About 30 pilot whales beached on Northland's Ruakaka Beach this afternoon

Whale rescue organisation, Project Jonah, says its medics have responded to the mass stranding.

It says four whales have died and the remaining animals have been refloated and are being monitored.

Mike from the Ruakaka Beach Front Motel says there's been probably hundreds of people there.

He says there was one group that was lifting a whale back into the surf.