SH2 in BOP reopens after slip, car falls into gap near Rotorua

Heavy rain over the past few days has taken a toll on roads across the North Island, with an earlier closure of State Highway 2 south of Ōpōtiki due to a slip.

Watches and warnings that were in place for parts of the North Island including Bay of Plenty yesterday have since been lifted, but MetService expected new warnings to be issued again this weekend ahead of Tropical Cyclone Vanianu's expected landfall.

Earlier this morning, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said State Highway at the Waioweka Gorge was closed due to an "unstable slip face".

The road reopened shortly after 8.30am.

"Motorists are urged to drive with care," an NZTA spokesperson said.

Earlier, travellers were urged to delay travel where possible, or allow at least three hours of extra time for a long detour either via State Highway 35 or State Highway 5 as "water is flowing down the slip and over the road".

NZTA said "road users should take extra care in the region due to surface flooding in other areas around Rotorua and Eastern Bay of Plenty."

While SH35 was also currently open, more wet weather meant there was a chance that sections could close at short notice.

Yesterday the forecaster issued a preliminary severe weather watch for the entire North Island with a strong wind watch in place from 1am to 11pm on Sunday.

Earlier this morning, MetService meteorologist John Law told Breakfast "this is just the first of potentially many watches and warnings as we move into the weekend".

"It’s covering a broad area, but there is the risk of wind and also heavy rainfall as we go into the weekend."

In a separate incident in Rotorua overnight, a car fell into a reported slip chasm that had opened up on farmland near Rotorua.

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Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the person involved was rescued by fire crews and the specialist swift water rescue team shortly after 10pm.

They were taken to Rotorua Hospital by St John in a moderate condition.