State Highway 30 (SH30) between Te Kuiti and Benneydale and State Highway 31 (SH31) between Tihiroa and Kawhia, will remain closed overnight.

Crews are actively working on SH31, with diggers, trucks, and arborists on site. Work will resume tomorrow to ensure the road can be safely reopened.

SH30 remains heavily flooded and will only reopen once water levels recede and it is safe to do so.

11am: SH31 closure extended

Further slips have forced SH31 to close between Tihiroa and Kawhia. 

There are no current detours available. People are urged to avoid the area or delay your journey if possible

9:25am: SH30 closure extended

The closure on SH30 has now been extended, between Te Kuiti and Benneydale.

There are currently no suitable detours available. People are urged to delay their journeys or expect long delays.

With SH4 between Eight Mile Junction and Taumarunui closed and SH3 between Mokau and Piopio also closed, road users are urged to travel inland (from Waimarino National Park to Taupō).

Crews are onsite monitoring the situation. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

8:10am: Caution urged on Waikato roads, rain set to get heavier today

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging people to drive with care and caution if travelling on Waikato roads today due to heavy rain.

We have already seen multiple flooding sites and slips close State Highway 31 (SH31) between Ngutuni Road and Okupata Road. A detour is in place but will not be suitable for heavy vehicles. Please follow the detour and allow extra travel time for your journey.

There are also multiple flooding sites on SH30 between Te Kuiti to Benneydale with a closure currently in place between Kopaki Road and Benneydale village.

A detour is available via Mangaokewa Road. This is a narrow and windy road, which is not suitable for heavy vehicles.

People are urged to drive to the conditions and be ready for weather-related hazards. Reduce your speed, watch your following distances, avoid sudden braking, and use headlights if visibility is poor.

At this time, it is unknown how long the closures will be in place. Crews are onsite at both state highways managing traffic approaching the flooding/slip sites.

An update will be provided when more information is available.

SH31 detour route:

For westbound traffic,turn to Ngutunui Road, into Pekanui Road, continue to Okupata Road, then back to SH31. Vice versa for eastbound traffic