East Coast

Gisborne industries could be waiting around two weeks before they can begin operating again as the desperate state of the city's water situation was hammered home at a meeting.

Some cyclone-ravaged parts of the country are having to rely heavily on air travel due to damaged roads. Audio

The massive storm damaged scores of homes, motels are full in the city and more than 560 people are on a waiting list for social housing.

Midweek Mediawatch: Colin Peacock talks to Susana Lei'ataua about coverage of Cyclone Gabrielle's destruction - and the backlash against talk radio hosts who played the disaster down early on. Also…

Water is a sought after resource in Gisborne where restrictions mean many on town supply are going without showers, and turning the washing machine on is a distant memory.

Business owners in the cyclone-hit city are desperate to keep their doors open during the water crisis and are resorting to filling buckets and drums to do so.

East Coast volunteers and authorities are scrambling to get much-needed supplies into the right hands as about 100 communities in the area remain cut off.

Donations and messages of goodwill have been flooding in from around the country for devastated Hawke's Bay, Gisborne and Auckland communities.

Overstayers in cyclone-hit regions should be granted an amnesty, a Tongan community leader says. Audio

Cleaning up the flood silt is like scooping up sludgy stinky cow pats, one Gisborne resident says after Cyclone Gabrielle, as he reflects on regrowing his garden.

Cyclone Gabrielle has once again highlighted the problem of forestry slash and the damage it does.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins responded to reports of crime in flood-ravaged areas and people setting up community checkpoints to deal with incidents.

A Tolaga Bay leader says they need basic supplies like cleaning equipment, skips and a dump that is open so people can start clearing sludge from their homes. Audio

People helping to remove silt from communities hit by Cyclone Gabrielle are being warned it is a health risk and they should wear masks.

Thousands of people displaced by Cyclone Gabrielle will need new forms of temporary accommodation, an official believes. Audio

Nine homes in Gisborne have been red-stickered following Cyclone Gabrielle and a further 149 yellow-stickered.

It is feared some farmers have had their valuable winter feed crops completely wiped out by Cyclone Gabrielle, which will cause further headaches in the coming months.