4 Jan 2010

SH6 on West Coast closed by flooding

5:55 am on 4 January 2010

Part of State Highway 6 on the West Coast is closed due to flooding on Sunday.

The closure is from Haast - Fox Glacier. Further north, driving conditions are hazardous due to surface flooding on SH 6 between Franz Josef and Hokitika.

West Coast Regional Council says the Waiho River which runs through Franz Josef, has been quite high.

Stop banks have been checked to ensure they are secure, but the level has begun to drop as the front moves north.

The council says it is raining quite heavily in Greymouth on Sunday evening, but the Grey River is not showing signs of flooding.