newswire.nz
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Two Men Arrested for Vehicle Interference in Central Auckland
Two men have been arrested and charged following a disturbance in central Auckland early this morning. Auckland Central Police responded to a report from a resident who observed two men attempting to start a Mazda Demio parked on Cross Street…
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New Zealand Braces for Heavy Rain and Strong Winds as Tropical Low Approaches
MetService has issued severe weather warnings across several regions of New Zealand as a tropical low is forecast to approach the country from the north on Wednesday. Heavy rain and strong easterly gales are expected to affect many areas, with…
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State Highway 1 Reopens After Crash
State Highway 1, between Ōhau and Manakau, is now clear. Both lanes were blocked following a single vehicle crash. Motorists are thanked for their patience.
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State Highway 1 Blocked by Single Vehicle Crash
State Highway 1 is blocked in both lanes between Ōhau and Manakau following a single vehicle crash. Police are in attendance at the scene. Emergency services were alerted to the incident around 1:40pm. Initial reports suggest there are no serious…
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Police Seize Vehicle of Interest in Onehunga Firearms Incident
Auckland City Police have seized a vehicle of interest as part of their ongoing investigation into a firearms incident that occurred in Onehunga on Friday morning. The vehicle, described as a dark-coloured Toyota van, was seen pulling up to an…
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New Zealand Faces Potential Severe Weather Through Weekend
New Zealand is bracing for a period of potentially severe weather, with a low-pressure system and associated trough expected to move across the country from Thursday, January 22, 2026. MetService has issued an outlook indicating a high confidence of heavy…
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MetService Issues Severe Weather Warnings for North Island
MetService has issued severe weather warnings for heavy rain across several regions of New Zealand's North Island, effective from Tuesday, January 20, 2026. A strong and humid easterly flow is expected to bring significant rainfall, with the possibility of thunderstorms…
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Serious Assault Prompts Road Closure in Ōpunake
Ihaia Road in Ōpunake has been closed due to an incident that occurred overnight. Police were alerted around 10:15pm to a report of a serious assault. The victim was transported to the hospital and is in critical condition. Cordons have…
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MetService Issues Heavy Rain Warnings for Northern North Island
MetService has issued an Orange Heavy Rain Warning for several northern areas of the North Island, anticipating heavy rain, localised downpours, and potential thunderstorms from Monday evening through Tuesday. Northland can expect 90 to 110 mm of rain, with accumulations…
WeatherGeneral Weather MetServiceHeavy Rain WarningNorthlandAucklandCoromandel PeninsulaFloodingNZ MetService
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One Dead in Hahei Water Incident
One person has died following a water-related incident in Hahei this afternoon. Police were alerted around 3:15 PM to a man in need of assistance in the water near Tutaritari Road. The man was located and brought ashore in a…
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Gisborne Drivers Warned of Highway Delays
Police are warning motorists to plan ahead and expect delays due to the closure of State Highway 2 through Waioeka Gorge. There is a significant increase in traffic on State Highway 2 south of Gisborne and large numbers of vehicles…
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SH2 Waiowai Gorge Closure Expected to Last Weeks, Postponing Devil's Elbow Works
The State Highway 2 (SH2) Waiowai Gorge closure, following severe weather and multiple large slips, is expected to last for weeks, not days. This disruption has led to the postponement of planned overnight closures on SH2 at Devil's Elbow in…
Politics and GovernmentWorldTransportationEnvironmentDisasters
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Investigation Launched into Pedestrian Fatality in Haruru Falls
An investigation is underway into the death of a pedestrian in Haruru Falls, Northland, following a collision with a vehicle on Puketona Road. The incident occurred just after 12:10 AM on Sunday, January 18. The pedestrian, a male, was struck…
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Man Rescued After Three Weeks Lost in Kahurangi National Park
A man who spent nearly three weeks lost in New Zealand's Kahurangi National Park has been found alive, prompting a strong reminder from police and his family about essential safety measures for outdoor adventures. Graham Garnett became disoriented due to…
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New Zealand Braces for Severe Weather: Heavy Rain and Strong Winds Expected
New Zealand is set to experience significant severe weather this week, with heavy rain and strong winds predicted for the North Island from Monday, January 19th, to Friday, January 23rd. Northland is currently under a Yellow Heavy Rain Watch until…
WeatherGeneral WeatherDisastersEnvironment Heavy RainStrong WindsNorth IslandTropical LowSevere WeatherMetService New Zealand
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State Highway 2 Blocked After Truck Overturns
State Highway 2 in Waiora is currently blocked following a single-vehicle crash where a truck overturned this morning. Police responded to the incident around 10:40 am. The driver of the truck was not injured. However, a number of livestock were…
