Dramatic new pictures of a road collapsing into a torrent of water have emerged days after a washout cut off access to the Far North.
The first convoy of residents trapped by the giant hole made it through today, escorted by police, but there are still thousands isolated near the Northland locality of Pukenui.
Those north of the washout have been cut off since Friday afternoon.
"Enormous trees twenty metre high trees just ripping and rolling and pulling or the high banks down and turbulent waters coming in like anything like you'd seen before," local man Josh bates says.
"The pathway fell away the railings everything you could do was just stand and watch in absolute."
This morning a police escorted convoy took 25 vehicles through the only alternative route - a private forestry road.
Local principal, Carolyn Smith, is trying to get to school.
"I went on this road yesterday and it’s pretty bad and a lot of the parents might not have a 4WD vehicle so it's not recommended I don't think," Ms Smith said.
The Ministry of Education is advising student affected by the slip to stay at home but Starh Poutai is determined.
"It's an important day today and tomorrow because some scientists are coming up from Auckland and the museum, and our schools a part of it," she says.
The local convenience store is the only shop for miles, but with stocks running low, Civil Defence has sent a special delivery of medical supplies and food.
This road collapse is the second major job in the region for the Transport Authority, after a massive slip closed the Kawakawa to Pahia road.
The Minister for Regional Development, Shane Jones, went to inspect the hole himself.
"This is a wake up call for NZTA. There are roads in the provinces that are screaming for attention and this is the consequence if you don't plan for reliance and if you don't regularly keep up your monitoring," he said.
The roads are expected to open up in a few days.
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