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SIMON O’CONNOR / Things
Traffic is stuck on SH3 near Uruti in North Taranaki, after a slip blocked the road.
The main route north of New Plymouth will be closed overnight after a slip blocked State Highway 3 in Urutī.
The Waka Kotahi NZ Transportation Agency will conduct geotechnical assessments on the landslide, with an update scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday.
The landslide occurred around 2.30 pm Wednesday near the intersection of Mōkau Rd (SH3) and Urutī Rd.
A spokeswoman for the police media said a car was trapped in the skid, but “fortunately” the two occupants were unharmed.
Motorists were asked to avoid the area. The closest detour is via the Forgotten World Highway (SH43), but it is recommended only for light vehicles or those familiar with the road.
SIMON O’CONNOR / Things
The main road was closed at the intersection with Pukearuhe Rd.
There is also a major detour through Whanganui and State Highway 4.
Traffic reversed several kilometers since yesterday’s landslide, and the main road was closed at the intersection with Pukearuhe Rd.
The New Plymouth District Council said nearby local roads, including Uruti, Kaka and Okoki Highways, have also been closed to ensure public safety due to flooding and slipping.
Piko Rd, near Urenui, was also closed due to a slip, with a cleaning crew on site.
The situation will be reassessed in the morning, the council said.
A Metservice heavy rain warning remains in effect until 9 a.m. Thursday.
December has gotten off to a wet start in Taranaki with more rain forecast for the rest of the week.
The road north of New Plymouth is prone to slipping. In 2014, a rockfall from a limestone cliff by the road near Piopio killed Joy Thompson, a New Plymouth woman.
In 2012, tons of mud, ruck and debris slammed into SH3, north of the Awakino hotel. Motorists were advised to travel north through Whanganui, which involved a three-hour detour.
In 1998, heavy rains caused a 100-meter stretch of SH3 to collapse six meters down Stockman’s Hill in Mahoenui, just north of Awakino Gorge.
