Due to flooding, further sections of State Highway 7 on the West Coast are now closed.

They are:

• Stillwater to Dobson
• Stillwater to Ngahere

Road users should avoid the area or delay their journeys.

12.40pm – SH69 also closed by weather impacts

Due to flooding, State Highway 69 is now closed at the Inangahua Landing, at Inangahua River Bridge.

Road users should avoid the area or consider using an alternative route.

Multiple areas in the West Coast region, and extending onto the Canterbury side of the Main Divide, are now subjects to road closures or area warnings because of flooding or slips.

11.30am – Erosion of SH7 to be addressed

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is mobilising crews to address erosion/scouring of part of State Highway 7 (pictured below).

The damage to the highway near Engineers Camp is within the current road closure between Springs Junction and the Hanmer Springs turnoff. The closure is due to both flooding and the erosion issue.

With the Boyle River running high at the site of the erosion, and more rain predicted through this week, further erosion is possible. The roading teams will be monitoring the situation and will be seeking to fill the eroded areas when conditions allow.

Further updates will be provided as the situation changes.

10am – SH7/Lewis Pass now closed due to flooding

Because of flooding, State Highway 7 is now closed from the turn-off to Hanmer Springs through to Springs Junction (including Lewis Pass).

Road users are asked to delay their journeys or consider using an alternative route.

A reminder that Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikoura Road is also subject to a closure, between Waiau and Stag and Spey.

9.10am – Slips and flooding on roads in wake of wild weather

Multiple slips and flooding on state highways in the West Coast region is prompting a warning to road users to take extra care.

Following heavy rain and strong winds hitting much of the South Island, sections of State Highway 73 on the West Coast side of the Main Divide – between Jacksons and Turiwhate, and between Jacksons and Otira – were closed for periods earlier this morning because of slips.

There are also slips reported on State Highway 6 near Harihari, where road users are being asked to stop on request. Caution is also urged because of fallen trees on SH6 in the Upper Buller Gorge, 1km north of Lyell.

Major flooding on State Highway 7 between Reefton and Greymouth, and on SH6 between Westport and Greymouth, also resulted in warnings to road users this morning. On State Highway 65, between Murchison and Springs Junction, caution is also urged because of surface flooding.

On the other side of the South Island, fallen trees have closed Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikoura Road, between Waiau and Stag and Spey. Road users should consider delaying their journeys or using an alternate route.

While the weather in parts of the South Island is easing, more intense weather is predicted for later in the week which may further impact road users.

Stay up to date with the latest state highway conditions at our Journey Planner site.

Plan for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook Canterbury & West Coast: facebook.com/nztacwc/
• X NZTA: x.com/nztamain
• X Canterbury & West Coast: x.com/nztacwc
• Instagram: instagram.com/nztransportagency
• TikTok: tiktok.com/@nztransportagency
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

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