Police are working to reassure the public there are no secrets being kept surrounding deaths from Cyclone Gabrielle.
They confirmed on Wednesday the toll remains at 11, despite speculation and rumour continuing to run rife.
Today FM reporter Mark McCarron has been in Hawke's Bay and told Lloyd Burr the fears are understandable.
"What it does, is it speaks to the utter devastation," McCarron said.
"If you look at the areas like Puketapu, Esk Valley… Waiheke, I think a lot of people just look at it and go 'how the hell did anyone ever get out of there?'
"There was no official evacuation notice, so these people got out on their own time… And that feeds into the rumours and what have you.
"But Police this afternoon have confirmed the death toll currently sits at eleven, we know of no more at this stage, and they're sticking true to that number."
"They've put the rumours to rest, I hope."
While the region continues clean-up efforts, MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for Hawke's Bay, valid from Thursday through to Saturday at noon.
While it is not expected to cause significant flooding, MetService is urging residents to be cautious and stay updated.
In Auckland, the city's Emergency Management has warned to watch out for landslides during heavy showers over the next few days.
Engineering Resilience Manager, Ross Roberts, told the Today FM newsroom that Kiwis should stay away from cyclone-ravaged areas, with slippage still occurring.
Emergency crews again remind people not to go near damaged homes, unless absolutely necessary.
Listen to the full interview between Mark McCarron and Lloyd Burr above.
You can also download the full interview on the Lloyd Burr Live podcast, and listen on the go.
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