Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare will be travelling to the West Coast after a weekend of severe weather to support recovery efforts, meet with locals and assess what Government support is required.
Henare and Civil Defence Emergency Management director Sarah Stuart-Black told reporters on Sunday that additional aid may be offered to affected communities based on their assessments.
Earlier on Sunday, Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor announced that $50,000 will be released by the Government to support south Canterbury farmers affected by the heavy rain and flooding - which has been described as a medium-scale adverse event.
"We're looking to understand the scale of the emergency's impact across different communities, and whether there are any specific support requirements the Government may be able to assist with," Stuart-Black said.
"At the moment, we're just going to understand what has occurred and what those requirements might be."
"We'll be looking to survey the damage and talk to affected people... this is about our people and communities. To talk to them firsthand helps us as a central Government and central Government agency to do a better job at meeting their needs moving forward," Henare added.
"I'll discuss what we are told [by locals] with my colleagues back in Wellington."
The minister and Stuart-Black will be travelling to Hokitika on Sunday afternoon to assess the weather's impacts along the West Coast of the South Island. Based on their evaluation and discussions with locals, the Government may issue further support.
"We'll be stopping at Franz Josef to visit the community response centre, if timing allows we'll be attending a community meeting Monday morning. We'll also assess the feasibility of landing at Fox [Glacier] on Monday," Stuart-Black explained.
"We'll return to Hokitika later in the morning to undertake briefings with the mayor and controller."
The group may have to adjust their travel arrangements depending on the conditions.
Both the minister and Stuart-Black advise New Zealanders to remain vigilant, be prepared and to avoid travelling on the roads in affected areas.
"The National Emergency Management Agency is monitoring the situation and can provide support if required," Stuart-Black reiterated.
New Zealanders are also advised to stay updated on the latest information through news outlets, forecasters and social media.
The severe weather is likely to continue into Monday.
