Two people are missing, and another is seriously hurt, after a landslip hit a home in PapamoaThousands of people are without power, mostly in Bay of Plenty.SH2 is shut near Paeroa in Hauraki District, SH25 is shut in multiple areas cutting Whitianga off. SH35 was shut overnightRed rain warnings across the North Island have been liftedGisborne, Bay of Plenty, Coromandel, Hauraki District and Whangarei remain in precautionary states of emergency.
One person has serious injuries and two people are unaccounted for after a landslide in Tauranga, as rain and flooding continue to cause problems across the country.
Police were called just after 4am to reports a slip had extensively damaged a house on Welcome Bay Rd in Papamoa.
A number of houses in the area are being evacuated.
Emergency Minister Mark Mitchell told RNZ a rescue and recovery operation for the two people was ongoing.
It comes after a man in a vehicle was swept away by floodwaters while trying to cross the Mahurangi River at Warkworth, north of Auckland. Police said efforts to locate the man, a local in his 40s, would likely resume later today .
Meanwhile, on the East Cape, helicopters were deployed to assist people trapped on roofs due to flooding in Te Araroa, police said this morning.
Seven people were rescued and were being evacuated by helicopter for medical assessment.
In Gisborne, south of Te Araroa, Mayor Rehette Stoltz said even though the rain was easing, there were still dangers out there.
“We need everyone to be mindful, especially when they travel.”
Watches & Warnings have now lifted in the North Island as the tropical low moves away to the east.
They remain in place for the South Island, but rain will ease today.
🌩 This afternoon there is a risk of thunderstorms for some parts of the country as a region of unstable air… pic.twitter.com/TgudHFDYeF
— MetService NZ (@MetService) January 21, 2026
Stoltz said Gisborne had seen extensive flooding and teams would be assessing infrastructure today.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence this morning said evacuations had occurred up the coast.
It said Hicks Bay was flooded and the nearby bay of Onepoto was cut off.
A slip on the hill above Hicks Bay was pushing water through the motel, and clients had moved into the restaurant for safety.
There had been pre-emptive evacuations from some streets in Tokomaru Bay, with two people rescued from a Harris St property.
Conditions easing
Conditions are easing after a day of torrential rain yesterday, but many roads remain closed, power is out to thousands of people, and states of emergency remain in place in several areas.
MetService has lifted all its weather alerts for the North Island, some parts of which were under the highest red warning yesterday and overnight.
However, some warnings and watches remain in the South Island.
Tasman west of Mapua is under an orange heavy rain warning, while Tasman and Nelson Districts east of about Mapua are under a heavy rain watch.
Heavy rain watches have also been issued for Buller, Grey Districts, Canterbury and the Kaikoura District.
Waters receding
Thames-Coromandel District mayor Peter Revell told Morning Report floodwaters were receding and roads were opening.
“There are a couple that are still cut off by flooding, but there have been four of five locations where there have been slips that have blocked the road.”
He said rapid impact assessment teams were out assessing the area.
Revell said overnight there were a few evacuations due to flooding and slips, but everyone was safe.
“A priority is to get all roads open again so all people right around the district so people have access to services such as hospitals.”
Some major roads remain shut throughout the top and eastern parts of the North Island this morning.
State Highway 2 is shut near Paeroa in Hauraki District, at Katikati near Tauranga and at the Waioweka Gorge between Opotiki and Gisborne.
In Coromandel, SH25 is shut in multiple areas, cutting Whitianga off.
On the east coast, SH35 was shut overnight and officials are assessing the route now.
MetService says some areas in the North Island saw about 150mm to 180mm of rainfall overnight.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane told Morning Report the bulk of the wet weather was moving off the North Island, but wet weather was still forecast for the South Island.