Whakatane Mayor Tony Bonne says the council and residents are well prepared for what comes next.

LISTEN ABOVE: Mike Hosking talks to Whakatane Mayor, Tony Bonne and Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler, about what's yet to come with Cyclone Cook.

He told Mike Hosking the Matahina Dam and local rivers are being monitored around the clock in a bid to prevent further flooding.

"The regional council is totally responsible for all the river systems and protection and they seem to have things under control there."

Meanwhile, a major evacuation operation is getting underway on the Coromandel Peninsula.

All low-lying residents are to be evacuated.

"We're going to try and get them all out to safety- we are opening our Civil Defence Centres around 10am, we've got the support of the Defence Force coming in to help."