A woman who was swept to her death in a flood-swollen Bay of Islands river was a 28-year-old mother from Wellington.

Rescuers trying to save people at a house party deluged by floodwaters were abused by those they were trying to help.

In the wake of one of the longest and most damaging storms to hit in years, Northland must now turn its attention to repairing key infrastructure.

The search for a woman missing in Waitangi River floodwaters since early this morning has been suspended. It will resume tomorrow morning.

Torrential rain caused flooding and closed roads in Auckland and Waiheke this afternoon, with a number of people having to be rescued from rising floodwaters.

As Northland struggles to get back to normal after a week of bad weather, it is set to get hammered by high winds and heavy rain overnight and into tomorrow.

The chief coroner has criticised a doctor and a DHB for failing to notify him about a man who died after doing the ice challenge and drinking a bottle of Jim Beam.

Some Far North residents could spend the weekend without power following a massive storm which caused widespread damage to the electricity network.

Tonight will be the third cold night without power for thousands of households as more stormy conditions continue to batter the top of the North Island.

The suspected illegal sale of a Northland island is further evidence of the Government's free-for-all attitude to selling land to foreign interests, Winston Peters says.

Thousands of people are still without power across the north following a severe storm which battered the country over the past two days.

A Kawakawa farmer says he took quite a risk to rescue two people trapped in cars in fast-moving flood waters.

A former All Black and the coach of teen rugby player Jordan Kemp, who died from a suspected head knock, has called for an urgent forum to address the dangers of brain injuries.

A fatal rugby injury has devastated a NZ family, sent shockwaves through a tight-knit Northland community and re-emphasised risks associated with the national game.

A month ago, a group of overweight cousins decided they needed to make a change in their lives - and they have.

Drink in the gorgeous views on one of the many hikes, says Elisabeth Easther.

A landlord who illegally installed a gas cooker resulting in a fire that killed a 19-year-old woman has today been sentenced to six months home detention.

Two men dragged an injured forestry worker from his car as it burst into flames after crashing into wandering livestock on a Far North rural road.

The sky is the limit as a Northland town turns on the charm for a winter festival, writes Elisabeth Easther.

A Whangarei teacher has admitted kicking her estranged husband's pregnant partner in the face at a junior rugby match.

A Whangarei school teacher in on trial this morning charged with assaulting her ex-husband's pregnant partner.

An eerie photo of millions of spiders fleeing flooded farmland in Hikurangi last week has gone viral, after it was posted by a popular science Facebook page.

Flooding has closed highways around the country with rain falling non-stop in many parts of the country today, and there's no sign of it easing overnight.

A home invasion in Tinopai, on the Kaipara Harbour, on Saturday evening is being investigated by police.

A kayaker who capsized in wild Northland weather last night was embarking on his usual 10-minute commute home from work.

A Northland writer has apologised to the widow of a Kiwi missing on MH370 after she took offence at a book he's penned about the jet's disappearance.