but essential travel only

SH2 Paeroa to Waihi  inc. Karangahake Gorge: CLOSED

The SH2 Karangahake Gorge is fully closed due to numerous small slips, fallen trees, surface flooding and debris on the road.  It will not reopen until areas of concern have been inspected, and initial clean-up operations have been completed.

SH2 Waihi to Athenree Gorge: CLOSED

A fallen tree is blocking SH2 at the Ford Road intersection south of Waihi.

SH26 Tatuanui to Te Aroha: OPEN but essential travel only

SH26 Te Aroha to Paeroa-Tahuna Road: OPEN but essential travel only

A significant amount of water and debris across the road north of Te Aroha.

Due to surface flooding, fallen vegetation and hazards on the road, extreme caution is advised on the rest of this section of SH26.

SH26 Paeroa-Tahuna Road to Paeroa: CLOSED

Closed for operation of flood protection scheme in Paeroa.

SH26 Paeroa to Kopu: OPEN but essential travel only

Due to surface flooding, fallen vegetation and debris on the road, extreme caution is advised on this section of SH26.

SH27 Mangatarata to Te Poi: OPEN but essential travel only

Due to a large number of fallen trees blocking lanes, surface flooding, and debris on the road, extreme caution is advised on the rest of this section of SH27.

SH26 Morrinsville to Tatuanui: CLOSED

Local road detour available

Fallen trees are blocking SH26 at the Murray Oaks reserve immediately east of Morrinsville.

SH29 Kaimai Ranges CLOSED

Closed on Bay of Plenty side of Ranges due to fallen trees.10:25am - Opposition leader Christopher Luxon says declaring a National State of Emergency was the right call from the Government.

Luxon says Kiwis have been incredible at supporting each other during the recent weather events. 

10:22am - The Desert Road is also closed. 

10:21 - Waka Kotahi says all major roads into and out of the Coromandel are closed. 

10:16am - Approximately 3500 people have lost power in Counties Manukau on Tuesday.

Counties Energy says crews are working around the region to resolve outages but it may take some time due to high winds.

"With 100 km gusts predicted later today, crews are concentrating on resolving larger outages and completing tree work to reduce impact on the network later today," they said.

"Priority areas for restoration where crews are on site currently include Awhitu Peninsula (1000 customers), Waikaretu, Naike and the Glen Murray areas (300 customers), 100 customers in the Patumahoe/Karaka area Glenbrook, Waiuku, Hunua and Ramarama areas.

"Once these outages have been resolved, crews will work on smaller outages. We will know more in terms of damage as crews move through the region."

Counties Energy also issued a reminder about the dangers of live lines, with fears weakened trees will fall onto lines today, putting the community at risk.

If people see a downed power line or damaged power equipment – stop, retreat and stay well clear.

"Unless you know our crews have isolated power – stay at least a bus length away from any lines down and do not touch anything in the vicinity. Please keep phone lines free so the community can report safety issues -  0800 100 202. Report outages on the Outage Hub - type app.countiesenergy.co.nz in your smartphone internet browser," Counties Energy said.

10:15am - The press conference has now finished. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni will hold a press conference at 11:30am. We will have live coverage of it in our video above.

10:09am - Ball says there was a range of views during a discussion with local groups this morning, but NEMA's view is that national coordination is beneficial. Not all regions needed it, but some did.

Ball says in each area, the situation is slightly different but some requested the national emergency. 

He says the national emergency will last seven days.

10:06am - Back to the press conference, McAnulty says he has been in touch with the Minister of Defence and every application for support has been fulfilled. There is no indication of concern around the allocation of resources.

The worst of it has come, but the rest is still serious, says McAnulty. 

He says they're still monitoring it incredibly closely, with the flooding, slips and high saturation, any further rain could still cause issues. 

Minister of Forestry is looking into a slash in Tairawhiti as it's a real concern during every weather event, McAnulty says. 

Conversations are underway between the Leader of the House and other parties about Parliament not sitting, McAnulty says. 

He encourages people to keep up to date with announcements, with Waka Kotahi for state highways and local Civil Defence groups. 

McAnulty urges people who feel unsafe to evacuate. People should listen to local guidance and while the worst has passed, people should still be cautious.

