Conditions on West Coast and Buller highways should improve today with rain forecast to ease mid-morning in South Westland and lunch time in the Buller.
Overnight there was surface flooding in the lower Buller Gorge. Transport Agency crews sign-posted the site and cleared the culverts, said Journey Manager Lee Wright.
Flooding between Pipson Creek and Makarora, 41km southeast of Haast, which closed the road has since been cleared and the road reopened (Otago side of SH6).
Key areas where rain has created slips or flooding:
- A slip site at the western end of the Otira Gorge, SH73, recurred last night and was cleared from the road and coned.
- The rock fall fence at Yorkies Point, also on the Otira Gorge/ SH73, has contained the rock as it was designed to do but water is flowing across the road. This will be monitored by crews today.
- The Omoeroa/ Fox Hills slip between the two glaciers Franz and Fox in South Westland is still being monitored and has not moved. The water level at Waiho River is back down to 7.7metres. There was 70mm rain overnight at Franz Josef.
- A truck and trailer unit rolled at Deep Gully on SH65, the Shenandoah highway – from near Murchison to Springs Junction, last night, but the road remained open. (Photo below)
