Hawkes Bay coastal residents are allowed to return home after high waves prompted evacuations.

Once-in-a-century flooding has caused hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage in southwest Queensland.

Once-in-a-century flooding has caused hundreds of millions of dollars damage in southwest Queensland,.

High tides and bad weather could flood Auckland's Northwestern Motorway in coming months.

Rain eased in Gisborne overnight and surrounding roads reopened after flooding and slips caused evacuations.

The residents of Mangatuna village, north of Tolaga Bay, were moved out this morning as the Uawa River rose from its usual four metres to 11 metres.

Ten New Zealanders have been evacuated from flood-ravaged Machu Picchu as others stay to help locals.

A NZer stuck among hundreds of tourists in flood-ravaged Machu Picchu is filling sandbags while her mates help out in a makeshift medical tent.

Heavy rain and possibly even thunderstorms are forecast for southern parts of Auckland today.

Mudslides have trapped at least 16 New Zealanders in an area near the Peru Inca trail leading to Machu Picchu, a spokesman for MFAT says.

The family of a New Zealand man, among the hundreds trapped after flash floods in Peru, say he is safe - but a little scared.

See-sawing temperatures characterised New Zealand's weather in 2009, according to Niwa's annual climate summary.

Motorists are being warned to take extra care on the roads as heavy rain and strong winds move up the country.