A road closure sign for SH2 at Whirinaki looking north. Photo / Paul Taylor
A road closure sign for SH2 at Whirinaki looking north. Photo / Paul Taylor
The region's economy will be impacted after major road and train lines between Napier and Wairoa were cut off for two days this week due to wild weather, Wairoa Mayor Craig Little says.
The main highway between Napier and Wairoa (SH2) was closed on Wednesday evening following flooding and slips and did not reopen again until Friday afternoon.
It is a major thoroughfare for trucks and anyone travelling up or down the coast.
The only train line between the two centres was also blocked by slips and had to be closed on Thursday and Friday by KiwiRail.
"As a result the log trains which use the line have been cancelled.
Flooding along SH2 near Wairoa on Friday morning. Photo / Waka Kotahi
"KiwiRail staff are working to get the line open again as quickly as possible," a KiwiRail spokesman said, on Friday afternoon.
A Napier Port spokeswoman said the port itself had not been directly impacted by high swells or the torrential rain this week - but ships, trains and trucks which visit the port had been.
"Shipping is restricted until Saturday evening due to strong swell," she said.
"Currently, there are less logs on port than usual. This is partly due to SH2 being closed but also because forestry requires trucks to be able to enter sites ... and the weather has impacted that."
She said the cancellation of the log train from Wairoa into the port had also impacted on the number of logs arriving.
A huge slip across a rural road near Wairoa, Ruapapa Rd, on Thursday morning following a deluge of rain. Photo / Kylie Brown
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said it was important people remained safe and off the road where possible during wild weather, but having SH2 closed had a big important on the local economy.
"At the end of the day we have to keep our nation pumping," he said, about the need to get it reopened.
He said it was also a concern for anyone with a life threatening emergency who needed to be treated at Hawke's Bay Hospital, as opposed to Wairoa Hospital, when SH2 was closed.
"I guess the ones with specialist appointments and real life-threatening problems are our main concern, but as long as that helicopter can keep coming back [there is a way out]."
Wairoa Hospital has an emergency department and maternity services, but patients can be transferred to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings in emergencies, either by helicopter or by plane.
Local farmers helped clear Mangatahi Rd, east of Hastings, following flooding on Thursday. Photo / Hastings District Council
Another highway, SH38, also suffered blockages during torrential rainfall over the past two days, which is the detour from Wairoa to Napier when SH2 is closed.
A Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency spokesman said SH2 was cleared and reopened on Friday afternoon, but there was a chance it would need to be closed again overnight on Friday.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency confirms that SH2 between Wairoa and Napier has been re-opened, with caution advised for drivers as repair work on the highway continues.
"Our crews have worked throughout the night and this morning to assess damage, clear debris and bring the highway back to a state where it is safe for essential travel," he said.
"As the road remains in a vulnerable condition with ongoing repairs, we're advising people to continue to delay or avoid any unnecessary travel in the area.
"People who are travelling should take extra care as a number of hazards remain on the highway network, including potholes, rock falls, and surface water."
"A section of SH2 at Turiroa (south of Wairoa) will be operating with a single lane open, under STOP/GO traffic control.
"Motorists should expect to encounter some surface water at this site, and extra caution will be needed.
"The road may also need to be closed overnight to ensure the safety of motorists, and we urge everyone to keep up with the latest updates on our website and social media channels."
