Gisborne District Council said no one was isolated as a result of the landslide.
“Tiniroto Road remains closed 20km from SH2,” council acting community lifelines director Dave Hadfield said yesterday afternoon.
“There’s no access between Rockhill Road and Parikanapa Road until a temporary track has been made and we expect that will be by the end of next week.”
Power poles were down but nobody was without power.
Firstlight Network was removing and relocating the power poles.
"The area was surveyed yesterday morning and that data is being analysed.”
Preparation work at the site included removing trees on the slope and trees at risk of falling. That work would take two to three days, Mr Hadfield said.
Coming up against this ‘time after time’
"Fulton Hogan will use forestry companies and start moving equipment to the site to form the access track. The potential volume of material that needs to be moved is around 25,000 cubic metres.”
Mr Hadfield said council staff were continuing to monitor a landslide dam that had formed.
“We’re in discussion with landowners impacted by the slip. While there are other routes that residents impacted by the slip can take, it does mean a detour via Wairoa.
“We know the sooner we can reconnect everyone back to Gisborne again, the better.”
Contractors will work from both ends of the slip to speed up delivery and disposal of materials.
Since Cyclone Gabrielle, locals have already been taking a long detour to get to Tiniroto and Hangaroa.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Radio New Zealand the slip was a huge blow.
“About 1500 Hangaroa residents in about 500 households have been affected by severe weather disruptions since January when Cyclone Hale struck, then Cyclone Gabrielle hit in February.
“They have been using detours the whole year. This is just another cruel blow for that community.”
She travelled that road on Monday to open the new Hollywood Bridge over Hangaroa River.
“The community was so excited with the recovery happening so I know they will be very disappointed.”
The detours required would add “significant time” to the journey for people travelling from Tiniroto and Hangaroa to Gisborne, she said.
Mayor Stoltz said hampered access was of particular concern for emergency services.
“It’s a huge landslide and it will be a huge, huge repair job.”
Rain that lashed the area last weekend would have contributed to the slip, she said.
“After nine major weather events in 18 months, local people’s patience is wearing thin. We need to connect our communities but we are coming up against this time after time.
“We just need a break for the soil to dry out so that we can carry on with our recovery efforts.”
Tiniroto Road resident Alex Campbell told Radio NZ the Hangaroa/Tiniroto/Ruakituri area had already been “tipped on its head access-wise” before the major slip.
He pointed to the ongoing issue with access through the Hangaroa Bluffs on Tiniroto Road.
The road remains closed at that point after geotech engineers reported on rockfall risks.
“This latest slip has been a slam dunk on top of all of that.”
