Rat Poison Crash – Trampers Rescued – Children Die In Fire – THE BIG COLD - Cold Snap – Daniel Wilkinson Safe – Desert Road Closed Too – Augie Auer, It Is Very Very Cold.

RAT POISON CRASH: Tonnes of rat poison and paint were tipped into the sea near Kaikoura today in a truck crash. Conservationists are very concerned at the tippage of rat poision into the sea. Emergency services were not aware of the danger till they had trouble breathing. Only around 400gms has entered the water but a 10km ban on taking shellfish is already in force. It will be at least 2 weeks before an all clear is declared.

TRAMPERS RESCUED: Three of eight rescued trampers have received treatment for frostbite after spending a night huddling together on Mt Robert. The trampers are now planning their next expedition.

CHILDREN DIE IN FIRE: A small Northland community is deep in shock following the death of three children in a fire. A charred ruin is all that is left of the house. A 12-year-old girl is being hailed as a hero for getting fellow children out. Everybody is feeling very sad that the school says a teacher. The children’s parents were not at home, a 14-year-old was looking after the children, he was killed in the fire. A sleepout in Matauri Bay killed children recently. The house that burned had no power.

COLD SNAP: A cold snap has caused traffic mayhem in the South Island. Lots of travellers thoroughly enjoying the experience. The Crown Range road in Queenstown has received lots of snow. It is expected to be really cold in Dunedin tonight. Tomorrow morning is expected to be dangerous. In the afternoon low lying areas of Otago were thawing out.

DANIEL WILKINSON SAFE: There have been no fatalities due to the weather so far. Daniel Wilkinson is safe and sound at home today, shown getting a kiss. The three year old followed a dog 500 metres out into the snow yesterday with no shoes on and was missing for four hours. The snow is also good news for Cadrona ski-field due to open in a month.

DESERT ROAD CLOSED TOO: The wintry blast also closed the Desert Road for the first time this winter. The road will probably be closed again tonight.

AUGIE AUER - VERY VERY COLD: Augie Auer there has been a surge of very cold air out of the south. How cold? Very, very, cold. –35 centigrade at 5000m over Invercargill. This is ideal for lots more snow hailstorms and the like. This is the first time in recorded history snow has settled at Okarito. More snow and hail to sea level for the south is forecast for tomorrow.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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