Waioweka Gorge Road Cut Off by Slips: Family Separated from Belongings

Overnight they heard cars and trucks driving on the road, but it was quiet by 8am. That all changed within the hour as cars started entering the campsite “like refugees” after being stranded by slips and flooding along the highway. “There was no mobile connection and nobody knew what was going to happen,” she said. Police were contacted by phone through a satellite connection and others stranded along the route were dropped off by helicopter at the campsite. They were later flown out by a NZDF helicopter to Matawai and from there were driven by police to Gisborne. They had a lot of personal possessions, but could only take one bag per person. The family spent their first night in Gisborne with a local family, then shifted to a hotel. After the marathon this Saturday, they will head to the South Island before flying home to Zurich from Christchurch. Hugli said while it was an ordeal, she was grateful that “no one was injured”. “And we got to see the new chopper from the New Zealand Defence Force.” Locals had been very helpful after she posted on Facebook about potentially getting back their left-behind possessions. She said her husband was being taken back to the campsite today and it was hoped he would be able to drive it to Gisborne to continue their holiday.