Police in New Zealand are searching for eight people who are still missing after Cyclone Gabriel struck two weeks ago.

This was announced by the authorities on Sunday, quoted by "Reuters".

The announcement comes amid warnings of dangerous weather in parts of the country.

Gabriel hit the northern region of the island on February 12 and then hit the east coast.

At least 11 people died and thousands fled their homes.

"The rest of the people include those who for various reasons have not contacted the authorities, New Zealand police said early on Sunday. However, contacting the remaining eight remains a priority for police and our officers are exploring all avenues to try to locate them."

More than 6,000 were unaccounted for in the immediate aftermath of the storm, but that number has dwindled.

Bad weather hit the North Island again on Friday, with heavy rain forcing more evacuations in Hawke's Bay, one of the regions hardest hit by Gabriel.

The storms triggered flash flooding and evacuation warnings in and around Oakland, the nation's largest city with a population of about 1.6 million.

Communications were disrupted in many areas

On Sunday, New Zealand forecaster MetService warned that storms were possible later in the day, particularly in the North Island and upper South Island.

The Emergency Management Agency for Oakland has warned residents of the city to prepare for more rain expected in the evening.

"The risk of thunderstorms and localized rainfall over parts of the country increases tomorrow," the Metservice warned.

Two tropical cyclones are also possible in the coming week, but the risk is relatively low at this stage.

New Zealand