10:03am - Going away from the press conference for a second, Taradale and Omahu residents in the Hawke's Bay have been told to evacuate immediately.

Here is the full statement:

If possible, stay with family and friends. Check that your evacuation route is safe, check the Waka Kotahi website for road closures.

If unable to stay with family and friends, Omahu residents are being asked to go to Hastings Sports' Centre. Taradale Community are being asked to go to St Joseph's Māori Girls' School.

Additional welfare centres are being opened. Please call 111 if there is an immediate threat to your safety.

Defence Force assets are on their way to Hawkes Bay and active rescues are underway.

9:59am - McAnulty says just because it is a national state of emergency, it's limited to the regions affected by the cyclone. Local states of emergency are no longer operating now that a national emergency is underway. 

McAnulty says he is required to make a statement to Parliament and other parties will have the opportunity to respond.

Ball says NEMA will be in close communication with local authorities. If there is any need for NEMA to make directions, it will.

He adds, NZDF has been extremely cooperative and is fully engaged in support of Civil Defence. He can't speak to their attrition, but they have let NEMA know they are there to help.

9:57am - Ball says the situation is evolving minute by minute. Self-evacuations and formal evacuations are underway in Hawkes Bay. They want additional NZDF support and that is being addressed right now. 

Ball says there is no further information on the missing firefighter.

McAnulty says it's a very distressing situation for all involved. The country relies on volunteer firefighters. I really feel for their family

9:55am - It is a pretty high bar for a national emergency, says McAnulty. 

The criteria for a national state of emergency is assessing the local response, the resources they have and what has already been allocated. They look at whether there is a benefit to coordinating nationally rather than locally. It would now be beneficial for NEMA to assist with coordination, McAnulty says. 

He adds it's not something politicians should be doing without sound advice as it is significant. NEMA has provided McAnulty and the Prime Minister with regular advice since Sunday on whether the national emergency was necessary.

9:52am - Ball said the national state of emergency gives NEMA power to set overall intent and allocate critical resources in a coordinated way. 

"This should give assurance to Kiwis. It is not NEMA's intent to start micromanaging the response and continues to have confidence in local CDEM groups. NEMA is hugely appreciative of community groups, iwi, and others," Ball said.  

A number of Civil Defence centres are open, if you are re-locating tell friends and families, Ball says. 

If the advice is to stay at home or minimise travel, follow that advice. Watch for debris on roads. Do not go into flood waters. Do not take chances, Ball says.

He says there wasn't a single event that led to the national emergency, but engagement on Tuesday morning with local and national groups - like police, FENZ, NZDF - showed it was necessary. Resources, like the military, are already out helping.

9:50am - NEMA's Roger Ball says the Tararua district has declared an emergency for its area. 

He says there are multiple weather warnings and watches in place and the effects of the cyclone will continue to be felt throughout the day.

Ball says NEMA has been in close contact with Civil Defence throughout the country and based on conversations, their conclusion was a national state of emergency should be declared.

The director of NEMA and other controllers can now direct and control the response, including the allocation of resources and setting priorities.

9:47am - McAnulty's message to those affected is "safety first, look after each other".

He urges people to minimise travel in affected areas and listen to local authorities. 

"If you are concerned about slips, don't wait for local authorities to provide guidance. Leave and move to civil defence centres," he says. 

McAnulty has thanked iwi, community groups and others for providing support to those affected and says these groups have been working night and day

9:45am - The national state of emergency applies to the six regions which have applied local states of emergency, McAnulty says. 

"This is not a reflection on the outstanding work of local authorities. It is simply that NEMA's advice is we can better assist affected regions through a nationally coordinated approach." 

NEMA has been providing advice to McAnulty and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on the need for a national state of emergency since Sunday. 

McAnulty says local authorities said on Tuesday morning a national state of emergency was necessary.

It will allow NEMA to coordinate the response, provide additional resources and set the priorities. This is a significant legal instrument

9:42am - McAnulty says Cyclone Gabrielle has had major impacts across most of the North Island.

He has called it a "significant disaster" and high winds and rain are expected on Tuesday

9:41am - Kieran McAnulty has just started speaking. 

