Police confirmed around 6.15pm that the lanes had now been reopened.
The latest death is a person involved in a two-vehicle crash on SH1, near Kaikōura, shortly after 9.30am.
Police said two vehicles had collided on SH1 at Ōhau Point.
Police initially said two people had suffered serious injuries in the accident. However, they confirmed late this morning that a person had been killed.
The second victim has been airlifted to hospital in a serious condition.
Authorities are advising motorists in the area that travel will be disrupted and they should plan for delays.
The other new death reported today was that of a driver killed in a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Orini Rd and McConnell Rd, in Orini, about 12.30am.
Police said the sole occupant of the vehicle was found dead.
Orini Rd was closed overnight between Rutherford and Tenfoot Rds as the Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene examination.
The circumstances of the crash are not yet known and inquiries are ongoing.
Serious crash closes part of Southern Motorway, Auckland
Meanwhile, Auckland motorists faced gridlock after a main section of the Southern Motorway was closed until because of a crash.
Emergency crews were alerted to a collision involving a car and a motorcycle about 12.30pm. The crash has blocked a part of the motorway between Hill Rd and the Takanini off-ramp.
St John said they treated two patients – one in a critical condition and the other in a moderate condition.
Both victims were taken to Auckland City Hospital for treatment.
“Emergency services are still at the scene,” police said just before 2pm.
“Diversions are in place and motorists are advised there will be delays in the area.”
Major congestion followed as police conducted a crash scene examination.
And police tonight appealed for anyone with footage of the crash involving a car and motorbike to contact them.
“Police are strongly interested in dashcam footage of the vehicles immediately prior to the crash, from people driving along the motorway around the same time,” a spokesperson said.
NZ’s annual road toll
The two new road deaths take this year’s official Christmas holiday road toll to four, after two deaths were reported yesterday.
A man who was struck by a car on a Napier street on Boxing Day suffered critical injuries and died in hospital on Monday.
The second road toll death was recorded yesterday, after a single-vehicle crash on SH2 in Tangoio, Hawke’s Bay.
Last year, 15 people were killed on New Zealand roads during the official Christmas holiday period, which this summer started at 4pm on Christmas Eve and ends at 6am on Monday, January 5.
New Zealand’s annual road toll this year is now 271. If it remains below 272, it will be the second-lowest annual total since 1951.
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