The Gisborne region is on high alert as high tide arrives

A state of emergency was declared this afternoon across the Tairawhiti region as persistent rain lashes the area.

Three welfare centres have been set up, at Wainui School Hall, the Salvation Army on Gladstone Road and the House of Breakthrough.

Some residents in Sponge Bay have self-evacuated as flood waters rise and contractors sandbag the area.

MetService Meteorologist Lewis Ferris says the area between Mahia up to Tologa Bay been saturated in the last 36 hours.

He says in the last 36 hours to 3pm today the Gisborne aerodrome has seen 166 millimetres of rain.