9:37am - We're expecting Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty to speak very shortly. You can watch the press conference above.

9:27am - Auckland Emergency Management says rescue efforts and evacuations are underway in Muriwai. 

Here is the full statement:

Emergency responders and the New Zealand Defence Force are at Muriwai helping evacuate residents who have been sheltering in the Muriwai Surf Club following landslips and flooding across Auckland's west coast.

"It has been an incredibly tough night for communities across Tāmaki Makaurau, especially Muriwai. Our thoughts are with the whānau and the colleagues of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand crew directly involved in responding to the major incident on Motutara Road," says Deputy Controller Rachel Kelleher.

A house collapsed at around 10pm last night on Motutara Road, Muriwai as Fire and Emergency was evacuating residents. One Fire and Emergency officer is currently unaccounted for.

Auckland Emergency Management issued an emergency mobile alert to mobile phones in Muriwai at 1.30 am asking people in Motutara Road and Domain Crescent to evacuate due to increased risk of landslides.

Around 200 residents took shelter at the Muriwai Surf Club overnight, and NZDF is now working to support voluntary evacuations to the Waimauku War Memorial Hall Civil Defence Centre, where health professionals and St Johns staff are on site. They will then be invited to move to the Trusts Arena which has more room.

Building assessors are assembling at Muriwai to begin visiting affected homes to assess for damage and, where needed, issue placards. These assessments will be conducted over the course of the morning.

Auckland Emergency Management is also responding to reports of trees down and collapsed or damaged houses in Piha, Karekare, Leigh and Wellsford. Communities have also been isolated in Piha and Karekare due to landslips, and Bethells Beach due to flooding.

Much of the region saw significant rain and wind over night that caused widespread power outages, surface flooding, slips and damage to property.  

About 50 people from 33 households remain evacuated from their homes in an apartment building in Mt Eden, due to danger posed by a nearby unstable structure. Families were encouraged to stay with friends or family and a small number who required shelter were taken to Trusts Arena in Henderson.  

"This has been and continues to be a serious and significant event for our region, and we ask that you continue to follow Auckland emergency management advice on our website and social media channels," says Rachel. "Keep up to date and look after one another."

The severity of the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle have further been confirmed as the New Zealand Government has this morning declared a National State of Emergency, to assist in the response to the cyclone.

9:15am - The press conference with Kieran McAnulty has been delayed until 9:30am.

9:10am - Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is urging drivers to avoid all non-essential travel in Upper North Island. 

Here is the full statement from NZTA:

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is strongly urging people to avoid all non-essential travel in the Upper North Island, with several state highways and local roads closed due to downed trees, slips and flooding.

Several regions remain under MetService Heavy Rain and Strong Wind warnings, and people are urged to avoid all non-urgent travel.

Communications outages in several regions are preventing contractors from updating roadside electronic Variable Message Signs (VMS) with accurate information for motorists.

Waka Kotahi National Emergency Response Team spokesperson Mark Owen says the communications outages in affected areas means that several VMS signs which motorists usually rely on for information on road conditions and closures are non-operational or not displaying current information.

"We're keeping our on-line Journey Planner up to date with the latest available information, and this is still the best source of the most current information for anyone who does need to travel.

"We'll re-instate our VMS signs as soon as communications links are re-established, but we must emphasise how volatile the situation is in areas most affected by the storm, and we are urging people not to travel unless it's absolutely necessary.

"Conditions are hazardous on many highways and local roads, with trees and other debris down, surface flooding, continuing heavy rain and high winds making driving conditions extremely difficult," Mr Owen says.

Waka Kotahi is also urging anyone who does need to drive in areas affected by severe weather to adjust their driving to the conditions, which means slowing down, increasing following distances, switching headlights on and watching for flooding and other debris on the road.

9:07am - Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty will hold a press conference at about 9:15am after a national state of emergency was declared. You can watch it above.

9:04am - Muriwai volunteer lifeguard Michael Ward told AM he lives 10 minutes from the beach and it was a "very wild night".

"It was the wildest night we've had," he told AM.

He said he lost power at about 3am.

"Everyone out here is on tank water and water pumps, so when you lose power you lose water, toilet flushing, you lose the lot," he said.

People started evacuating to the surf club at about midnight.

