Napier-Taupo Rd May Be Open Tonight

The New Zealand Transport Agency, Police and Hastings and Taupo Civil Defence may decide to open State Highway Five, between Napier and Taupo, from 6.30pm.

Currently there are just a few vehicles blocking the road at Waipunga and tow-trucks are currently moving them off the road.

When the road is clear agencies will make a decision on whether the road will be opened.

A number of vehicles have been waiting at cordons on either side of the closed section and if the road is opened at 6.30pm a police escort will lead vehicles through at a safe pace.

Napier-Taihape Road is also closed between Kuripapango and Taihape and that section will not re-open before tomorrow (Wednesday).

Power:

There are currently around 220 households without power in the Hawke’s Bay high country, in the areas of Pohokura Rd and Waitere, Te Pohue to Tarawera and Potter Rd in Patoka. Other intermittent outages have been occurring around the area

Unison expects to have from Mohaka River to the Summit back on this afternoon – a total of around 140 customers.

A number of poles around Te Haroto have come down in heavy snow and trees have either come down through lines or are threatening to do so.

Unison crews have taken the opportunity of the road being closed to drop damaged trees which may come down across the road.

Unison spokesman Danny Gough says Unison has had all available resources dedicated to restoring power but it is possible some areas will still be without power for another two or three days.

“We’ll have a better picture of what areas will get power when by tomorrow,” Mr Gough says.