A landslide which has created a lake between Wairoa and Gisborne may become a permanent landmark.
The slip has affected 25.8 hectares of land and created a lake about 50 metres deep which is rising about 60cm a day.
It was likely to have been triggered by a small localised earthquake earlier this month and has resulted in about 80 million tonnes of material forming a large dam on the Mangapoike River (a small tributary of the Wairoa River).
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (HBCDEMG) has been working with Wairoa District Council, Gisborne District Council and Hawke's Bay Regional Council to monitor the slip, which is still moving, on the boundary between Wairoa and Gisborne.