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Download AudioOpotiki’s mayor says the council had sufficient warning to plan what needed to be done now that state highway 35 to Te Kaha is out of action.
Lyn Reisterer says cracks were spotted in the road a few days ago east of the Motu River mouth where the river has undercut the road.
That section of road has now collapsed.
Other roads in the area including the Waioeka Gorge through to Gisborne are also subject to slips at this time of the year.
Mayor Reisterer says Te Whanau a Apanui’s response unit and Civil Defence had time to make sure help would be available for the community.
“We just needed to make sure before the road did go and it was closed that we were able to understand if we needed any medical emergencies that we had ways. We do have ways for helicopters to get in and possibly if needed with bad, bad weather we have an airstrip as well so all of these things have been planned and sorted through,” she says.
The council’s emergency office in Opotiki has been activated, and it’s now waiting on Waka Kotahi to indicate how long it will take for the road to be fixed, but it’s likely to be a long time event.
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