A Waihi road is likely to remain closed for the rest of the week after a tomo - nearly 2m wide - caved in the surface.
A spokeswoman for Hauraki District Council said the tomo was 4m to 5m deep under the Trig Rd South.
The tomo is one of
Waihi tomo closes road, drops up to 5m below surface
NZ Herald
2 mins to read
Subscribe to listen
Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Deputy Mayor Toby Adams, who is also the council's roading and transport portfolio holder, was thankful no one was hurt.
"I'd really like to acknowledge the speed at which both the community and council staff responded to ensure no one was at risk at any point." Investigations were now under way into the cause of the collapse and how to fix it.
Council group manager of engineering services Adrian de Laborde said tomo have been found on both sides of the road, as well as one beneath it.
"Water has run beneath the culvert and formed an underground watercourse that has caused these tomo over time. Recent heavy rain in the area has exacerbated the problem," he said.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Abigger culvert will be installed and realigned over the next few days to prevent a recurrence of the problem.
The road is a popular shortcut between Tauranga and Whiritoa.