Te Whatu Ora Hawke's Bay is asking Napier pharmacists and nurses in Napier and Hastings to help if they can

General Practices are shut, but a 24 hour urgent care clinic is running at Napier Health Centre.

The region has ongoing communications and power outages.

The Education Ministry says they have minimal contact with Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, but it understands there are widespread school closures.

Unless schools tell parents otherwise, they should assume it is closed, likely all week.

Air Force helicopters have rescued 23 people and five dogs, including off roofs - and have delivered pallets of medical supplies to the Napier medical centre.