Residents in Mangatuna near Gisborne are being strongly advised to evacuate as the Hikuwai River at Willowflat rises steadily.
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence said the river was at 11m and is rising steadily.
It said people in Paroa Rd, Mangaheia, should be prepared to leave.
Earlier, power had been restored to 2967 homes between Whitianga and Coromandel town after wild weather hit the upper North Island this morning.
The Thames-Coromandel District Council said extreme care was needed as there was debris and surface flooding throughout the Coromandel roading network.
Powerco said this afternoon that the flooded roads made it difficult for repair crews to restore power as they had to take much longer alternative routes to reach the isolated fault site.
State Highway 1 in Northland remains closed due to flooding in the Whakapara area. State Highway 25 between Hikuai to Whangamata in the Coromandel is also closed, along with SH25 Hikuai to Tairua.
A motorist told 1News travelling the road was "scary with bits of cut up tree stumps floating around".
In Gisborne, flooding has closed State Highway 35 from Tolaga Bay to Ruatoria. Tairāwhiti Civil Defence said the Hikuwai River at Willowflat continues to rise and is expected to reach 11-12m around midnight tonight.
MetService has issued heavy rain warnings at orange for the Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty including Rotorua and Gisborne.
The Coromandel can expect seven hours of rain this afternoon until 9pm with a further 40 to 60mm of rain to accumulate with peak rates of 15 to 25 mm.
For the Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua, rain is expected to fall until 3am on Saturday. Around 70 to 120mm of rain is expected to soak east of Kawerau, especially around the ranges east of Ōpōtiki. A further 40 to 80mm is expected to accumulate.
Gisborne can rain to fall until 6am on Saturday. The ranges north of Tolaga Bay can expect 120 to 170mm of rain, with the rest of the region experiencing 60 to 110mm.
Northland, Auckland, including Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato north and east of Hamilton, Bay of Plenty east of Whakatāne, and Taupō east of the Lake, Manawatū and Horowhenua and the ranges of Hawke's Bay, including the eastern hills south of Hastings are all under yellow rain, wind and thunderstorm watches.
MetService is advising that motorists in affected areas drive to the conditions.
Powerco said they also restored power to 981 in Te Aroha.
Power is still out for 396 homes in Paeroa with Powerco expecting to have it restored by 5.30pm this afternoon.
1News meteorologist Dan Corbett said Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and eastern parts of the North Island were in the firing line today.
There was a "pipeline of rain" coming out of the tropics.
Whangārei FC is feeling the effects of a deluge that’s hit parts of Northland (Source: Supplied)
Looking ahead to Saturday, he said it wouldn't be a complete wash out, but would be a wet start, and it could be greasy on the field come the Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and England at Eden Park.
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