State Highway 2 through Waioweka Gorge is expected to remain closed for an extended period after heavy rain triggered multiple slips and evacuations, adding to a series of recent weather events that are shaping discussions about natural hazard exposure and insurance in New Zealand. The closure affects the route between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne after intense rainfall on Jan. 16 caused numerous slope failures and overwhelmed culverts along the corridor. Follow-up geotechnical inspections and drone surveys have identified damage beyond what first-response crews initially observed.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Waikato and Bay of Plenty maintenance and operations manager Roger Brady said a quick reopening is unlikely. “We want to be upfront that this is not something we can fix in a few days. The damage is significant, and reopening the road safely will likely take a few weeks,” Brady said, as reported by 1News. Crews have been working to clear smaller slips to gain access to larger, more unstable sites. Authorities have reported up to 40 slips along the route, including four to eight major failures at each end of the gorge. “The sheer number of slips and continuing debris falling mean this is a complex and challenging situation. The safety of our crews will always come first,” Brady said. Motorists have been advised to postpone travel where possible or divert via SH35 or SH5, extending travel times for residents, freight operators, and service providers.
The long-term closure follows a rescue operation on Friday night after slips left dozens of motorists stranded in the gorge. By midnight, more than 40 people had been airlifted out through a coordinated response involving local helicopter pilots, the New Zealand Defence Force, Police Search and Rescue, and regional councils. Eastern Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Nicky Cooney described it as a “significant effort” and said all those known to be in the gorge had been accounted for.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter transported 35 people from Manganuku Campsite to welfare centres at Ōpōtiki Airfield and Matawai. Flight Lieutenant George Bellamy said the timing of the operation was critical. “We managed to complete all the rescues just as the weather began to deteriorate, meaning we likely couldn’t have done much more. Without the coordination on the ground, there could have been unprepared people left out overnight,” Bellamy said. The final flights finished shortly before 2am. For insurers and reinsurers, the event adds to a growing record of rainfall-related disruption affecting infrastructure and communities, informing internal assessments of exposure, accumulation, and long-term risk in specific regions.
The Waioweka Gorge incident comes as the Insurance Council of New Zealand | Te Kāhui Inihui o Aotearoa (ICNZ) continues to call for clearer national guidance on managing natural hazard risks, including flooding and landslips, and on limiting development in locations identified as high risk. In August 2025, ICNZ urged the government to strengthen its proposed National Policy Statement (NPS) for Natural Hazards, which is intended to shape how hazard risks are considered in land-use planning decisions. “New Zealand faces significant natural hazard risks, including flooding, landslips, coastal inundation, and sea level rise, and these risks are intensifying with the science indicating the prospect of more frequent and severe climate related events. We support the government’s focus on strengthening the planning system to deal with natural hazards. A strong, clear national policy will empower councils to control development in areas exposed to high hazard risk,” said ICNZ chief executive Kris Faafoi.
Faafoi added: “The draft NPS from the Ministry for the Environment is an important step forward and an improvement on the current approach. However, we believe it doesn’t go far enough. Many councils are already following the intent of the draft NPS in their natural hazard decisions. What’s needed now is a policy with real strength. We support strengthening the NPS to give councils greater confidence to stop development in high-risk areas. We believe the NPS in its current form creates more uncertainty which may increase the risk of councils having their decisions relitigated. ICNZ and its members have been engaging with councils and agree that clearer rules and stronger tools are needed to help them make better decisions to reduce risk and protect their communities. This will also support the future accessibility of insurance in these areas. The proposal also risks undermining national consistency by offering too much flexibility, which could dilute the effectiveness of the policy. We all know it makes sense to act before disaster strikes, rather than start over, particularly as New Zealand faces increasing risks from climate-related events. A clear and strong national direction will help lay the foundation for a more resilient future that protects communities, supports informed planning decisions, and ensures insurance remains accessible.”
For insurance professionals, the Waioweka Gorge closure is an example of how rainfall-driven hazards can disrupt key transport links and local economies at the same time as the sector is engaging with government on planning rules, adaptation funding, and information requirements. The event is likely to feature in ongoing discussions about how risk information, land-use decisions, and infrastructure standards interact with the availability, terms, and pricing of insurance cover in areas exposed to recurring weather-related events.
