Latest fromWest Coast

10m monsters: Here come the big waves – and the big chill
Swells of up to 4m are expected south of Haast.

Cops foil naked man's dash from the dock
Arrested man seen ranting in court before ripping off prison gown and making naked escape.

Lucky escapes for Mt Aspiring solo trampers
Male tramper was not able to raise the alarm when he found himself in trouble.

Four out of five polytechnics face losses by 2022
Polytech and vocational training leaders meet in Manukau tomorrow to map a survival plan.

$33m bailout for Tai Poutini Polytechnic
The West Coast polytechnic needs substantial change says Education Minister Chris Hipkins.

Gita's been and gone but clean-up continues
Kaikoura, Taranaki and Takaka are still picking up the pieces.

Mayors back calling advance State of Emergency
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel lifted the city's state of emergency at 11am.

Gita: 'Terrifying' winds with trees snapping like match sticks
The storm ripped out fences, pulled off garage doors and peeled off a roof.

Gita: Flights, trains cancelled and roads closed: All you need to know
Flights have been cancelled and roads are closed as Cyclone Gita begins to be felt.

Gita: 'We are preparing for the worst'
The region is still recovering from former Cyclone Fehi's devastation.

Gita: States of emergency as weather worsens
Powerful swells, rain and winds are pounding NZ - and there are seven states of emergency.

Get ready for Gita: Civil Defence's new cyclone warning
As the ex-tropical cyclone bears down, be prepared, forecasters warn.

Police visits to Gloriavale ongoing
Police say they visit Gloriavale regularly, following reports of a heightened presence.

Gloriavale under pressure as police conduct interviews
"I think they've been gunning for them," source said about the community.

Fire contained in Westport
A commercial building in Westport has been badly damaged in a fire.

Flag lawns and laundry - it's going to be wet
Rain spreads south to cover the whole country during the weekend.

Cyclone Fehi: The latest
State Highway 6 has reopened, but some still remain without power on the West Coast.

Cyclone Fehi: State highway reopens
This week's storm played havoc with the plans of motorists, with closures stranding many.

Wild weather leaves 600 tourists stranded in Haast
Rescue options being assessed for hundreds of stranded tourists on West Coast.

Safety first then call, Insurance Council tells storm victims
Don't do anything that puts your safety at risk, the council says

West Coast farmers may have to dump milk due to storm
West Coast dairy farmers may be forced to dump milk because of yesterday's storm.

Cyclone sting: Rescue mission under way for 115 tourists trapped in cars
Damage assessment begins after ex-Tropical Cyclone Fehi ravaged much of the country.

Helicopter deployed to find motorists
A helicopter has been deployed to find motorists trapped by closed road and fallen trees.

Wild weather: In pictures
Ex-cyclone Fehi is sweeping across the country today bringing wild weather to most parts.

The big wet: What you need to know
Wild weather slamming the country has caused flooding, road closures and wild winds.

Flooding, schools closed as Fehi slams into south
Yesterday in Dunedin it was 35C - today they're facing torrential rain and school's out.

37.4C! NZ sizzles but look what's in store now
Middlemarch Otago strikes 37.4C in another day of blazing heat.

Meet the people in NZ's most isolated town
Where land can still be found for $60,000 and the closest city is almost 400km away.