"The message we have sent from here is you can have the day off today, and probably the day off tomorrow."
Meanwhile, minor power outages had effected some residents in the area.
Many fisherman had shifted their base to higher ground, and residents in the area had been able to secure things that would potentially blow away in strong winds, Mr Preece said.
Mr Preece said he believed they were lucky to have had time to prepare for the cyclone.
"I think we have had quite a bit of lead in time with Cyclone Pam, we have seen the destruction it has caused up in the Pacific.
"Even though it didn't have a major impact in Gisborne, it is heading more straight towards us.
"These cyclones have a habit of having a mind of their own, we just have to take caution certainly I think these winds are going to be around for several days. I like to think we are pretty well prepared."
More than 100 people were evacuated from homes as wild weather and storm surge threatened properties in coastal settlements north of Gisborne hit by the remnants of Cyclone Pam.
Speaking to TV3's Firstline, Prime Minister John Key said he was happy with how Civil Defence had managed the cyclone's impact on New Zealand.
He said three Civil Defence staff members had been dispatched to the Chatham Islands to help with preparedness.
Thousands lost power and strong winds and heavy rain battered communities along northeastern parts of the North Island yesterday and overnight Sunday.
Gisborne district residents and officials were last night bracing for the overnight high tide, set to hit at 3am.
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Despite the rough conditions, the district appears to have been spared significant damage as former tropical cyclone Pam passed by yesterday afternoon.
Civil Defence said the rainfall was manageable. Heavy easterly swells, estimated at 5-6m north of Gisborne, were expected to reduce by noon today.
At Tokomaru Bay, seawater reached up the seawall along the road to Waima and yesterday afternoon people living in the settlement's low-lying areas were evacuated.
Reports from Anaura Bay indicated waves of 5-6m and witnesses said they had "never seen anything like it before".
"Several campers who were still in freedom camping areas yesterday morning moved out after strong encouragement from Gisborne police," said area commander Inspector Sam Aberahama.
Civil Defence had reports of horizontal rain in parts of the Gisborne district yesterday.
Northland and Auckland escaped the storm largely unscathed, with some fallen trees and about 2000 people losing power.
A state of emergency was declared in Chatham Islands, with warnings issued for severe gales, heavy rain and large swells.
Nori Parata, Tolaga Bay Civil Defence warden and local school principal, told the Herald last night they'd escaped relatively unscathed with just a few broken fences and downed trees, but it would be this morning before they got to assess the damage from overnight.
Thirty-two Anaura Bay residents had to move in with relatives while the remnants of the storm hit. The waves breached the dunes protecting one property late yesterday afternoon, but she was hopeful the damage was confined to a shed.
She had told residents to bunker down until today, at least, until authorities could give the all clear.
But the remaining 70 residents who were evacuated were last night allowed to return home after being given the all clear by Civil Defence.
Tolaga Bay Civil Defence officer Pop Milner said six roads remained closed and more than 350 properties were without power.
But it would be school as usual for all students in the district.
In an earlier report yesterday, Civil Defence said the Hikuwai River had gone over stopbanks at Mangatuna, north of Tolaga Bay.
"Reports of a river level more than 14m were incorrect due to faulty equipment," said Civil Defence controller Peter Higgs.
"State Highway 35 remained open at Mangatuna north of Tolaga, where the Hikuwai River got to 8m.
"All other rivers were well below alert levels."
Power lines came down in Hicks Bay, a house roof lifted and there were trees down at Ruatoria.
Faultmen were kept busy responding to call-outs through the day.
"Our staff restored power to 200 customers on the Mahia Peninsula and at many other isolated outages across the Gisborne/East Coast region," said Eastland Network's general manager Brent Stewart.
"We still have isolated pockets of customers in rural and coastal areas without power, but we have identified all faults and will make repairs as soon as possible.
"They are all isolated individual faults, mainly caused by falling trees."
There were no postal deliveries in Gisborne or around the region yesterday.
Many shops and businesses remained closed, perhaps as many as 60-70 per cent, because of the bad weather.
All schools in the district were closed for the day.
Gisborne resident Jenny Hindmarch was one of many to brave the elements and don a raincoat to check out the conditions at Wainui Beach yesterday afternoon.
Ms Hindmarch, who has lived near the beach for 11 years, said although the surf was pretty rough she had experienced bigger waves over the years.
Previously she'd seen the sea reach the main road, State Highway 35, but at yesterday's 3pm high tide it had only reached the two- or three-metre-high embankment.
Fellow Wainui Beach residents Deryk and Georgette Jenson had to chase their dog, Mana, a Cairn terrier, down the beach as she frolicked in the stormy conditions.
The couple had lived in the 10m-high cliff-top property for about 10 years and said the storm wasn't the strongest they had seen, but believe they were protected given the wind was coming from the south.
"For us it was just fortunate it was from the south," Mr Jenson said.
"It's the easterly [winds] that hit us. It got quite windy about 11am and [officials] kept saying it would get stronger in the afternoon but it didn't peak."
Mrs Jenson said the one positive from all the rain was their water tank was finally getting replenished.
Track Cyclone Pam in real-time here