8:46am - The Government has declared a National State of Emergency. Here is the full statement:

The New Zealand Government has this morning declared a National State of Emergency, to assist in the response to Cyclone Gabrielle. 

The Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty, signed the declaration at 8.43am.

Prior to signing the declaration he advised the Prime Minister, and the Opposition spokesperson for emergency management, who were both supportive of the declaration.

The declaration will apply to the six regions that have already declared a local State of Emergency: Northland, Auckland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Hawkes Bay.

This is only the third time in New Zealand history that a National State of Emergency has been declared.

"This is an unprecedented weather event that is having major impacts across much of the North Island," Kieran McAnulty said.

"Since Sunday, NEMA have been in close contact with local civil defence emergency management (CDEM) teams of affected areas to assess the need of a declaration of a state of National Emergency.

"NEMA has been giving advice to myself and the Prime Minister on the need of a national State of Emergency based on the assessments of the local teams, and until now the advice has been that it was not necessary.

"NEMA met with the affected CDEM groups. Based on feedback from the groups and NEMA

I consider that the criteria have now been met and a National State of Emergency would be beneficial.

"The local leadership, CDEM groups, and emergency responders in all of the affected areas have been doing an outstanding job, but the widespread damage caused by this cyclone means we need a National declaration to support them.

"This declaration will enable the Government to support the affected regions, provide additional resources as they are needed, and help set the priorities across the country for the response.

"A National State of Emergency gives the National Controller legal authority to apply resources across the country in support of a national level response.

"This declaration gives us the ability to coordination further resources for affected regions. I want to emphasise that the Government has already been surging support and resources to the regions for some days."

8:45am - Concrete pathways have been completely destroyed in Murray's Bay in Auckland.

8:40am - People in the Far North are being warned they may not get power again until this weekend. 

A Newshub reporter said more than 44,000 households have lost power in the region.

8:35am - Transpower has issued an emergency grid notice for Hawke's Bay and told people to prepare for an "extended outage".

Transpower issued the notice at 8:17am.

8:34am - Northland farmer Grant McCallum told AM the power is still out and he can't milk his cows.

He added a lot of trees are down and he's working to clear them so tankers can access his farm. 

McCallum told AM that over 300ml of rain has fallen since midnight on Saturday. 

"It's unbelievable and it's still raining"

8:29am - Hawke's Bay Civil Defence says rivers across the region are very high and people should stay away from them.

Heavy rain has filled the Mangarau detention dam in Havelock North, with the excess flowing into the Mangarau Stream.

"Residents will notice higher flows than usual in the stream and are being asked to stay away from it.

"The Waiohiki Bridge is closed and the Tutaekuri River is very high; residents are being asked to stay away from it.

"The Esk River is in flood and residents are being assisted," Hawke's Bay Civil Defence says.

8:27am - Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told AM residents are asked to stay at home and listen to the radio to keep themselves updated.

"It is fair to say our community cannot communicate with us," she told AM.

She confirmed there is no internet and phone communication in the area. 

8:26am - The press conference has now ended. 

8:25am - Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said he extends his deepest condolences to the people of Muriwai and volunteer fire crews who have had a terrible night.

"I recognise thousands of people have been impacted, I’d like to reiterate my thoughts and concerns and those associated with FENZ," he said.

8:24am - Childs said a royal navy vessel is conducting a search and rescue operation for someone adrift at sea in a yacht.

A locator beacon was just activated and the navy will be there within two hours, Childs confirmed.  

"NZDF is ready to provide the best response possible," Childs said.

8:20am - Colonel Mel Childs of the NZ Defence Force (NZDF) said staff across the upper North Island have been working to provide continued support to areas affected by the Cyclone. 

Childs said three vehicles and response teams are helping with Northland evacuations.

Thirty NZDF staff are helping with the Muriwai emergency.

8:18am - Fire and Emergency New Zealand deputy national commander Steph Rotarangi said it's been an eventful night and there have had been several hundred significant incidents attended. 

Between 7pm and 7am, FENZ communications centres logged 985 incidents and this number is expected to climb steeply today, Rotarangi said.

8:16am - Fire and Emergency communications centre national manager Gavin Travers said they lost all radio and cell contact with crews in Gisborne and Tairāwhiti at 3am.

