Update: 7:49am – Slips have come down around Wellington, blocking traffic and causing at least one house to be evacuated.
A two-storey house above a steep Wellington street in Aro Valley has been evacuated after a large slip, as wild weather continues to batter parts of the country.
Another large slip in Wellington is blocking traffic from just past Oriental Parade, while yet another is blocking the citybound lane on Ngaio Gorge Road.
Contractors will assess the slip which closed Devon Street last night, between Aro Valley and Kelburn. Devon street is a popular short cut for commuters looking to avoid traffic in the capital.
The closure also includes pedestrian access to Victoria University, as well as Te Aro school via a walkway off Devon Street.
Police asked people to avoid the area if possible.
RNZ’s reporter at the scene, Jacob McSweeny, said the evacuated house was now in a precarious position just above the slip.
“From the front door, it’s probably about 10 metres to straight cliff face,” he said.
A large mass of earth mixed with trees and bushes had come down on to the road, mostly covering a section halfway down the street.
Wellington City Council said the slip near Oriental Parade was on Evans Bay Parade, near Point Jerningham.
-RNZ
