Residents at Kawakawa Bay, on Auckland's south-eastern coast, are praying for drying conditions over the next few days as a massive landslip there continues to move.
Engineers working for the Manukau City Council said the sliding slab of land was unpredictable and "very dangerous".
Fine weather would allow
the land to dry out and the slip to slow down. Rain would be disastrous for the situation.
Council economic director Rick Walden said the landslip had moved a few centimetres in the past day.
"Although movement has slowed slightly, the fact it is still moving is significant. Hills aren't supposed to move at all." he said.
"We would expect the movement to slow when the weather is fine and the ground dries out. However, any heavy rain would cause substantial movement."
Mr Walden said it was difficult to know how the slip might behave, or to predict when it might come down.
"What we do know is that at any time it could bring down hundreds of thousands of tonnes of debris," he said.
The landslip is being monitored by geotechnical experts, who are using survey data to assess how much the hill is moving.
A total of six properties in the area have been voluntarily evacuated because they are at risk if the big slide occurs.
The Kawakawa-Clevedon road, which is blocked by the landslip, is likely to remain closed for about a month but this would be regularly reviewed, Mr Walden said.
Alternative transport options arranged by the council begin tomorrow. They include a ferry, and bus services.
Alternative temporary routes around the landslip are also being investigated.
Kawakawa Bay children who normally attend Clevedon School will start classes tomorrow at Orere School.
Residents who live in the Kawakawa Bay area and have been affected by the landslip may be eligible for immediate assistance and should call the Government Helpline on 0800 779 997 where they will be connect to a range of services.
- NZPA
