Slip strands Taranaki families

About 12 residents in a remote part of South Taranaki remain stranded after a huge slip covered the only access road to their homes.

The slip, which felled pine trees, came down in heavy rain early yesterday on Tangahoe Valley Rd, northeast of Hawera.

South Taranaki District Council communications manager Gerard Langford said it was about 80m long and up to six metres deep.

It took powerlines down with it, cutting power to about five rural properties up the valley and affecting pump-generated water supplies to some.

Mr Langford said there was some steep country in the area and slips had occurred in the past, but this was particularly big.

"Its the biggest slip they've had out that way for many years," he said.

It was likely to take about four days to clear the trees and mud, and engineers would then have to assess whether the road was usable.

Alternate access was difficult and probably limited to quad motorbikes, and the council was staying in touch with isolated locals to ensure they had what they needed.

A New Plymouth Civil Defence spokesman said the office was liaising with the local electricity lines company to ensure generators were available.

He said he understood a helicopter was being sent in today to drop necessities off.

- NZPA