Race to complete Kaikōura SH1 nearly over

Road crews are racing to complete the finishing touches on State Highway 1 north of Kaikōura, ahead of its scheduled reopening on Friday. The South Island's main transport corridor was devastated in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in November 2016. Repairs were going to plan, but earlier this week heavy rain pelted the area, bringing work to a grinding halt. Ohau Point site manager Clark Butcher told RNZ reporter Logan Church that helicopters had to be brought in to blow-dry the road.