State of Emergency lifted in taupo and sh5 open

Taupo Civil Defence lifted the State of Emergency at 1750 hours.

State Highway 5 is now open as all vehicles have been cleared. Police were escorting drivers from each end of the road to ensure travellers had safe passage.

Mayor Rick Cooper thanked everyone involved for all the hard work and effort that has gone into the exercise, “it has been a great effort from emergency services and also from the Taupo community including the Taupo 4 wheel drive and the three marae around Taupo who looked after the stranded travellers.”