Heavy rain has continued to hammer the Hawke's Bay region, with more than 130mm of rainfall over the last 30 hours drenching the region.
It's the heaviest rainfall all year, causing surface flooding, multiple slips and roads to be closed.
Paddocks flooded by a swollen Ngaruroro River.
Liz Lambert from Hawkes Bay Civil Defence says, “The impact of that has been rivers have been up around the one in five year flood event, but that's what our flood protection schemes are designed to allow to happen.”
Major surface flooding has seen drivers navigating through watery roads and with multiple slips, roads have been closed.
Meterologist from Metservice, Lisa Murray says, “It's been quite significant for the farmers and the people over there because they've had so little rain and, but this is quite a significant event.”
There's a reprieve in sight with the MetService predicting the heavy downpour should begin to ease later this evening. But the rain will continue until Sunday.
Lambert says, “Some of our river measurements have already started to record some falls so we're pretty comfortable with where things are at.”
Still with multiple slips and trees down, police are urging motorists to drive with caution on all roads in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne.