More than 40 people stranded between multiple slips along State Highway 2 have been evacuated by helicopter, after heavy rain cut off the Waioweka Gorge route yesterday.
Police were first alerted to a slip around 9am on Friday following heavy rain in the area. As conditions worsened, several more slips came down, trapping motorists between blocked sections of the Waioweka Gorge.
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By midnight, everyone caught between the slips had been evacuated by helicopter, Eastern Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Nicky Cooney said. A further eight people at two private properties were expected to be flown out this morning.
"It’s been a significant effort to reach so many people who were trapped, and I want to acknowledge the efforts of local helicopter pilots, New Zealand Defence Force staff, local and regional councils, and Police Search and Rescue staff," Cooney said.
"It’s been a long operation, but we’re just thankful that everyone is safe – everyone we know about has been accounted for."
In a statement, NZDF Flight Lieutenant George Bellamy said a Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter and crew from No. 3 Squadron helped rescue 35 people from the slips.
The NH90 evacuated people from Manganuku Campsite to welfare centres at Ōpōtiki Airfield and Matawai township.
"The police staff on the ground coordinating the rescue streamlined the extraction process. We knew exactly where we needed to be and where to go," the NH90 captain said.
Bellamy said while the weather was fine when the helicopter and crew arrived, that "quickly changed".
"We managed to complete all the rescues just as the weather began to deteriorate meaning we likely couldn’t have done much more. Without the coordination skills of those on the ground there very well could have been unprepared people left out overnight.”
The late-night operation began just before 9pm, with the NH90 crew returning to base just before 2am.
By midnight, more than 40 people trapped in the Waioweka Gorge were airlifted to safety. (Source: 1News)
Cooney said recovering the stranded vehicles would take time due to the number of slips and the extent of the damage in the gorge.
“The main thing is nobody was hurt."
SH2 to remain closed through weekend
NZTA said State Highway 2 would remain closed through the Waioweka Gorge over the weekend due to multiple slips and surface flooding along the route.
A helicopter assessment of the road on Friday afternoon showed "significant" over and underslips along the road, a spokesperson said.
"With movement still occurring and rivers and streams flowing high, it is not safe for our teams to be on the ground. People are urged to delay travel where possible or allow plenty of extra time for a detour via State Highway 35."
An update on the condition of the road would be provided on Monday morning, they added.
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