Hawke's Bay

Firegrounds at Kaikōura and Leader Road at Waiau were expected to be handed back to landowners on Friday.

Hawke's Bay parents are being advised to be alert after a man approached a young girl walking home in Whakatu.

Strong winds are creating challenging conditions for fire crews battling several bush fires near Porangahau, with air operations now suspended for the rest of the day.

The Central Hawke's Bay village of Pōrangahau is on standby for a possible evacuation with a pine forest fire burning nearby.

Police said the alarm was raised at 1.40pm today and Coastguard Hawke's Bay were deployed to help with the search.

A rough night lies ahead as further win and rain looms for many rainsoaked areas in the South Island..

More than a thousand people flocked to the small rural village in central Hawke's Bay at the weekend to celebrate its 150th year with a parade, markets, singing, dancing and even a golf tournament. Audio

The red-and-blacks have won more provincial titles than anyone else, since the competition was revamped in 2006.

A former Civil Defence controller told an inquest that the Christchurch earthquakes had shown the need for the platform.

"I'm just very sorry that wasn't good enough for your loved ones and we weren't able to save them," Ian Macdonald says.

It has since been put out.

Truck driver Sarah Hope Schmidt ran into a stationary queue of vehicles because she had been distracted by using her phone while driving.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council's flood forecaster has been questioned about whether his language about the flood risk accurately conveyed the urgency and threat to life. Audio

A hydrologist says the cyclone was expected to be similar to the 2018 flood in Esk Valley, but the peak discharge of water ended up being more than double 2018's amount. Audio

Drivers should expect delays.

All sitting Hawke's Bay regional councillors, who ran for re-election, have won back their seats, progress results suggest.

Getting back to the basics, avoiding tangents and bringing the community along with council decisions will be on the agenda, the incoming McGrath says.

Marcus Buddo hasn't conceded the Hastings mayoralty to rival Wendy Schollum yet.