Bay of Plenty residents trapped after large "sludgy" slip blocks road

NZ Herald

27 May, 2017 06:52 AM2 mins to read

The slip was caused by a torrential downpour in Kauri Point this afternoon. Photo/Google Maps

Residents in a small Bay of Plenty community are trapped by a large slip blocking the road.

A torrential downpour sent a torrent of sludge right across Chelmsford St in Kauri Point near Katikati this afternoon.

Chelmsford St resident Kit Wilson told the Herald the more than two-metre-high slip had left families from about 20 households unable to leave the area other than by four-wheel drive.

"We're stuck for the night and we'll see how we go tomorrow.

"It's totally blocking the road and you can't get past by foot, never mind car."

Wilson said a large piece of bank had come away on Chelmsford St about half way between Kauri Point Rd and Stanley St.

"It's very sludgy and runny soil and clay. It's almost like porridge."

He said there was a slip about 50 metres down the road three or four years ago, which took 48 hours to clear just one lane and much longer to fully reopen the road.

"This time we're hoping it will be much quicker," he said.

A neighbour has offered to make his four-wheel drive available if anyone urgently needs to get in our out of the area, Wilson said.

"Obviously we won't be going out for fish and chips tonight or to get milk but if we absolutely had to we could get out using the neighbours' four-wheel drive."

"We've gone door knocking to check everyone's okay. If we need to we can support each other and I'm sure we could share the milk around if we needed to."

Wilson said residents had been in touch with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council who said they will look at the slip tomorrow as it was too dangerous to do anything tonight, in the dark.

"Which will be good because most of us need to go to work on Monday morning," he said.

A police spokesperson said they were aware of the slip and the the Council had been advised.