Public warned away from slip site

Curious people are being warned to stay away from a landslip area in suburban Auckland for their own safety.

Land at Clovelly Rd in the southeastern suburb of Bucklands Beach slipped a further metre at the weekend, adding to an earlier slip of a metre from Monday to Friday last week.

The land had already subsided last September, forcing many people from their homes, including former Manukau City mayor Sir Barry Curtis.

Manukau City Council environmental operations group manager Carole Todd said the extension at Unit 3, 116 Clovelly Rd separated from the main building last week and the land would definitely drop to the foreshore at some stage.

She said the area posed a real danger which some members of the public appeared to be ignoring.

"It's not a case of 'it won't happen to me'. It's a case of it will happen and someone could be injured or even killed as a result of ignoring the warning signs," Ms Todd said.

"We do understand that people are curious. But, that curiosity does present very real danger.

"The land movement is a natural occurrence and so it is unpredictable, we don't know when this will finally fall to the foreshore. However, we are monitoring it constantly, so that we can ensure public safety."

Security staff have been engaged, while signs on the foreshore and on the fence are warning people away from the area.

Council geo-technical staff will provide updates about what further movement can be expected in the next day or two.

- NZPA