Gisborne residents may need to evacuate
Heavy rain is causing streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are possible at this time with driving conditions hazardous. Gisborne residents near Hikuwai River have been urged to prepare for evacuation while farmers have been asked to move their stock to higher ground.
Emergency management for the Tairāwhiti district have shared the following information:
- Residents need to have a plan in case we need to evacuate. Please check on whānau and neighbours.
- If you know you could possibly get cut off, make plans to move now or be prepared with enough supplies for 3 days including medication.
- We recommend campers in exposed coastal areas pack up and move to a safer place or a holiday park.
- If MetService upgrade the orange warning to a red warning, we will temporarily close our summer camping areas.
- All unsealed roads are closed to heavy vehicles at this stage until 8pm Wednesday 11 January. If this period is extended a decision will be made at 11.30am Wednesday.
- Transfer stations are closed until further notice at Tokomaru Bay, Te Araroa, Te Puia and Matawai.
- 180 homes are without power around the Tauwharepare, Ihungia areas. Reports of trees down on power lines.
- First alert flood warnings are issued for Hikuwai River at WillowFlat and Waipaoa River at Kanakanaia.
- All sports grounds are closed, including the Whataupoko mountain bike park tracks.
- Emergency sewer valves have been opened into city’s waterways.
There's a strong wind watch and wave warning - there’s currently 3m waves expected to reach 6m. A further 150mm to 200mm of rain is expected on top of what has already fallen, giving event totals of 250 to 350mm. Peak rates of 15 - 25 mm/h are possible until tonight.
Keep up to date with any changes using the Gisborne District Council website and MetService.
Time to Tickle Your Thinker 🧠
If a zookeeper had 100 pairs of animals in her zoo, and two pairs of babies are born for each one of the original animals, then (sadly) 23 animals don’t survive, how many animals do you have left in total?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: Do you think Gisborne is doing enough to help households safely dispose of hard-to-recycle waste?
How do we Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle the hard stuff?
We’re talking tyres, paint, and agricultural chemicals — the items that aren’t always easy to dispose of.
Recently featured in The Post, this innovative business is showing how waste can be transformed into opportunity, turning what we throw away into products.
But this raises a bigger question: how do we get our waste to the right people — the ones doing the right things with it?
♻️ Do you think Councils and Government are doing enough to help households safely dispose of hard-to-recycle waste and get it back into the supply chain?
We’d love to hear your thoughts.
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0% Yes!
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50% No.
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50% For some products.
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