Photo: RNZ / Nick MonroPeople in Tauranga feeling unsafe when heavy rain bears down on the city are being urged to evacuate. The Bay of Plenty west of Whakatane is now under an orange heavy rain warning, with up to 140mm forecast from midnight. A farm dam burst in the heavy rain, blocking a Far North road with mud and debris. Northland's orange heavy rain warning has been downgraded to a heavy rain watch until 6pm Tuesday, with MetService saying the storm was tracking south. Heavy rain watches for late Tuesday were in place in parts of the north of the island.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 07, 2026 09:04 UTC