Westland residents warned to stay off roads as dangers outlast weather warnings

Some South Island residents are cut off by road closures and slips after heavy rain, and the only way out is by boat.

A small number of people in the Kinloch area, on the northern shores of lake Wakatipu, are now waiting for the roads to be made passable again.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council said several hotels and lodges had been isolated by the wash-out of Kinloch Road, and it was likely to remain closed for some time.

A local state of emergency remained in place for southern Westland, where flooding had closed State Highway 6 between Fox Glacier and Haast.

Franz Josef experienced its wettest 24 hours in over four decades and several homes in the small settlement of Hannah’s Clearing south of Haast were flooded

Civil Defence controller Kevin Hague said officials would be making contact with isolated communities through Saturday night and Sunday.

State Highway 6 would be closed until at least Monday, he said.

Waiho River at 8am on Saturday.
Photo: Supplied / West Coast Regional Council

Officials said they were keeping a close eye on the Hokitika River, which was expected to peak on Saturday evening, coinciding with the high tide.

There had been some flooding around the Kaniere Kokatahi area.

Westland mayor Helen Lash declared a state of emergency on Saturday morning, after 375 millimetres of rain fell across the coast in the 24 hours to 7am.

Water levels on the Whio, Haast and Hokitika Rivers triggered level one alerts earlier on Saturday.

By 8.30pm Saturday, MetService had lifted all South Island weather watches and warnings.

In the 24 hours to 1pm this afternoon 375 mm of have fallen in Franz Josef Less elsewhere during the same period but still substantial amounts: Milford Sound 234 mm, and Haast 197 mm.https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5

— MetService (@MetService) November 9, 2024

West Coast Emergency Management spokesperson Claire Brown said earlier on Saturday: “We’re still carefully [watching] what’s happening down South Westland. We do know that there have been some properties that have had water inundation, particularly over last night, early this morning.

“It does appear that the weather conditions are beginning to ease off, which is great news. However, we still have quite a lot of debris on the roads.”

The heavy rain was expected to pass through by Saturday evening, but had left a trail of damage on the roads.

Earlier, Brown said the declaration had been made “as extensive flooding causes significant problems across the district, including evacuations, road closures and landslips in the South Westland area.

Cracks in the highway at Knights Point on State Highway 6.
Photo: Supplied / NZTA

“This declaration provides for controllers to direct and coordinate personnel, material and other resources made available and provides access to extraordinary powers to deliver an effective and timely response to an emergency.

RNZ is New Zealand’s statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to hand. All frequencies can be found here.

“Members of the public are reminded to prepare getaway bags in preparation for potential evacuations. If anyone is feeling unsafe, please self-evacuate to friends or family on higher ground or call 111.”

The community of Hannah’s Clearing around 20km south of Haast was isolated and campervans had been evacuated from a camping ground in the early hours of the morning.

Allan Dick had been travelling in his campervan and had planned to travel south to central Otago.

He said his plans had been thwarted.

“It’s rained solidly with absolutely no let-up at all for the past 30 hours and now we’re stuck,” he said.

A Civil Defence information board at a Four Square store in Franz Josef, during floods after heavy rain, on Saturday.
Photo: Supplied / Allan Dick

“We’re here for the duration but we don’t know how long the duration is.

“It’s heavy and it doesn’t stop at all.”

Confined to his campervan, Dick said he had spent the morning reading and watching the All Blacks test on his laptop.

“We’re lucky to have coverage on the laptop,” he said.

Warnings for heavy rain continuing for Westland, Buller, and Cantebury headwaters this afternoon/evening as the front moves north. Watch for severe gale northwesterlies in Canterbury High Country until early this afternoon:https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/KASXa9E3gB

— MetService (@MetService) November 8, 2024

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell was travelling from Hokitika to Franz Josef and said the roads were hazardous.

“There have been some slips. There is a community through the south … because of slips that has been isolated and cut off.”

Mitchell said the evacuated campers had been taken to a safer area.

The Waiho River near Franz Josef was running high when the first alarm activated, but receded slightly during Saturday afternoon.

West Coast Civil Defence partially activated its emergency operations centre during the day, but stood it down just after 8pm on Saturday. However, it reminded anyone who needed assistance to call 111 if they were in immediate danger overnight, and the region’s emergency management phone would be monitored overnight: 03 769 9323.

Road closures after slips

Trees and debris along the SH6 route in the Fox Hills.
Photo: Supplied / NZTA

In a statement, the New Zealand Transport Agency said parts of the state highway would remain closed over the weekend.

Systems manager Mark Pinner said: “Our crews will continue to clean up the fallen trees and slips around Bruce Bay, the glacier towns and south of Ross but the Knights Point cracks are of more concern.

“We will have a surveyor on site this afternoon and more geotechnical inspections by chopper Sunday morning to assess the area at Knights Point. SH6 through Knights Point area will remain closed for the weekend with the next update for the route between Fox Glacier and Haast at 10am Monday.”

NZTA said no detour was available for SH6 at Knights Point.

“People wanting to get to Greymouth or Hokitika will need to come via Arthur’s Pass or the Lewis Pass from the east coast for the time being, or delay their journeys.”

Mitchell said “hopefully” roads would be restored and reopened as soon as possible.

“Obviously the big focus right now is public safety and making sure there is a strong response.

“The West Coasters are pretty good and used to dealing with water and rain but for us as a country, this is a reality. We are going to continue to be hit by these weather events and obviously it’s extremely important in terms of how we respond and react to that.”

“I came over yesterday for a briefing and already the wheels were in motion. The local mayor and local leadership are very good, they’re across it, they respond early which is very important, not just in terms of the response but the recovery.”

Mitchell earlier said Westland residents should stay off the roads.

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