Auckland Emergency Management has issued an Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) warning of the potential for further extremely heavy rain to hit the Auckland region tonight.

The alert asks Aucklanders to act immediately if they see rising water, due to how quickly flooding can happen. They should evacuate to high ground and stay away from floodwater.

The alert also directs Aucklanders not to travel unless necessary and to check road conditions before travelling if travel cannot be avoided.

MetService has issued a red heavy rain warning for Auckland north of Orewa from 5pm tonight until 8am tomorrow.

An orange heavy rain warning is in place for Auckland south of Orewa and Great Barrier Island from 8pm tonight until 10am tomorrow.

Ayesha Verrall will become the minister of health and moves to the front bench, taking the portfolio over from Andrew Little. Kieran McAnulty will join cabinet and take over the local government portfolio. Meanwhile, Little drops seven spots on the list, Phil Twyford is no longer a minister, and the Covid-19 portfolio, previously held by Chris Hipkins, has folded.

The reshuffle sees two new cabinet ministers appointed. Mana MP Barbara Edmonds will become the minister of internal affairs, minister for Pacific peoples, associate health minister for Pacific peoples and associate minister of housing.

Ginny Andersen will become the Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Seniors, Associate Minister of Immigration and Associate Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations.

The new education minister will be Jan Tinetti.

The kitchen cabinet of Hipkins, Carmel Sepuloni, Kelvin Davis, Grant Robertson and Megan Woods will remain.

Grant Robertson remains minister of finance in Labour’s reshuffle under new prime minister Chris Hipkins. “He has seen New Zealand households and businesses through the greatest economic shock since the Great Depression. This reshuffle gives him the time and support to apply his full focus on fighting inflation and helping New Zealand families and businesses to get by,” said Hipkins.

Transport minister Michael Wood moves to number seven and takes on the new Auckland portfolio as well as the associate finance minister role. Hipkins backed the renewed ministerial role for Auckland. “Having a senior minister with a focus on the city ensures Auckland has the attention it needs. That’s going to be even more important following the events of recent days.”

There are four new ministers outside of Cabinet; Duncan Webb, Willow-Jean Prime, Rino Tirikatene, and Deborah Russell.

Departing ministers are Poto Williams, David Clark, Aupito William Sio, Phil Twyford and Jacinda Ardern.

“This reshuffle is just the first step in our shift in focus,” Hipkins said.

Prime minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week to meet with Australian PM Anthony Albanese.

“The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,” Chris Hipkins said.

The meeting marks the start of a year of significant anniversaries for the two nations, including 40 years of the Closer Economic Relations Agreement, 50 years of the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, and 80 years since the establishment of High Commissions in each country.

Hipkins will fly to Australia on Tuesday February 7 onboard a NZDF aircraft, returning the same day.

A state of emergency has been declared in Northland as the region braces for more rain.

Metservice is forecasting up to 140mm of rain across Northland, with some areas in the north and east getting 220mm, peaking at 40mm per hour.

The state of emergency is effective as of 1pm Tuesday 31 January for an initial period of seven days.

Metservice has warned of “dangerous river conditions and significant flooding”.

“Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities.”

Speaking to Morning Report this morning, Civil Defence chair Kelly Stratford urged Northlanders to be prepared.

“If people are in a low lying flood area, make sure they’ve got a ‘go’ bag.”

She said people should not travel if they did not need to and to watch for strong wind gusts.

“There will be trees that come down,” she said.

Northland Civil Defence group controller Graeme MacDonald said the emergency declaration, which allows authorities to order evacuations and take other steps to protect life and property, was a precautionary step at this stage.

“We don’t know for certain that we will need to make use of these emergency powers but given the potential for the main impact of this event to happen overnight, we’ve done it now as a precautionary step so we have them available if they’re needed.”

Consumers have been warned to prepare for fruit and vegetable shortages as floodwaters in the upper North Island impact food safety.

The weekend’s flooding will exacerbate supply issues caused by rainy conditions this summer in much of the country, leading to higher prices nationwide.

Anne-Marie Arts of industry group United Fresh says there is a risk to the safety and shelf life of produce that has come into contact with the water.

“Flooding exposes fresh produce to microbial risk. If floodwaters come in contact with the edible part of the crop, it is considered to be contaminated and will not be harvested,” she said.

Once flooding subsides, growers must dispose of affected crops and cannot replant until the land is dry and in a suitable condition. These delays might result in supply gaps for some produce, she said.

Crops that are suitable for harvesting will need to be quarantined until they’re declared safe through microbial testing.

Home gardens must take the same precautions, Arts added.

“Floodwaters can flush through sewer systems and across rural land collecting human and animal waste. The waters may contain pathogens that can make you seriously ill,” she said.

“We’re advising anyone with a home garden that may have had floodwater enter to throw away affected plants immediately.”

Information on food safety following a flooding event can be found on the MPI website.

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MetService satellite imaging shows a deepening low moving towards New Zealand. It’s expected to bring more heavy rain to areas already impacted by the record-breaking rainfall on Friday that caused severe flooding in Auckland.

Red and orange heavy rain warnings have been issued. Red warnings are issued when rain is expected to cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Orange warnings mean people need to be prepared and take action as appropriate as there could be some disruption to their day and potential risk to people, animals and property.

Red warnings:

• Northland until 6am Wednesday
• Auckland north of Orewa from 4pm today to 7am Wednesday
• The Coromandel from 7pm today to 4pm Wednesday

Orange warnings:

• The rest of Auckland from 6pm today to 9am Wednesday
• Bay of Plenty from 3am tomorrow to 3am Thursday

Schools and all learning facilities have closed for the week in Auckland and mayor Wayne Brown has urged residents to “stay home” wherever possible. Keep an eye on the forecasts and warnings, take care and follow official advice.

Meanwhile, the Herald has obtained a message sent by Brown in which he griped about having to cancel tennis “to deal with media drongos over the flooding tomorrow”. As David Fisher writes, the message comes from a WhatsApp messenger group Brown joined last month for organising games at the West End Lawn Tennis Club in Westmere. The tennis group is called “The Grumpy Old Men”. The club sits at the corner of West End Road and Fife St. A slip on West End Rd  caused traffic congestion and  was down to one lane on Saturday.