Cyclone Gabrielle: All you need to know about the Bay of Plenty state of emergency

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Bay of Plenty Civil Defence declared a regional state of emergency around 8pm on Monday after the region was hammered by severe weather.

Cyclone Gabrielle caused floods, power outages, schools to close and coastal communities to evacuate throughout the Bay of Plenty.

While conditions were expected to improve today, the worst of the weather was forecast overnight with 70 to 100mm of rain expected to fall between 9pm yesterday and 6am.

Along with Civil Defence, Whakatāne District Council, Ōpōtiki District Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council declared a state of emergency yesterday.

Evacuation warnings

Hundreds of people across the Bay of Plenty were forced to evacuate from their homes on Monday and as severe weather continues overnight others are on high alert.

Pukehina, Waihi Beach, Athenree and Maketu residents were told before midnight they may be forced to evacuate if the storm continued to worsen.

The warning came after the Western Bay of Plenty District Council urged residents to be ready to leave their homes at short notice even if they did not live in a flood zone.

A mandatory evacuation order was made to around 100 homes in the Whakatāne area around 3pm after acting mayor Lesley Immink announced a state of emergency.

They were all homes in West End Ōhope, up to and including the Beach Point Apartment complex, and about nine homes identified on Harbour Rd, Port Ōhope that were particularly low-lying.

More than 350 properties needed to evacuate in Ōpōtiki due to concerns about coastal surges and inundation.

Councils encouraged fleeing residents to stay with friends and family in the first instance.

Tauranga shelters:

• Baypark Stadium: 81 Truman Lane
• Tamapahore Marae: 46 Tareha Lane, Mangatawa
• Huria Marae: 1 Te Kaponga St, Brookfield
• Hungahungatoroa Marae: 29a Hungahungatorora Rd, Matapihi
• Whetu Marae: 612 Welcome Bay Rd

Western Bay of Plenty shelters:

• RSA Waihī Beach – 99 Beach Road, Waihī Beach
• Pongakawa Action Centre – 956 Old Coach Rd
• Tuapiro Marae - 24 Hikurangi Road, Tahawai
• Orchard Church in Te Puke – 20 MacLoughlin Drive, Te Puke
• Katikati Baptist Church – 2 Wedgewood St, Katikati
• Athenree Homestead and Station - 360 Athenree Rd, Athenree Gorge

Eastern Bay of Plenty shelters:

• Whakatāne War Memorial Hall - Short Street, Whakatāne
• Fire and Emergency NZ station Waihau Bay - 113 State Highway 35
• Tawaroa Station - 147 Tawaroa Station Road
• Te Kaha Marae - State Highway 35
• Te Kura Mana Maori O Maraenui - 11 Maraenui Pa Road, Hawai 3199
• Torere Kura -2276 State Highway 35, Opotiki
• Ōpape Marae - 76C Opape Road, Toatoa 3197
• Ōpōtiki College - 22 Saint John Street, Ōpōtiki 3122
• Te Rere marae - 50A Te Rere Pa Road, Ōtara 3197
• Kutarere School - 461 State Highway 2, Kutarere 3198