• Cyclone Vaianu is set to hit later on Sunday, with MetService calling it a “multi-hazard, potentially life-threatening event”.
• Hawke’s Bay and Tararua are under orange weather warnings.
• Residents living in coastal areas of Hastings from Te Awanga to Waimārama were told to evacuate by 5pm on Saturday.
•  A local state of emergency has been declared in multiple areas including coastal Hawke’s bay.
  Do you have photos, video or updates to share about Cyclone Vaianu? Email us at news@hbtoday.co.nz

Civil Defence is evacuating 39 more homes in the coastal community of Haumoana on Sunday morning as it braces for a 1pm high tide in Hawke’s Bay.

Winds whipped up by the incoming Cyclone Vaianu were beginning to arrive in the region on Sunday morning.

Hastings District Council warned coastal communities large swells were expected and high tide about 1pm would “make things worse”.

The council asked coastal communities from Waimārama to Haumoana to evacuate on Saturday afternoon.

About 500 coastal homes were given the message - 202 in Haumoana, 176 in Te Awanga, 102 in Waimārama and about 20 in Ocean Beach.

Evacuees would be able to return to their homes once the impacts of the cyclone decrease and officials deem the areas safe.

On Saturday afternoon, an emergency alert was sent to people’s phones on the Hastings coast asking them to evacuate immediately from beachfront properties and areas prone to coastal flooding.

The alert was sent around 1pm and also popped up later on phones as and when an affected area of coastal Hawke’s Bay was entered.

Winds were beginning to pick up in urban centres of Hawke’s Bay about 9am.

About 128 rural homes lost power just before 2am on Sunday in Te Onepu and Te Hauke and Poukawa.

• Cyclone Vaianu cuts off Whangārei coastal communities again after heavy rain
• 'Evacuate Ōhope, Thornton now': Emergency alert issued for Whakatāne residents
• Live: State of emergency warnings spread - Northland, Waikato, Hawke's Bay, Whakatāne, Western Bay of Plenty
• 'We've come off lucky': Northland largely spared as Cyclone Vaianu passes

Unison had managed to restore power to half of the homes by 8.30am, but around 64 remained without power at that time.

A orange strong wind warning remained for Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Taihape from 9am Sunday to 2am Monday.

MetService predicted severe gale easterlies changing to severe gale northwesterlies Sunday afternoon or evening, with gusts of 130km/h in exposed places expected.

There was a moderate chance of the warning being upgraded to red.

A heavy rain watch also remained for Gisborne about and south of Tolaga Bay, plus coastal hills and ranges of Hawke’s Bay excluding the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges from 2am to 6pm Sunday.

MetService said these areas would see periods of heavy rain with large swells and coastal inundation likely.

The watch had a moderate chance of being upgraded to a warning.