Gisborne's mayor says nobody has yet been forced to leave their homes despite severe flooding in the region prompting a state of emergency being declared.
Gisborne residents race to barricade houses with sandbags before dark rnz.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rnz.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
More than 600 contractors are out checking roads and properties for damage after the East Coast after more than a month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours.