The lower North Island has been devastated by record flooding over the weekend with hundreds being evacuated by civil defence and hundreds more fleeing the area.
From Taranaki across to Rangitaane, Raukawa in the South as far north as Maniapoto. Iwi are only just realising the full extent of the damage to their homes and marae.
Among the hardest hit are the communities of Waitotara, Whangaehu and Whanganui.
To describe the situation there, Mihingarangi Forbes spoke to Gerard Albert, spokesperson for the Whanganui iwi response earlier this evening.