Latest from South Island

Mayors back calling advance State of Emergency

Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel lifted the city's state of emergency at 11am.

Every day a good day for Coleridge Downs Training Farm cadet

Farming cadets tackle training with enthusiasm in Coleridge Downs.

Jailed for 2 years, and he wasn't even driving

Here's how man got charged for reckless use of a motor vehicle without touching the wheel.

Alexandra crash driver had been in eerily similar incident before

9 months before he killed his friend in drunken crash, he nearly killed himself same way.

Live: Washed away - Gita's trail of destruction, more rain to come

Some Tasman residents remain cut off as the country cleans up after ex-cyclone Gita.

Live: Trapped tourists set to spend night on bus

Cyclone Gita is barrelling into New Zealand, with the worst predicted yet to come.

Woman in car gets into trouble in Riwaka floodwaters: police

Police unable to confirm whether woman has been rescued.

State of emergency declared in Buller

Buller District has declared a state of emergency after flooding takes hold in Granity.

States of emergency: 'This is not a good situation'

Latest forecasts show the full impact of the storm will be felt overnight in the region.

Cyclone Gita: Tourists flock to campsites despite weather warnings

Marlborough and West Coast camps fill up as tourists seek a safe haven before the storm.

Murder charge laid after Dunedin fire

A man has been charged with murder after two people were found dead in a burning house.

Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill in Central Otago

Police are responding to reports of a person with a firearm in Omakau, in Central Otago.

Get ready for Gita: Civil Defence's new cyclone warning

As the ex-tropical cyclone bears down, be prepared, forecasters warn.

Cyclone Gita's u-turn to NZ: Who's in the firing line?

"Hurricane force winds" possible when Gita hits New Zealand.

Heavy rain, damaging winds: U-turning Cyclone Gita could be record-breaker

Gita is set to hit NZ this week - and could be the most southern-travelling cyclone ever.

How I cheated death twice in 7 months

Gordon Gray almost died from renal failure in July. Two weeks ago he had a brain bleed.

One dead after crash near Cromwell

The road is closed and diversions are in place.

Cyclone Gita could cause 12m waves in NZ

Central New Zealand appears to be at the greatest risk from Gita.