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Transit New Zealand said today repairs to a bridge linking Cape Reinga and other far northern areas with the rest of New Zealand should be finished by Sunday.
The Mitimiti Bridge, north of Te Kao, was closed yesterday after severe flooding washed away the embankment.
The collapse effectively cut off several communities -- about 500 people -- as the bridge carries State Highway 1, the only major road in the isolated area.
Transit's Northern operations manager Joseph Flanagan said today repairs were expected to be complete by Sunday so the road and bridge could be reopened.
"We are fortunate that it is the embankment and not the bridge that has been damaged by the flooding as we are able to get the job completed much faster this way.
"There is some minor damage to the bridge but we have been able to source locally the material needed to repair it."
Mr Flanagan said Transit would also repair flood damage to other parts of the state highway but that would not prevent motorists from using the road once the Mitimiti Bridge was reopened.
Residents and Far North District Council staff have been mopping up today after a chaotic day of heavy rains and flooding wreaked havoc across the region yesterday.
Several houses on the outskirts of Kaitaia, in the Larmers Road area, were also under threat of flooding after the area received about a month's worth of rain in 48 hours.
Far North District Council spokeswoman Alison Lees today said flooding fears had eased overnight.
The rain had stopped and water levels were dropping.
"We're expecting it to recede as quickly as it came up," she told NZPA.
"Today will be a day of clearing roads and mopping up."
She said several roads were impassable and local residents should take extreme care on the roads.
- NZPA
