Milford Road to be closed for at least a week after torrential rain and slips

Milford Road (State Highway 94) will stay closed for at least another week after ongoing floods trapped nearly 200 tourists in Milford Sound. 

The highway was damaged yesterday as extreme weather caused slips and washed out parts of the road.

Evacuations of the tourists have been postponed until tomorrow and a state of emergency has been declared for the area following the flooding.

"While this work will be carried out as quickly as is safely possible, our immediate focus is on establishing the extent of the damage and prioritising which repair work will be carried out first," says New Zealand Transport Agency spokesperson Peter Brown. 

Mr Brown says State Highway 6 will also remain closed overnight between Frankton and Lumsden, after the rain caused two slips that are now blocking the road north of Kingston. 

Repairs to Milford Road will only be carried out when weather conditions allow for the work be done as Mr Brown says the safety of the workers is their "top priority".

“As soon as the weather lifts and ground conditions are safe our contractors will get stuck in. We know how important these highway routes are to the region, and our focus is on re-opening the roads as quickly as possible.”