Otanga Road at Raumati just north of Dannevirke has a massive drop of 3 metres in the carriageway caused by water getting in under the road, undermining its integrity. Video / Supplied
“If you don’t have to travel, don’t. It’s not a sightseeing journey,” Tararua District Council Mayor Tracey Collis says.
Speaking on a video on her social media, she said some roads were down to one lane and there were slips.
“Unless you need to I wouldn’t be recommending a tripout to ... the beach at this stage.”
Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis. Photo / RNZ - Tom Kitchin
The MetService has the Tararua District on a heavy rain watch until Saturday, which could cause significant issues for those still trying to clean up from last week’s cyclone.
A council advisory said for people to keep a close eye on the MetService website and on river levels and for those driving around the district to take extra care on the roads, particularly those that had mud or silt on them.
Several roads around the district were either closed to all traffic or were only open to emergency vehicles or residents and the council was continuing to remind residents not to drive on roads damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
A council spokesman said the closure numbers continued to fluctuate as damage was discovered and one such example was Otanga Rd, where a massive drop of three metres was discovered.
He said people needed to observe and obey road signage, as some roads were only open for 4WD, emergency service vehicles and residents.
Travelling on closed roads could also void car insurance in the event of an accident.
The spokesman said the key message for travelling on coastal areas of the district was essential travel only and for people to check the road status page on the council website for any updates.
He said there was still a possibility of ground movement and slips occurring.
“Travelling to affected coastal areas can put drivers and passengers in danger. Unnecessary travel along some routes can hinder response efforts and is therefore highly discouraged.”
Crews are continuing to work on clearing roads in the Tararua District. Photo / Tararua District Council
Dannevirke Police Sergeant Gary McKernon said police would urge people to take extra care on the roads that were open.
“There is still debris and damage present that may be insufficient to close the road but will still pose hazardous conditions.”
He said people needed to take note of the road closed signs and stay off those roads as they were either blocked or unsafe. Local traffic might still have access but they would have been notified.
An earlier update on the cyclone impact reminded road users that even though road crews were out working, it didn’t mean the road was open or safe and users were asked to follow signage instructions for their own and for the road crews’ safety.
Residents were also asked to continue to report any damage to council either through customer services or via the Antenno app.
As of Thursday, more than 30 roads in the district were affected, with varying statuses from completely closed to open but with caution required.
