An emergency centre has been set up and homes are under threat from rising rivers with residents starting to self-evacuate as the rain continues to drench western and central districts of the North Island.

Footage has emerged of trucks winding through the treacherous Awakino Gorge navigating large slips and flooding, as Auckland now sits under a heavy rain watch.

Roads are flooded and heavy rain has triggered slips across Waikato highways, with motorists trapped and communities cut off.

The Ruapehu District Council says rain is falling at rates not anticipated and the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been activated, with at least one family self-evacuating due to rising rivers.

Homes in the township of Ōhura are under threat due to the Mangaroa Stream, which is continuing to rise.

Police say they’re aware of some vehicles “unable to move” after “significant weather” has made State Highway 3 in the Awakino Gorge impassable at places.

The road will be closed until late this afternoon.

Many settlements, including Awakino, Māhoenui, Matiere and Ōhura, are cut off.

State Highways 30, 31, 43 and 4 are also closed after huge slips, along with many smaller roads, with some at risk of washing away entirely.

Homes under threat, family evacuates in Ruapehu

Ruapehu Civil Defence Controller Clive Manley said there are reports homes are under threat near the Mangaroa Stream in Ōhura and at least one family has had to self-evacuate

The Ōhura River is also close to breaching its banks, with a family in Maitere, a town that sits near the river, being forced to self-evacaute.

Manley said the council’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been partically activated, with rain falling at levels not anticipated.

Ōhura and Mangapapa Rds are both closed, with road closure signs in place at SH4 and the base of the Ōkahukura Saddle.

A “major” slip is preventing any travel north of Taumarunui, Manley said, and the Ōhura, Maitere and Tokorima townships in northern Ruapehu are currently isolated from slips and flooding across local access roads.

Manley said the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell has also been in contact with Ruapehu Civil Defence Controller Clive and offered any necessary support.

“People are asked to continue to avoid any unnecessary travel as the weather system passes through.”

Hohotaka Rd is beginning to slip away and could completely wash out.

Flooding is reported on Taupō Rd, and there are slips on Kawautahi Rd, Ōkahukura Saddle and Marsack Rd.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said there are “no suitable detours” for many of the closures, including vital connecting routes SH31 and SH3, and motorists should delay their journey or expect long delays.

Mid-morning, a convoy of trucks trapped between slips on SH3 was able to file slowly through a significant landslide across the road.

Many cordons blocking motorists have been continuously extended throughout the morning as more slips come down and heavy rain falls.

Photos from Waikawau in North Taranaki, just north of the Awakino Gorge, show paddocks and rural roads completely overwhelmed with brown flood water.

Rural roads have turned to rivers in Waikawau. Photo / Sonia Maxwell

Police urged motorists across the Waikato District to take care in the “significant weather conditions” and limit themselves to essential travel only.

“Reducing speed, using headlights and windscreen wipers, and watching your visibility will also ensure a safe trip.”

Multiple slips have been reported across the Waikato District. Photo / Waitomo District Council

MetService has upgraded its warnings for Waitomo, and Waikato south of Raglan and Cambridge. The orange warning came into force at 7am and is expected to last until midday.

NZTA said SH3 is now closed and police are urging motorists to not to travel through the gorge. No detour is available.

An Awakino local told the Herald the river was extremely high, reaching high tide levels while at low tide.

Rivers are starting breach banks in parts of Waikato. Photo / Waitomo District Council

Mōkau School principal Maryann Symonds said she had contacted students affected by the slips and flooding.

She said some would not be able to make it to school today, but the school was remaining open to those who could.

A Mōkau cafe worker said there were “barely any cars” and thunderstorms were continuing to lash the area.

“It’s a really terrible day, the weather is awful.”

She said it was not uncommon for the gorge to close in severe weather, but the lack of confirmation on when it might reopen was “concerning”.

NZTA spokesman Blair Cunningham said crews were on-site clearing the road “as safely and efficiently as possible”.

A heavy rain warning for the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty began at 1am today and expires at 6pm.

Between 90 and 120mm of rain is forecast across the affected areas, with peak rates of 20mm/h.

A heavy rain watch is in force for Auckland, Aotea Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato about and north of Raglan to Cambridge until 2pm.

Wet weather to persist across North Island

Meanwhile, MetService forecaster Alannah Burrows told the Herald the wet weather would continue across the North Island today.

“There will be some fronts pushing up north eastwards and they’re going to continue to cross the North Island,” she said.

“For a lot of areas, we’re seeing rain with heavy outbreaks at times.”

Burrows said the rain would begin to clear from the southeast in the second half of today.

“Rain with heavy outbreaks is expected to ease for places like Auckland late afternoon and early evening to showers,” she said.