Whatatutu Volunteer Fire Station

14/02/2026

⚠️Weather going to be pretty unrelenting, 🌧️💦heavy rain will be here from tomorrow morning through to Monday morning with most impact happening in the afternoon and early morning Monday.
🙅🏻‍♀️Avoid unnecessary travel, if in low lying areas be vigilant and prepare to evacuate tō higher level or to town if you feel unsafe.
If you have to travel out drive to the conditions as plenty of water on the roads, watch out for slips and visibility reduced.
➡️ For all emergencies 📞 111 🚒🚑🚓

📢 Here’s the latest from the MetService whānau. Good to see some of those numbers have eased. We’ve still got ORANGE 🍊 warnings across the region, so stay safe out there. 💙

🍊 ORANGE heavy rain warning for Tairāwhiti, north of Tolaga Bay for 11hrs from 8pm Saturday through to 7am Sunday. Expect a further 40-60mm on top of what has already fallen. Intensities of 15-20mm/hr at first but easing through the night.

🍊 ORANGE heavy rain warning for Tairāwhiti, south of Poverty Bay, and Hawke’s Bay about and east of Wairoa for 23hrs from 6am Sunday through to 5am Monday. Expect 100-150mm of rain. Peak intensities of 15-25mm/hr Sunday afternoon. Heavy rain may ease for a time on Sunday night before becoming heavy again for a time early Monday morning.

🍊 ORANGE strong wind warning for Tairāwhiti, south of Poverty Bay, and Hawke’s Bay for 14hrs from 5pm Sunday to 7am Monday. Severe gale west to south westerlies, with damaging gusts of 130km/hr in exposed places, especially about the coast.

🌊 Wave warning for Mahanga to East Cape from 1pm Sunday through to 1pm Monday. Southerly combined waves rising to 4.5m Sunday afternoon and to 6-6.5m late Sunday. Easing to 4m Monday morning. Peak period 10-11 seconds. Southerly swell rising to 3.5-4m Sunday afternoon and to 4.5-5m Sunday evening, then easing below 3.5m Monday morning. South west wind waves rising to 3-4m Sunday morning, turning north west 2.5-3m Monday morning, then easing below 2.5m Monday afternoon.

For the more info 👇
https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home -north

And remember . . . SH35 is closed ⛔️ from Lottin Point Road to Taurangakoau Bridge, just south of Te Araroa. SH2 through the Waioweka Gorge is also ⛔️. Both will be reassessed before a decision is made on them opening on Monday.

For the latest on the SHs 👇
https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner

Kia kaha Tairāwhiti 💪🏼

13/02/2026

Latest update from Tairawhiti Civil Defence.

There is a lot in play right now across the whole of Tairāwhiti. Here’s the boil down on all that is going on at the moment . . . and it is a bit! 💙

🍊 ORANGE heavy rain warning for Tairāwhiti, north of Tolaga Bay for 24hrs from 9am (Sat) to 9am Sunday. 100-150mm with intensities of 15-25mm/hr with the possibility of reaching 25-40mm/hr in downpours. Thunderstorms possible.

🍊 ORANGE heavy rain warning for Tairāwhiti, south of Tolaga Bay for 27 hours from 9am Saturday to noon on Sunday. Expect 100-120mm with intensities of 15-20mm/hr possible.

⛈️ Severe thunderstorm watch for northern Tairāwhiti from 8.25am Saturday through to 10pm Saturday. Moderate risk of localised downpours with rainfall rates of 25-40mm/hr until late evening.

🍊 ORANGE heavy rain warning Tairāwhiti, south of Poverty Bay and Hawke’s Nay about and east of Wairoa, for 22 hours from 7am Sunday through to 5am Monday. 120-160mm with peak intensities 20-30mm/hr Sunday evening.

🍊 ORANGE strong wind warning for Tairāwhiti, south of Poverty Bay for 15 hours from 4pm Sunday to 7am Monday. Severe gale west to southwesterlies with damaging gusts of 130km/hr in exposed places especially about the coast.

