MetService is checking out a possible tornado in Waitara, while Civil Defence says parts of Motueka flooded last night.

Civil defence Nelson Tasman group controller Alec Louverdis says he is planning "for the absolute worst" ahead of two orange rain warnings across the region.

New Zealand shows that, particularly in the midst of an affordability crisis, it's a necessary first step to bigger, more ambitious efforts.

New townhouses in Auckland, New Zealand. Because of soaring interest rates in the country, houses for sale now sit on the market for an average of 47 days, with some languishing for many months.

The death toll from Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand climbed to 11 on Sunday as thousands of people remained missing a week after the storm struck the country's North Island.