A tropical storm was moving out into the Sea of Japan last night after lashing the country with rain and winds, leaving one person dead and more than 50 injured.

A tornado has ripped through Greymouth this afternoon, tearing off a roof and damaging up to 10 properties.

Conservation Minister Nick Smith is considering legal action after he was accused of trying to stop advocacy group Fish and Game from lobbying for cleaner rivers.

Auckland lines company Vector says it is still assessing the financial cost of last week's storm.

Wild winds brought down a large palm tree at a Whakatane property early this morning, narrowly missing the house.

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

At least a dozen families were in a welfare centre last night after one of the longest and most damaging storms in years lashed the country.

Kayaker Scott Donaldson's aborted attempt to cross the Tasman Sea shows just how treacherous the ocean can become in fierce storms.

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.

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

The Government’s decision to allow harvesting of native timber felled by Cyclone Ita on West Coast conservation land is a “massive victory”.

Parliament is expected to pass urgent legislation to enable the recovery of native timber blown over in Cyclone Ita on West Coast public conservation land.

Wild weather is hardly unexpected this time of the year. Aucklanders have every reason to believe any problem arising from strong winds or heavy rain will be handled efficiently.

A Titirangi resident says a live power line has been left on his driveway since Wednesday's storm, and Vector is responding sluggishly.

A Glen Eden family are fed up at being without power three days after an Auckland storm, despite numerous calls to their power company.

Much of the North Island is expected to bathe in sunshine over the next couple of days, providing some relief after the storms that caused flooding and damage.

The heavy rain is easing for most of the North Island and will move off tonight.

A prehistoric land mass once connecting Britain to mainland Europe may have been wiped out by a 5m-high tsunami, according to new research.

Jerry Starr thought he was taking the safe approach when a twister was reported heading towards his suburban neighbourhood outside Oklahoma City last May.

Holiday makers and children home for the school break might have to dodge showers this week.

People around Christchurch are being advised to watch out for potholes, debris and surface water following yesterday's extreme weather.

The worst of the miserable weather that caused havoc through parts of the country is over but some will be spending the long weekend cleaning up the mess.

Cyclone Ita has hit far north Queensland's coast with wind speeds of more than 200 kilometres an hour.

Severe weather from Tropical Cyclone Lusi could cause more trouble for Christchurch residents struggling with last week's storm clean-up, weather forecasters say.