Person killed in three-car crash on SH5 in Rotorua

One person has died last night in a three-vehicle crash on State Highway 5 at Hamurana in Rotorua.

Emergency services were called to the three-car collision near Oturoa Rd at 9.16pm, police said in a statement.

St John Ambulance confirmed one person had died.

Three ambulances attended the scene and took one person with serious injuries and three with moderate injuries to Rotorua Hospital.

The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

The road was closed and lengthy diversions were in place. All motorists travelling between Tirau and Rotorua were being diverted through Putaruru and Tokoroa.

Police thanked motorists for their patience in advance.

The crash brings the holiday road toll to five. One person died in a crash in central Hawke's Bay at dawn this morning, and another died in Hanmer Springs just after midnight.

Taxi driver Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed died in a crash on Auckland's Symonds St early on Saturday morning, and another person died in a crash in Northland about 5.45pm that evening.

A person has also been killed in a motorbike accident on private land in Buller tonight.

The Christmas-New Year holiday road period runs until 6am on January 3. Last summer 15 people died on New Zealand roads during the holiday period.

In the past year there have been 373 deaths on our roads compared to 327 the year before.