15 Jul 2017

Road warnings continue as weather abates

11:46 am on 15 July 2017

The Transport Agency is warning of continued icy conditions on roads around the central plateau in the North Island and the lower half of the South Island.

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Rangiwahia in Manawatu was covered in snow on Thursday. Photo: Supplied / Steven and Mary Bielski

Most roads across the country affected by snow and ice during the storm which swept north across the country

have reopened.

In Wairarapa, State Highway 53 at Waihenga Bridge near Martinborough remains closed due to high river levels and several other roads are still closed by flooding and slips.

Floodwaters have closed State Highway 56 south-west of Palmerston North.

State Highway 38 inland from Wairoa, and SH1 along the Desert Road, are also closed by snow.

More than 3000 homes and businesses on PowerCo's network between Taranaki, Manawatu and Wairarapa have no electricity.

And Eastland Network said power was cut to about 600 in Wairoa, and an unknown number in Manutuke just south of Gisborne.

On the bright side, MetService has now lifted its warnings, saying the heavy rain, snow and gale force winds that have pounded much of the country for the past four days are easing.

Supermarkets in the lower North Island will be getting back to usual stock levels today after road closures as a result of the bad weather delayed deliveries.

Foodstuffs, which owns the New World and Pak'n'Save supermarkets, says some stores had a little less bread than usual yesterday.

However, it said deliveries were expected to return to normal today.

The weather and road closures through the lower half of the North Island also delayed some mail and courier deliveries.

New Zealand Post said it had been using alternative routes such as through Taranaki where it was safe to do so, as well as its air network.

It said staff were working through the weekend to deliver mail and courier items.

New Zealand Post says it'll be working quickly to clear the backlog in affected areas once all the roads were open again.

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