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Video shows the challenge of the Awatere Valley Road slip
Media release
16 December 2016
Video shows the challenge of the Awatere Valley Road slip
The massive land slip on Awatere Valley Road in Marlborough is proving much more troublesome than first thought.
The 100km-long road connects coastal Marlborough to Molesworth, New Zealand’s largest high-country station, and on to Hanmer Springs.
To see the video go to https://youtu.be/XnvTJvtr2to or the council’s Facebook page.
Marlborough Roads’ Steve Murrin says the problem is that the slip is so unstable it’s a very dangerous site to work on.
“For the first three weeks we have been removing unstable rocks by either ‘sluicing’ them with monsoon buckets from helicopters, or blasting them with dynamite using abseilers.”
“Finally last Friday we got the site stable enough to start excavating with a remote-controlled digger. By Sunday evening we were able to get three quarters of the way across the slip.
“However we had to pull back after loose material began falling from above. We called in helicopters to sluice again, which uncovered four huge boulders that were in a very dangerous position. We managed to dislodge two of these, but the other two are proving very difficult to move. They each weigh in excess of 15 tonnes.
“These are the kind of challenges we are working with on this slip. It gives an indication of the challenges ahead of us to restore State Highway One down to Kaikoura.
“One of our geotechnical engineers, who is very experienced and worked in Christchurch on the Port Hills and Sumner rock falls, says this slip is the most technically challenging he has seen.
“It’s hard to put a timeframe on when we will have the Awatere Valley Road open. I want to reassure everyone in the area that we are trying as hard as we can to achieve this, but we have to do it in a way that keeps our people safe. We have to be patient.”
If local residents need any assistance due to the blocked road, they should call the Marlborough District Council on 03 520 7400. There are a variety of ways that the council and Civil Defence can help residents.
Nine families remain isolated by the slip, though their properties can be accessed via Hanmer Springs. Marlborough Civil Defence continues to provide supplies to these remote farms by helicopter each week.
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