Travers said they arestill trying to maintain contact with crews just before 8am.

8:12am - Kelleher acknowledges everyone that has been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle overnight.

She said the heaviest rain and wind were felt across the eastern regions and in the 12 hours to 4am, 265mm fell in Piha and 206mm in Muriwai. 

Kelleher said the west coast of the region suffered some of the most damaging effects. 

She said evacuations will likely continue throughout the day in Muriwai. 

Kelleher said about 33 households were evacuated from an Mt Eden apartment building on Monday evening.

8:05am - Auckland Emergency Management Deputy Controller Rachel Kelleher has just begun  speaking at the press conference. You can watch it above. 

Follow the live updates below. App users click here for the latest updates. 

8:03am - Top Energy has confirmed 44,000 people are without power in Northland.

8am - Thames-Coromandel Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler said it's "probably fair to say the entire coromandel is closed" at the moment.

He told AM every single state highway and the local highway is closed and that won't change until they clear around 100 slips that came down overnight.

He said there are about 15,000 households on the Coromandel without power and there are 11 cellphone sites down.

Towler told AM this has made it "problematic" and it's been a "big night".

"What we have done and what we have really, really pushed for was for everyone to prepare," he said. "I'm pleased to say probably 98 percent of the population has adhered to that warning and did just that. Our Civil Defence centres are virtually empty and that is a success story. People have taken responsibility for their own well-being."

7:50am - Auckland emergency officials will share an update on the extent of Cyclone Gabrielle's impact at 8am. You can watch the media conference above.

7:46am - Civil Defence Minister Kieran McAnulty is urging Kiwis to keep safe and stay at home if it is safe to do so.

He said the news about the volunteer firefighter in critical condition is "distressing".

"It's incredibly severe the news that is coming out from overnight, particularly the reports that there have been two volunteer firefighters trapped. These are highly trained professionals but they're volunteers," McAnulty told AM.

"They left their own families to go and serve their communities, so to hear they're trapped by the weather events is incredibly distressing."

McAnulty urges Tairāwhiti locals to have a battery-powered radio or to use a car radio to receive their information.

He told AM the minute he receives advice a national state of emergency is needed, he will be signing the forms to declare one.

McAnulty said the decision will come down to if local groups feel they can respond with their own resources to emergencies.

He and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been receiving advice since Sunday and, so far, no national state of emergency has been needed, McAnulty said.

7:43am - Gregory said a team will be coming up from Christchurch at lunchtime today to help with the rescue.

He added they've not had any contact with the trapped firefighter and he has concerns for him as well as the firefighter in a critical condition.

"With any crush injury, it becomes very risky as far as when a person is released after being effectively trapped for a period, so it's a big concern and the health of that firefighter.”

He said the rescue was suspended because the conditions were "really dangerous".

"It was just too dangerous, the hills were moving, the rain was driving in there and the whole street has been evacuated and it was too dangerous to be in the vicinity let alone on the site itself.”

7:32am - Fire and Emergency NZ chief executive Kerry Gregory said it is a highly technical rescue for the trapped firefighter. 

He said they have "grave concerns" for the trapped firefighter and his thoughts are with every firefighter. 

7:28am - Fire and Emergency is about to  give update after firefighters were caught up in west Auckland. You can watch it above. 

7:10am - Whakatāne is one of 10 places currently under a state of emergency.
Whakatāne District Acting Mayor Lesley Immink told AM the region hasn't been affected as badly as first thought.

"It seems a little bit strange, while we did have the wild wind and rain, the storm surges weren't quite as high but we've received advice not to hold our breath until after high tide passes at 1:30pm," she told AM.

She said there are no reports of people needing to be rescued or that are trapped but there are power outages and road closures.

Immink confirmed there is a logging truck trapped but the driver is safe.

7am - Fire and Emergency confirmed radio and cellular communications has been lost in Tairawhiti.

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) national operations manager Roger Ball told AM it's quite rare to have interrupted communications on such a widespread basis, but it does happen in local places from time to time.

He confirmed NEMA has spoken to Tairawhiti Civil Defence by SAT phone on Tuesday morning.
He told AM it is a concern that Tairawhiti locals might not be able to contact emergency services for help.

