Waioeka Gorge slippage is clear

One of the many clearing sites in the Waioeka Gorge. Photo: Supplied.

The Waioeka Gorge has been cleared, but the NZTA says more work needs to be done to get the road open.

The slip, which occurred on State Highway 2, between Opotiki and Gisborne, had around 5500m3 of debris fall onto both lanes due to heavy rain on Friday afternoon.

More than half of the debris, or 3000m3, from the slip has now been cleared.

'Our priority is to get this road open as soon as it is safe to do so, but freezing temperatures and further rain are forecast which can cause more rocks to fall or become loose,” says NZTA's regional director Parekawhia McLean.

'We know the closure is frustrating for the community and people travelling over the school holidays but we are using as much resource as we can to open this road again.”

Once the debris is cleared abseilers will need to scale the cliff to check for any loose rock, which may need to be blasted away.

When the rock removal is complete, and the site has been checked by engineers, the road is expected to open to one lane.

The information collected by the engineers will be used to determine if a longer term solution needs to be put in place.

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