Disaster Strikes in the Waioeka

Fate struck a heartbreaking blow in the Waioeka Gorge this month when heavy rain saturated the steep unstable hillsides and flooded the winding river to leave an aftermath of destruction unequalled in living memory.

Dozens of slips and washouts caused an estimated £80,000 worth of damage to the road, necessitating its closure for seven days while men and machinery toiled mightily to re-open it.

Another three weeks' work was expected to be necessary before the road would be completely clear of slips and debris, and then many months of reconstruction restoring it to its original form.

Travellers who were trapped in the gorge were forced to abandon their vehicles, many of which were not released until almost a week later, and walk to safety. Residents of the settlement of Oponae, near the midway mark, were held captive for two days, during which time they played hosts to the many stranded motorists who sought refuge in their homes.

To a highway which in parts is reputed to have cost £2 an inch, and which has only been completed for little over a year after more than ten years work, the damage is a sorry blow.

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Dwarfed by a huge rock slide, a toy-like front-end loader battles to clear a track to enable machinery to move through to the next trouble spot.