Wet and windy weather causes traffic problems in Wellington

Huge rockslide has blocked traffic South bound coming down Ngauranga Gorge on State Highway 1 heading to Wellington. Ray White Leaders via Facebook https://www.facebook

Dozens of hill slips in Wellington have disrupted motorists and public transport following a week of wet and windy weather.

Between 50 and 75mm of rain fell in the region in the last 24 hours, with further rain expected to deluge the capital over the next five days.

On Friday evening bus services were replacing trains after various slips along the network.

One slip near Crofton Downs was cleared and trains on the Johnsonville line resumed at 7.30pm on Friday after previously being replaced by buses.

Slips were also affecting traffic.

Dozens were reported in Ngaio, Wadestown - a section of Margaret St expected to take days to clear - Chartwell Dr, Kakariki Rd track, Seatoun Heights, Khandallah, Melrose, Beacon Hill, Miramar, and Makara Beach.

Bus services to Martinborough had also been cancelled after flooding impacted the area, and services between Featherston and Masterton were also affected.

On Saturday a Seatoun road would be closed, after a tree came down on a house on Thursday.

The slips have tested motorists' patience, with some taking to removing road cones from State Highway 1 after a large slip near Ngauranga Gorge blocked all three lanes heading into the city on Wednesday.

Wellington City Council has issued a number of updates to residents as rain hit the capital, and MetService predicts more for the coming five days.

The Council said on Friday that its call centre had been busy, with multiple reports of trees and branches coming down on roads, slips, and building damage.

On Thursday hundreds of homes were without power thanks to the wild weather. By Friday evening all outages had been restored.