Greg Walker and his partner live rurally near Tauranga, and currently have the in-laws staying with them. Walker said he realised something was wrong when he woke up to the sound of a heavy downpour. "I walked outside and immediately knew there was a problem, because I could hear the river roaring from about 400m away. "There was just way too much power in the water, you could barely stand up in it, let alone pass it." Those in central North Island areas are being warned to keep survival items nearby, as ex-Cyclone Debbie continues overnight.

Source: New Zealand Herald April 05, 2017 08:21 UTC