Whakatane residents are being asked to keep a close eye on cliffs, following a recent spell of heavy rain.

People living or working close to steep hillsides in Whakatane, Ohope and Matata are being told to stay alert for signs of instability.

A 17-year-old boy died when his house Ohope house was struck by a landslide in 2011.

Whakatane District Council spokesman Ross Boreham says the rainfall is once again dangerously high.

"Experience shows once you get more than a hundred millimetres of rainfall accumulating over a short period of time, the chance of landslides does increase."

People are being warned to avoid sleeping in bedrooms that hang over hillsides or are located close to cliffs.

Whakatane District Council says it doesn't want to see a repeat of the 2011 death.

Ross Boreham is urging people to report any slips to the council with location details, so the area can be inspected and action taken.

He says people should sleep at the opposite side of the house to embankments.

"The other thing that people can do is make the decision to self-evacuate, and go somewhere where they know they're going to be safe."

People living near the Awatarariki Stream in Matata have also received a specific warning.

In a statement, the council says people should evacuate if the stream level shows any signs of a rapid increase in flow.