Tourists airlifted out after slip blocks road

Part of Fiordland is cut off and hundreds of tourists are being airlifted out, after torrential rain – 217mm of which fell in six hours – brought down a slip, blocking Deep Cove.

Heavy rain caused a slip to block the road out of that part of Doubtful Sound yesterday afternoon, leaving 339 people trapped.

Real Journeys corporate communications manager Tsehai Tiffin said three helicopters were put on standby to get people out as soon as the weather cleared.

By 5pm, the conditions had improved, with the first lot of people flown over the slip before heading back to Manapouri. The helicopter trips were ongoing last night.

Tiffin said the cost of flying the tourists was not a concern, before adding that the road would be inspected today.

Deep Cove Outdoor Education Trust member Bob Hughes said there was more than 250mm of rain from about 3am yesterday.

A school group was able to exit Deep Cove just before the road was blocked. No-one had been able to drive out since.

Motorists were earlier warned of hazardous driving conditions as a cold front swept in from the south. That bad weather was expected to move north over the mainland and onto the lower North Island this morning.

MetService warned wind could hit 120kmh in exposed places in Wellington, Marlborough and Wairarapa, including the Tararua District, up to 7am today.