🌊 UPDATED 4pm Saturday: Wave warning for Mahanga to Cape Runaway from 1pm Sunday through to 1pm Monday. Southerly combined waves rising to 4.5m Sunday afternoon and to 6-6.5m late Sunday. Easing to 4m Monday morning.

For full forecasts 👉 https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home -north

We know this is a lot to keep across whānau, especially given we are on the third anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle 🤨. Stay safe out there.

🖤

Radio Ngati Porou Gisborne District Council Turanga FM Media
Bevan for Breakfast on MORE FM Te Araroa Civil Defence
Waiapu Civil Defence Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou Manaaki Matakāoa Mahaki Solomon Te Aroha Kanarahi Trust
Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa SH35 Panui The Gisborne Herald Te Akau o Tokomaru Civil Defence Page Tairāwhiti - Fire and Emergency NZ Ormond Community
Community
Uawa Civil Defence - Tolaga Bay East Coast Eastern District Police
MetService New Zealand Hicks Bay Lodge
Puia springs & waipiro bay civil defence
Waimata Catchment Restoration Project UAWA LIVE
Gisborne Neighbourhood Support 2025
Civil Defence Rangitukia
WHAREKAHIKA NEWS & VIEWS Hinemaurea Marae Ki Wharekahika (Official Page)

13/02/2026

🌧🟠🟡 Heavy Rain Watches and Warnings

Full info and updates at www.metservice.com/warnings/home

A humid northeast flow over the North Island is likely to aid thunderstorm development today and into Saturday morning. Localised downpours are possible and could have significant impacts if they occur.

A deep low is expected to form northeast of the North Island during Saturday, bringing a more sustained period of heavy rain some places, especially Gisborne/Tairawhiti.
NZ Civil Defence Civil Defence Waikato Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Tairāwhiti Civil Defence NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi - Waikato & Bay of Plenty NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi - Hawke’s Bay & Gisborne Waikato Regional Council Gisborne District Council

10/02/2026

🚒 Whatatutu Fire Brigade Training Night 🚒
🕕 Tonight – 6pm

New members are very welcome! Come down, meet the crew, and see if there’s a role for you at Whatatutu Brigade. No experience needed — just a willingness to help the community.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, this is a great chance to check it out 🔥

03/02/2026

Fire training tonight 6pm. All welcome, come down and have a chat see if there’s a role you can play.

22/01/2026

21/01/2026

🚧 ROAD UPDATE – State Highway 35 (SH35)
Uawa Civil Defence Team

✅ 5:30pm – UPDATE
SH35 Tikitiki to Gisborne is OPEN.

✅ 12:15pm – UPDATE
SH35 Pōtaka to Ōpōtiki is OPEN.

✅ 9:00am – UPDATE (22/01/26)
Kia ora whānau,
✅ State Highway 35 is OPEN from Gisborne to Tolaga Bay ONLY (as at 9:00am).

⚠️ All other sections of SH35 remain CLOSED and are still under assessment due to ongoing risks including:
• Trees down
• Minor slips
• Road dropouts

🚫 Please stay off the road outside this open section until official clearance is given.

Uawa Civil Defence Team

21/01/2026

GISBORNE - SEVERE WEATHER – UPDATE 6PM, FRI 13 FEB

SH35 is CLOSED between Lottin Point Rd in Pōtaka and Taurangakoau Bridge, south of Te Araroa.

CLOSED
• SH35 Pōtaka to south of Te Araroa

OPEN
• SH35 south of Te Araroa to Gisborne
• All other state highways in the Gisborne and Hawke's Bay regions remain open

For more info on the weather event please visit metservice.com/warnings

Please follow Tairāwhiti Civil Defence and Gisborne District Council for localised information.

21/01/2026

Widespread flooding has cut off towns and submerged homes.