"I think that is a concern for us, so we're needing to see those telcos and cell phone towers get back up and running as soon as possible, that's an absolute priority," he said.

"We don't want people to be left without the sense of being able to call for help if they need it. But in the meantime, our official message is if you feel unsafe, look after yourself, self-evacuate, go to friends and family first if you can otherwise look to your local civil defence for information about your civil defence centres."

6:58am - In Ruakākā, there are cars abandoned and taped off due to rising flood levels.

6:52am - Gisborne is waking up to no power, phone service and internet on Tuesday morning,  a Newshub reporter in the area has confirmed. 

She said the only communication is by satellite phone and river levels are currently running higher than Cyclone Bola.

6:41am - Fire and Emergency New Zealand have provided an update on the missing firemen. 

Last night, a crew from one of our volunteer fire brigades were investigating flooding in a house on Motutara Road in Muriwai. While they were at the property, a landslide occurred on the slope above, and the house collapsed.

Two of our firefighters were trapped. One was rescued early this morning and is in a critical condition in hospital. The search for our second firefighter was suspended in the early hours of the morning due to the instability of the land.

A full rescue operation was initiated as soon as the landslide occurred, involving 10 crews from seven brigades and including Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Police and St John.

A geotechnical assessment of the area will be carried out as soon as possible so decisions can be made about resuming the search.

Our thoughts are with our firefighters, and with their loved ones. We are also providing support to the other members of their brigade. This is a very difficult time for them, and for every member of Fire and Emergency NZ when we are also focused on responding to the continuing need in so many communities across the North Island today.

I expect to provide more information at a media briefing this morning.

6:30am - National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) national operations manager Roger Ball confirmed 10 regions are currently under a state of emergency.

Ball told AM Cyclone Gabrielle is following its predicted path and is moving south and a bit east down the North Island.

He said conditions will ease across the North Island but not until Tuesday afternoon.
Ball urged people to stay safe and evacuate if they feel unsafe.

The Prime Minister's office has told AM there is no decision yet on any national state of emergency but added it was being reassessed every four hours.

6:10am - Auckland Emergency Management Duty Controller Rachel Kelleher couldn't confirm the full number of evacuations but confirmed 113 people have been staying in 14 evacuation centres overnight.

She told AM there are extensive power outages across Auckland. 

"We have extensive power outages across the region and with winds expected to pick up throughout the day we expect that to continue," she said. 

"In terms of down power lines, people need to take absolute care if they get into a situation where they encounter those and do not at all come into contact with them."  

She urged people to stay home on Tuesday. 

"While the heavy rain warning has passed, we are still expecting very heavy wind throughout the day and with those sodden grounds we can expect more land instability and more trees to come down," she said.

"So the message is avoid any unnecessary travel, stay in place but of course if they think they're an immediate danger to get themselves to safety."

5:57am - Napier City and Hastings District have declared a local state of emergency on Tuesday morning.

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said the most important thing is to keep the community safe. 

"There are areas of Napier and Hastings that have been impacted worse than others and this declaration will enable councils and emergency services to act swiftly," Wise said.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it's critical residents' fellow police and Civil Defence messaging.

"The most important thing is that we all stay safe. If you're able, shelter in place, if there is danger call 111 immediately," Hazlehurst said.

The most affected area is the Esk Valley with flooding affecting properties. Fire and Emergency teams are attending.

Rissington residents have been evacuated and there are power outages across the district.

There is damage to the Esk River Bridge and the Puketapu Bridge is impassable. Residents are urged to call 111 if they believe lives are in danger.

People are asked to stay off the roads across the district because of the amount of surface flooding and debris and they have also been asked to limit water use as the wastewater systems are at capacity.

5:45am - Counties Energy Media have provided an update at 4:30am on the latest power outages hitting the region. 

Here is the full statement: 

There is widespread and severe damage to the electricity network from Cyclone Gabrielle. We currently have around 2.500 properties without power, predominantly from significant numbers of individual outages which will be a lengthy restoration process. It is expected the network will continue to suffer more damage for at least the next 24 hours.

