Motorists on State Highway 1 forced to sleep in cars at Ōhingaiti as trees block roads

A Herald visual journalist who is trapped in a town under a state of emergency says people were forced to sleep in their cars on the roadside.

Mike Scott said he photographed motorists trying to clear the road of downed trees near Taihape last night before he returned to Ōhingaiti, and “that was it”.

“I knew that I couldn’t go either way. So, yeah, I had to sleep in my car.”

Scott told Ryan Bridge TODAY, downed trees have blocked roads in and out of Ōhingaiti, so he is “hemmed in”.

The Rangitīkei District, where the town is, is in a state of emergency along with the Ōtorohanga, Waipā, Tararua and Manawatū Districts.

Rangitīkei is also under a red heavy rain warning until 3pm.

State Highway 1 from Hunterville to Taihape is closed because of multiple fallen trees.

Multiple North Island roads are blocked, including State Highway 1, due to severe weather. Photo / NZTA

Scott said he was not the only one who slept in his car.

“If you look down here, you can see a whole lot of trucks and cars.

“I talked to one chap and he was trying to get to Auckland to pick up his family who have been stuck in Auckland because the flights have been cancelled for the last two days.

“So he had to also sleep in his car.”

Last night, torrential rain was coming down with the wind picking up around 4am, he said.

It was not surprising to see large trees fallen over with the “fierce wind”, Scott said.

The weather was not slowing down, said Scott, so he was unsure when the roads would be cleared.

“There’s probably going to be more damage during the day, and it’s forecast to carry on like this through to 3pm or so.”

The deluge is widely affecting the North Island with several road closures in place, while Air New Zealand has paused all flights in and out of Wellington, Napier and Palmerston North.