New Zealand is bracing itself for another few days of wet and wild weather, just a week after Cyclone Debbie battered much of the country.
Severe weather warnings have been issued for many parts of New Zealand, with heavy rains and strong winds expected in both the North and South Islands.
MetService say heavy rain is now falling over parts of the country and is expected to continue into Thursday or even Friday in some regions.
Cyclone Cook is expected to make landfall over the Coromandel Peninsula or Western Bay of Plenty late on Thursday. Experts are warning of 150 km/h gales, which could be strong enough to lift roofs, from Auckland to Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty, down through the central North Island and into Wellington.
Some parts of the Bay of Plenty and Taupo can expect as much as 200mm of rain. Much of the area was badly effected by Cyclone Debbie, with many residents in Edgecumbe only able to return to their flooded homes for the first time on Tuesday.
A state of emergency was declared across flood-ravaged Bay of Plenty on Tuesday, with many schools in the eastern Bay of Plenty shut ahead of bad weather.
MetService is warning of hazardous driving conditions, and suggests some people may want to alter their Easter travel plans.
Areas with heavy rain warnings:
Northland
Auckland, including Great Barrier Island
Bay of Plenty
Taupo
Coromandel Peninsula
Waikato
Waitomo
Mt Taranaki
Tongariro National Park
Buller
Nelson
Marlborough Sounds
North Otago
Dunedin
Clutha
Areas with strong wind warnings:
Auckland including Great Barrier Island
Coromandel
Bay of Plenty
Waikato
Waitomo
Taumarunui
Taupo
Taihape
Taranaki
Wanganui
Manawatu
Horowhenua
Kapiti Coast
Wellington
