Weather: Gisborne on high alert with more torrential rain on the way, some Waikato residents spend night bailing water [Video]

Some Waikato residents spent the night bailing water after heavy rain pelted the region overnight. 

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) attended at least 12 weather-related jobs, including flooded properties in Hamilton. Fortunately, no situations were life-threatening. 

Tairāwhiti Gisborne remains under a state of emergency with a red heavy rain warning issued and concerns the rainfall will intensify on Friday night. Meanwhile, a series of orange rain warnings and watches have been issued for the east of the North Island and top of the South Island.

The wild weather is also causing travel disruptions across the North Island with state highways closed and buses cancelled. 

Other parts of the North Island remain on alert, including Gisborne and the East Coast, which is under a state of emergency and a “red” heavy rain warning until at least Sunday. 

There were multiple landslips and burst rivers across Tairāwhiti on Thursday, leading to …