26 Jan 2026

East Cape faces massive clean up as roads remain closed

From Checkpoint, 5:24 pm on 26 January 2026

As recovery work continues in Mount Maunganui, the east cape is also facing a massive clean-up. Te Araroa looks like a waste land, pocked with muddy ruts and woody debris everywhere. The small settlement, Onepoto, and Wharekahika have been hit hard. Parts of State Highway 35 around the coast remain closed or restricted. Te Araroa incident management team leader and resident Trudi Ngawhare spoke to Lisa Owen.