Mauao landslide: Part of Mount Maunganui road cordon to reopen today

Part of the temporary road cordon around the Mauao landslide site is due to be lifted today.

Tauranga City Council said this morning it aimed to have Adams Ave between Maunganui Rd and Marine Parade open to both vehicles and pedestrians around lunchtime.

Adams Ave between The Mall (Pilot Bay) and Maunganui Rd would still be closed to the public.

“We are working to reopen this as soon as possible,” a council statement said.

“Permanent fencing has been installed around the affected area to keep people out, as the site remains hazardous.

Map of the area around the Mauao landslide site once the cordon is partially lifted around lunchtime on Thursday. Photo / Tauranga City Council

“Areas behind the permanent fencing remain closed and must not be entered.”

Six people died after a section of the maunga collapsed into a campground during the extreme weather event two weeks ago.

Mauao tracks and other landslide-affected areas remained closed until further notice.

A rāhui remains in place for affected areas around Mauao, and people are asked to respect the rāhui by avoiding entry, swimming, gathering kaimoana, or undertaking recreational activities in these areas.

A 30m maritime exclusion zone also remains in place around Mauao and applies to all vessels and people, including swimmers.

The council asked people to respect the fencing, signage and on-site instructions as operational and recovery work was ongoing, and vehicles may still be operating in the area.

State of emergency ends, support continues

The state of emergency for the Bay of Plenty after last month’s storm has now been lifted.

The regional declaration was made at 12.42pm on Wednesday, January 21, when a MetService red weather warning was followed by intense rainfall causing widespread damage and loss of life.

This was extended on Wednesday, January 28, for a further seven days.

“Although the immediate response phase has ended, recovery efforts will carry on across the region,” the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence said in a statement on Wednesday.

Following the lifting of the state of emergency, the Tauranga City Council said, the region was now shifting to a local transition.

The Notice of Local Transition period, under Section 94B of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, took effect at 12.42pm on Wednesday and ends on March 4, unless it is extended or ends before then, the council said in a statement.