Bad weather has flooded roads and properties across Wairarapa and forced the closure of the critical Remutaka Hill road connecting the region with Wellington.
The Transport Agency said on Tuesday afternoon the State Highway 2 route would be shut for 24 hours due to flood damage to a bridge at the Featherston end of the road.
NZTA Wellington alliance manager Roxanne Hilliard said it was doing all it could to temporarily fix the bridge.
"There has been major flood scouring and undercutting of the road that has made it unsafe for vehicles," she said.
"We are double crewing this site, bringing in heavy equipment, and doing all we can to get a temporary fix in place. "
Locals told RNZ the closure was causing problems.
Featherston pharmacist Michael Stewart from Langs Pharmacy said he usually received new supplies every day over the hill and that was not happening.
"The main problem for us is getting new supplies into the Wairarapa because every day we get an order that comes across the hill. Obviously today that's not going to happen so we're just trying to figure out the things that we need urgently and how we can get them here," he said.
"There is a few items that are specialty items that we do need semi-urgently. So they'll be problematic for the people. Only right now am I aware of one person that we'll have to send probably to the hospital to get new supplies because I can't find any in South Wairarapa or the Wairarapa."
Michael Stewart said it will be more of a problem the longer the road is closed.
Featherston resident Marie Schaefer said with the road closed local people would have difficulty getting to specialist appointments in Wellington or Hutt Valley and receiving timely test results.
"For me it is the health care concern," she said.
Speaking near the site of the road closure, builder Garry McGuire told RNZ all of his work was in Wellington and the only detour was too far given the high cost of fuel.
"If I can't get over the hill I've got to stick it out here or go right round which is with all the petrol and diesel costs, I'd probably break even if I'm lucky," he said.
"I'll be doing paperwork today and that's probably it."
McGuire said workers on site told him the bridge was likely to be shut for two days.
"They say the approaches to the bridge have been washed away so no-one can go over for at least two days," he said.
Garry McGuire says the extra fuel cost with having to take the detour was high. Photo: Sally Round/RNZ
Multiple Wairarapa schools and kindergartens were closed today, a South Wairarapa vineyard was underwater after the Ruamahanga River flooded over its banks and the town of Dalefield was briefly cut off from Masterton due to flooding.
Teacher Lucy Clearwater said she was driving to school with her children on Matarawa Road this morning when floodwaters stopped her going any further.
She said it was a "little bit frightening" to see. "There was quite a lot of water on either side of the road, I didn't feel that it was safe to turn around."
A community east of Masterton was also cut off after heavy rain brought logs and other debris downstream on Te Kanuka Road off the Masterton to Riversdale Road.
Resident Victoria Martin said they were safe on a hill, but did not trust the safety of a nearby bridge.
NZTA said the Waihenga Bridge into Martinborough was closed due to high water levels in the Ruamahanga River but detours were in place.
The road to Martinborough, SH53, on Tuesday. Photo: RNZ
Roxanne Hilliard said the closure would be in place for some time.
"We have to wait for the river level to drop and also have to inspect the bridge to make sure it is safe. This will take some time. Debris will also have to be cleared. We will update the public this progresses," she said.
Hilliard said the ground was saturated from three days of bad weather and more slips, treefalls, and rockfalls were possible across the roading network.
"Our road crews continue to check for these, but they can happen without warning. Strong winds will affect vehicles on exposed routes. So, drivers must be aware of the risk and drive with caution," she said.
-By RNZ
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