Drone footage from Ōtorohanga shows the scale of flooding.
The main highway in and out of a small Waikato town has been cut off due to multiple slips following heavy rain and wild weather.
“Kāwhia is currently isolated due to multiple slips. We strongly urge residents to stay home,” the Ōtorohanga District Council wrote onits Facebook page.
“Please avoid travel wherever possible across the district and take extreme care if you must head out.”
“At this stage, we are still working to understand the full magnitude of impacts and are unable to provide a detailed update on every road.”
A police vehicle at a cordon on a key road in Kāwhia this afternoon. Photo / Mike Scott
One local told the Herald unsealed roads around Kāwhia are being used by those desperate to get in and out of the town - despite authorities urging residents to avoid travel and stay home.
🚧 Road Closure: SH31 Kawhia to Tihiroa
SH31 is closed between Kawhia and Tihiroa due to 🌊 flooding and 🪨 slips.
🕘 Start: 9:05am, 14 Feb 2026 ⏳ Expected resolution: Until further notice 🔄 Last updated: 10:16am, 14 Feb 2026 ❌ Detour: No detour available pic.twitter.com/ijai6VtJyY
A staff member at Kāwhia Beachside S-cape Holiday Park told the Herald there have been at least two helicopters circling above the area this afternoon.
The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) for Waikato & Bay of Plenty, has noted the following closures:
SH39 Pirongia to Ōtorohanga
SH3 Te Awamutu to Ōtorohanga (near Mangaorongo Stream Bridge)
SH31 Tihiroa to Kāwhia
NZTA earlier said the closure of SH31 Kāwhia to Tihiroa was due to flooding and slips and no detour was available.
“Avoid the area or delay your journey, if possible.”
View of the Ngakoaohia Stream from the Kāwhia turn-off. Authorities are asking locals to shelter at home as they assess the roading network. The main road to the town is closed due to multiple landslides. Photo / Mike Scott
The expected resolution time is also being listed as “until further notice.”
A Herald reporter on the scene said a massive power generator was being trucked down a passable road.
Police have maintained a cordon, recently passed over to traffic management.
The cordon is about 1.5km south of the damaged bridge where a ute earlier drove into a gaping hole.
This comes following the death of a man overnight, after his vehicle became submerged in floodwaters while travelling on SH39.
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