Live: 'Threat to life' weather warning as red heavy rain alerts hit New Zealand

UPDATE - 3.36pm

The Hauraki District has declared a local state of emergency.

The Council anticipates Karangahake Gorge (State Highway 2) will likely close tonight due to conditions.

It is also monitoring the Kaiaua Coast, as well as the Ramarama Stream to help keep the river mouth open. 

State of emergencies have also been declared for Bay of Plenty as well as the Whangārei and Thames-Coromandel districts.

UPDATE - 2.39pm

Bay of Plenty is the latest area to declare a local state of emergency.

The region is under a red Heavy Rain Warning, expecting up to 40 millimetres of rain per hour at peak times this evening. 

Civil Defence said it is a ‘precautionary approach’ to ensure they can respond quickly and efficiently to keep people safe during a response.

UPDATE - 12.18pm

A precautionary state of emergency has been declared in Coromandel due to severe rain and flooding ‘with potential to cause harm to people and property’.

The region is expecting a further 200 to 250 mm of rain on top of what has already accumulated, according to Metservice. 

Residents are urged to self-evacuate if they see rising water, and be ready for power and communications outages.

Update 11:15am: Emergency services are urging people to stay off the roads as the weather packs in.

Multiple regions across the North Island are being warned of a "threat to life" as severe weather bears down on the country.

Red alerts for heavy rain are currently in place for Northland, the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty (including Rotorua), and Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay.

Key Updates:

• Whangārei: A local State of Emergency was declared yesterday afternoon by Mayor Ken Couper.

• Bay of Plenty: Heavy rain is set to intensify from 1pm today (Wednesday), with up to 240mm forecast.

• Travel: Multiple state highways are closed due to slips and flooding.

The Situation Right Now

Gisborne is likely to face another 250-350mm of rain on top of what has already accumulated. The Coromandel Peninsula faces the possibility of another 250mm, while Northland is expecting up to an additional 120mm.

MetService warns this heavy deluge will create dangerous river conditions, significant flooding, and slips.

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said Northland is of the most concern to him right now.

"The ground has limited capacity to absorb any more water, and there is more coming. Everyone is mobilising."

Incidents & Closures

A large search operation is underway north of Auckland after a car was washed away at a river crossing on Falls Road this morning. Police say a passenger was able to escape and raise the alarm.

Whitianga has been completely cut off due to flooding on State Highway 25. Meanwhile, workers at the Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 have had to stop clearing large slips because the rain is destabilising the area.

Official Advice

Residents in affected areas are urged not to enter floodwaters and to avoid travel. You are also asked to prepare for possible power and communication outages.

For the latest official advice and local updates, visit civildefence.govt.nz.

This is a developing story, so check back for the latest news and updates.