Damage extends across the entire region – from the tip of the Awhitu Peninsula through to Waikaretu on the west coast, over to Kaiaua on the east, and scattered everywhere in between.. Trees and branches, and the massive wind speeds have damaged lines, poles and transformers. 

Areas which are currently severely affected include the Awhitu Peninsula, Hunua, Paparimu, Ararimu and Paparata.  Access issues are likely in these areas with tree damage, steep ground, slips and unstable ground making it difficult for crews.  Parts of Pukekohe is also currently suffering larger areas of damage.

The conditions are too dangerous currently for our crews to try and restore power, however, if conditions allow, they will start restoring from first light.  Our fault crews are currently simply making safe, isolating power to any safety concerns such as lines and poles down and damaged equipment.

We’re facing a really dangerous situation with many lines down and appeal to our community to please be careful and treat all lines as live.  If they see a downed power line or damaged power equipment – stop, retreat and stay well clear.  Unless they know our crews have isolated power – stay at least a bus length away from any lines down and do not touch anything in the vicinity (fences, gates, vehicles).   It’s our top priority to get a crew there to isolate the power – and to keep them, their whanau and their animals safe.

We’re appealing to our customers to keep our community safe.  Please don’t phone outages in – report them on the Outage Hub. We need the phone lines free for safety reports – report all downed lines and damaged equipment on 0800 100 202 or on the Outage Hub – www.app.countiesenergy.co.nz  Download our Outage Hub to your smartphone now - type app.countiesenergy.co.nz in your smartphone internet browser. Instructions here - https://www.countiesenergy.co.nz/art.../download-outages-app

We should be in a position to start assessing damage and restoring when the sun comes up if conditions allow – however please be aware that the network has suffered and continues to suffer severe damage and power outages will be prolonged.

We’ll be updating our website – www.countiesenergy.co.nz/storm-page  and Facebook at regular intervals with as much information as we can.

In extreme situations such as this our crews ‘make safe’ first, moving around the region isolating power to any damaged or downed lines and electrical equipment before moving to restore the network. Once essential services are restored crews then work to repair widespread outages affecting significant numbers, then multiple property and businesses then single properties.  Single properties and those with damage to privately owned service lines could be without power for some time. Some outages will be prolonged and could last multiple days.  Access to some roads and properties will be blocked.

5:35am - Evacuations also took place in the south Auckland suburb of Ramarama overnight. 

One family told Newshub they were rescued from their home alongside their 16 dogs and taken to an emergency evacuation centre.

5:30am - Auckland Civil Defence has confirmed 200 people have been evacuated from Muriwai overnight and sent to two different emergency evacuation centres in the area.

Civil Defence also confirmed there is fairly widespread damage across Auckland with surface flooding, a significant number of trees down and major power outages.

5:20am - Fire and Emergency have provided an update on the latest impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. Here is the full statement:  

Cyclone Gabrielle’s impact is continuing to be felt as it moves down the Northern part of the North Island. Fire and Emergency is being kept extremely busy with the Cyclone affecting a growing number of areas. We have lost radio and cellular contact with our people on the ground in Tairawhiti and are working to regain contact by other means.

Fire and Emergency logged 55 storm-related incidents in one hour from 3-4am, bringing the total for the previous 12 hours to 867 (note that this is a rolling 12-hour period).

Of the 55 incidents logged between 3-4am, 9 are in Northland, 12 in Auckland, 12 in Waikato, 3 in Bay of Plenty and 19 in Hawke’s Bay.

Fire and Emergency is prioritising the response to calls where life and safety is at risk. Currently these include:

• a person trapped in a car in Whangarei

• trees down, a house fire, power lines on fire and assistance with evacuations in Kaipara District

• flooding, houses slipping down banks, doors blown in and trees down in Auckland

• flooding affecting properties in Thames-Coromandel District

• flooding and a tree onto a house in Waikato

• burst culvert in Matamata-Piako District

• a tree down on a house in Rotorua

• sparking power lines in Taupo

• assistance with evacuations in Gisborne

• flooding and evacuations in Hastings

Fire and Emergency’s Auckland Response Manager Vaughan Mackereth is reiterating requests that people only call 111 when life and safety are at risk to ensure people who urgently need help can get through to our communications centre.