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.
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.
