The heavy rain also hit Wairoa leading to flooding, which is only just starting to subside.

Two people are safe, after emergency services evacuated them in the town when a stop bank failed on a stream.

97 millimetres of rain has fallen so far today; with 20 millimetres of that falling between 5-and-6 o'clock this morning. 

MetService issued an orange severe weather warning for heavy rain around 7.30pm.

The Wairoa deputy mayor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare spoke to Māni Dunlop.