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Tropical Low Threatens North Island with Heavy Rain and Strong Winds
A tropical low is expected to approach New Zealand's North Island on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, potentially bringing heavy rain and strong east to northeast winds. MetService reports moderate confidence that warning amounts of rain will fall across Northland, Auckland,…
WeatherGeneral Weather MetServiceSevere WeatherTropical LowNorth IslandHeavy RainStrong WindsMetService - Severe Weather Outlook
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Three Arrested, One Sought in Churton Park Assaults
Police investigating serious assaults in Churton Park have apprehended two additional offenders, bringing the total in custody to three. A 21-year-old man is scheduled to appear in Wellington District Court on January 22, and a 17-year-old man will appear in…
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Man dies following water-related incident in Rotorua
A man has died following a water-related incident in Rotorua late last night. Emergency services were called to a geothermal area on Tukiterangi Street, Whakarewarewa, around 9:40pm. A man had been pulled from the water unconscious. Sadly, he was unable…
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Magnitude 5.1 Earthquake Strikes Off New Zealand Coast
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred off the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand on January 18, 2026, at 16:45:09 UTC. The seismic event took place at a depth of 18 kilometers. The epicenter was located approximately 297.9…
WorldDisastersGeneral Weather EarthquakeSouth IslandSeismic ActivityGeologyNatural DisasterUSGSUSGS Earthquake Reports
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Missing Tramper Found Alive in Kahurangi National Park
A 66-year-old tramper, Graham Garnett, has been found alive in Kahurangi National Park. Garnett had been missing since December 30, when he failed to return from a tramp in the Baton/Ellis River area. A large-scale search operation was launched, involving…
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Tropical Low Threatens North Island with Heavy Rain and Strong Winds
MetService is monitoring a tropical low expected to approach New Zealand's North Island from Tuesday, January 20, 2026, bringing with it the possibility of heavy rain and strong winds. The exact track and strength of this low remain uncertain, leading…
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Heavy Rain Forecast for North Island
MetService has issued Heavy Rain Watches for Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula, and northern Gisborne/Tairawhiti. A strong and humid southeast flow is expected to bring heavy rain to parts of the upper and eastern North Island over the coming…
WeatherGeneral Weather MetServiceHeavy RainNorth IslandWeather WarningGisborneCoromandelNZ MetService
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One Dead in Whakatāne Road Crash
One person has died following a serious single-vehicle crash on Tahuna Road in Whakatāne yesterday afternoon. Emergency services were called to the scene around 3:40pm. Another person involved in the crash remains in a serious condition in hospital. The Serious…
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Northland Motorists Warned of Flooding and Slips
Motorists in Northland are being warned to take extra care and avoid travel due to flooding and slips between Whangaruru and Helena Bay. Police have received multiple reports this morning of intense flooding and slips in the Whangaruru, Oakua, and…
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One Dead in Early Morning Haruru Crash
One person has died following a serious crash in Haruru early this morning. The incident occurred around 12:10 am today when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Puketona Road, near the Garden Court intersection. Despite the efforts of…
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MetService Issues Heavy Rain Warning for Northland
MetService has issued a Heavy Rain Warning for eastern and central Northland, effective from 6:00am to 12:00pm on Sunday, January 18, 2026. A strong and humid southeast flow is expected to bring significant rainfall to the upper North Island. Residents…
WeatherGeneral Weather MetServiceHeavy Rain WarningNorthlandFloodingSevere WeatherNZ MetService
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Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake Strikes Kermadec Islands Region
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake has occurred in the Kermadec Islands region, located north-east of New Zealand. The seismic event was registered on January 17, 2026, at 03:34:03 UTC, with its epicenter situated at geographic coordinates 30.506S and 178.231W. The earthquake's…
WorldDisastersEnvironment EarthquakeKermadec IslandsSeismologyGeographic CoordinatesMagnitudeDepthUSGS Earthquake Reports
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Serious Crash on Tahuna Road, Whakatāne
Police are currently responding to a serious crash on Tahuna Road in Whakatāne, Bay of Plenty. The incident, involving a single vehicle leaving the road, was reported around 3:40 PM. Two individuals have sustained serious injuries as a result of…
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Police successfully airlift stranded motorists from Waioeka Gorge
Police have confirmed that all individuals stranded in the slip-struck Waioeka Gorge on State Highway 2 have been successfully airlifted out. The rescue operation began last night after police were alerted to slips blocking the road in both directions. The…