A slip site at Otoko, north west of Gisborne on 25 June 2023. Photo: Kate Green / RNZ
Road closures in the Coromandel and Gisborne are putting pressure on businesses and supply chains.
Rain has pummelled both regions, damaging roads and causing slips. The closure of State Highway 2 between and Ōpōtiki and Gisborne has hampered freight deliveries, including fresh vegetables.
Supermarket giant Countdown has advised its customers some fruit and vegetables will be in limited supply as producers are struggling to get their stock out of Gisborne and Hawke's Bay.
One of those was vegetable supplier LeaderBrand.
Chief executive Richard Burke said there should not be shortages at supermarkets because all the crops are also grown in other regions.
But getting fresh produce out of Tairāwhiti has been a logistical nightmare.
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz said the closure had had a big impact and they were working to get it open "as quickly as possible".
But Burke said a more resilient road was needed north of Gisborne.
Flooding on State Highway 2 in Otoko in Tairāwhiti District. Photo: NZ Police
In the Coromandel, SH25 is to remain closed overnight between Ruamahunga and Waiomu.
The road was expected to reopen on Monday afternoon, but Waka Kotahi said geotech engineers advised it was not safe.
The Transport Agency said the rock face was unstable and there was still potential for more material to fall.
Monday's slip was in the same location as another slip which was cleared the day before.
Another update will be given tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Anchor Lodge in Coromandel Town was again counting its losses as continual rain and road closures put tourists off visiting.
Manager Sue Gill-Devereux said they had not received a single booking for the upcoming Matariki long weekend.
"Normally now we would be quite full for that weekend," she said.
Mayor of Thames-Coromandel Len Salt said it had been a tough time for Coromandel businesses with State Highway 25A out of commission.
But he said they were working on improving the wider roading network.
"We've got to get our roading networks to the state where they don't continually fall over every time there's a rain event."
At the moment State Highway 25A is expected to reopen early to mid- 2024.
