Four people - including a young child - have been confirmed dead - and police say they have “grave fears” for at least several others in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.
160,000 are still without power, with high winds and blocked roads making work unsafe.
“What is clear is the devastation is widespread and has taken a toll beyond property and livelihoods,” Hipkins said.
He said of the four deaths that the pain of their families would be “unimaginable”.
“The grief of their loved ones will be unimaginable.”
Of the 1442 people police had listed as uncontactable, Hipkins said 1100 had also been reported as found, and it was likely there would be a crossover with the number police provided.
Hipkins said work getting supplies to those who needed it had been an “enormous effort”.
There are still seven waiting for evacuation, none are emergencies, Hipkins said.
Napier and Gisborne airports had re-opened today and a special assistance flight had been sent with emergency supplies and personnel.
Hipkins is likely to travel to the flood-hit areas himself in the next few days as authorities get more information on the scale of damage and what will be needed to rebuild.
160,000 still without power
Energy Minister Megan Woods said was a widespread impact on electricity - since yesterday 60,000 households had power restored but 160,000 are still without power.
“There are still high winds in some places with blocked roads making restoration unsafe at this point.”
Woods said there were efforts to get crews up to Northland to restore electricity. Woods had asked retailers if they could help with engineers and technicians to get power restored.
“This is significant even with a level of damage to infrastructure that we have not seen since Cyclone Bola.”
She said it could be frustrating and upsetting for people, and did not know how long it would take.
On fuel, she said the issues were not of supply but of power being off at some stations and the ability to get to them on roads.
“Fuel is considered a lifeline good,” which means priority access through roads when they re-open.
Communications Minister Ginny Andersen on telecommunications - said the companies were working together to try to get things back up and runnings. Coromandel and north of Taupo had been restored.
In Northland, generators were going in to increase the reach of cellphone towers for those that had not been operating.
There were five main breaks in the fibre cable - two had been restored Coromandel and north of Taupō restored.
