'I'm not going anywhere soon,' says Edgecumbe local as town evacuates

A stopbank is all there is between Harry Street and disaster but the former contractor living just metres from the fast-flowing Whakatane River says he's staying put. For now.

The feisty 71-year-old has spent the morning on his lawn enjoying a hot cup of tea watching the swollen river pass by his Bay of Plenty home even though it is 1.5 metres below river level.

Earlier this morning Whakatane District Mayor Tony Bonne warned residents to leave immediately saying there was imminent danger to life as stopbanks breached pouring water through homes and streets of the Bay of Plenty township.

A state of civil emergency has now been declared. People have been told to go to higher ground or emergency welfare centres set up outside the town.

Parts of the town are inundated by murky, brown floodwater that started surging through streets and homes at 8.30am.

But the hardy Edgecumbe resident says he knows what he's doing and doesn't feel he's in any danger.

Despite the record high level and gaping stopbank breach Street had watched the river slowly recede throughout the morning.

"The water has gone down a foot since 7.30am and that's a good sign," Street said.

Water was still seeping through a point in the stopbank around 500m from his home but his road was not affected by flooding yet.

"I'm ready to go in a flash if I need to, but this house is on solid foundations that is up off the ground."

"The whole of Edgecumbe would have to be under water before this house goes under."

However, crunch time would be later this afternoon with high tide and that has him a little worried.

"Everything is looking pretty hunky dory at the moment but the D-Day is 3pm," he said.

"Where I live, even on a nice day, the river banks up just under a metre because it's tidal.

"I'm hoping it will keep receding and the level will act as a buffer zone."

Street said if that happened he would flee but at this point he was confident the stopbanks were holding near his property and he was safe.