A one-year-old baby is in a serious condition in Waikato Hospital after choking on a Twistie on Friday. The baby was brought in to Te Kuiti Hospital in the afternoon with choking and seizures after reportedly eating a "Twistie" snack.

More than half of the 24 whales being refloated in the Far North this evening have made it into the water, but three have died.

Slips and surface flooding are causing havoc for motorists in the lower North Island as heavy rain and gale force winds sweep the region.