Senior Sergeant Chris Whitehead confirmed one person had died at the scene. One other person had been taken in a stable condition by ambulance to Taranaki Base Hospital in New Plymouth.
The scene at the Tariki Underpass this morning. It's understood this is not the vehicle in which a person died.
Senior Constable Doug Peach said the crash was head-on between two vehicles, each occupied by one person.
He said the cause of the crash was unknown but it appeared a northbound vehicle had crossed the centre line.
Peach said a number of emergency staff commented about the torrential rain as they drove to the scene and observing many members of public weren't driving to the conditions.
