Heavy rain and strong winds are lashing parts of New Zealand as Cyclone Cook, called the worst storm in decades, sweeps across the North Island. <br/><br/>States of emergency have been declared in the Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty, with landslips, flash flooding and downed power lines closing roads. <br/><br/>Some coastal areas have been evacuated, and local media say 15,000 homes are without power. But Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, has been spared the worst.