Police leading drivers along SH5

By MIKE WATSON and KATHY WEBB - The Dominion Post

Police say the Napier - Taupo Road will remain closed while cars that have been stranded in heavy snow are removed.

In a 6pm update, the NZ Transport Agency, police and Taupo and Hastings Civil Defence said they had decided to reopen State Highway 5.

Police escorts were leading queues of vehicles through from either side to "to prevent anxious motorists from driving dangerously".

The Napier-Taihape Road between Kuripapango and Taihape is still closed.

LATE CLOSURES DEFENDED

Roading authorities defended their decision not to close vital highways in the central and eastern North Island earlier, after hundreds of motorists were stranded in metre-deep snow.

Last night around 100 cars remained stuck on the snow-covered Napier-Taupo Road and several hundred people have spent a second night in makeshift accommodation after a heavy snowfall cut off SH5.

State Highway 1 was closed last night between Turangi and Taihape because of the bad weather, however authorities have re-opened a section of the road south of Waiouru this morning.

A further 30 centimetres of snow was expected to fall in parts of the central North Island last night and today.

But the road closures came too late for more than 600 motorists who took to the roads only to become stuck in the snow.

MetService had issued warnings of heavy snow down to 600 metres in Tongariro National Park and on the Napier - Taupo Road as early as Saturday morning.

Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper, who drove a bus to ferry motorists back to Taupo, said roads should have been closed a lot earlier, preventing the mass strandings of vehicles.

"Rescuing 600 people on a horrendous night in blizzard conditions should not have had to have happened," he said.

"People were very scared and frightened, many, including the elderly, had a horrific night."

New Zealand Transport Agency national state highways manager David Bates said road crews had been aware of the forecast but were caught out by the large amount of snow which fell in a short time.

"It was a freak occurrence which was significantly worse than we anticipated for this time of year," he said.

"We had the equipment and crews to keep the road open as long as we could but a massive temperature drop around 2pm swamped our trucks and equipment.

"We are very sorry many motorists became trapped. It would have been a scary experience for all."

Late yesterday afternoon authorities let some motorists back to retrieve cars as emergency teams worked to clear the road.

The road may not be fully cleared till late today. The forecast is for more snow, which could delay the road being opened.

About 130 cars remained on the Napier - Taupo Road overnight.

Emergency services sprang into action when a civil defence emergency was issued late on Sunday after 668 motorists became stranded.

A further 56 people were rescued on the Desert Road by the army and taken to Waiouru.

Taupo 4WD club members retrieved motorists and took them back to Rangitaiki Tavern, where they were given hot drinks and taken by bus to Taupo.

Many motorists, some with pets, spent up to 12 hours in their cars huddled under blankets, wrapped in layers of spare clothes, with little food and drink.

Among those stranded were elderly grandparents, school children on holiday and babies.

Hundreds of abandoned cars, trucks and buses littered the Napier - Taupo Road, blocked by several trucks which had jack-knifed across the road.

MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said such a heavy snowfall was unusual for the North Island in October.

"[It's] more like a winter sort of snow than a spring snow."

The unseasonal freeze was caused when a deep low passing over the North Island coincided with a cold southerly.

The result was a sudden drop in temperatures, Mr McDavitt said.

TERRIFIED MOTORISTS SUFFER LONG WAIT

Denise Benson and her grandson Kyza Rarere had just two pieces of chewing gum between them as they sat stranded in their car.

They huddled together as the snow fell on the Napier - Taupo Road, holding off on eating the two pieces of PK for as long as possible.

The snow reached as high as the bonnet of their Toyota Caldina.

"I was very frightened and terrified," Mrs Benson said.

"It was just so unexpected, the blizzard came in so quick.

"It was too dangerous to carry on, trucks were jack-knifing and cars ahead of us were sliding over the road."

The pair kept warm by putting on as many clothes as possible, and Mrs Benson wrapped her feet up to keep them from freezing.

The pair used the car heater every hour or so, fearing they would run out of petrol if they kept it on.

They were finally rescued at 1am, after 10 hours in the car.

"My feet were the worst. They just froze all night," Mrs Benson said.

Gareth Holdsworth, of Auckland, set out from Napier mid-afternoon on Sunday in rain, which quickly turned to sleet then snow, as he and girlfriend Jennie Parsons neared Te Pohue on State Highway 5.

"We were half an hour slower than usual driving because of the weather - the snow just came in thick and fast."

They put on spare clothes, and ate grapes and Buzz Bars beneath a duvet until they were rescued by Taupo 4WD club members at 7am yesterday, 16 hours later.

"We weren't too worried, we knew someone would come and get us.

"The four-wheel-drive guys were just awesome."

Boarding schools, marae, and motels catered for the stranded motorists.

Hukatere College principal Heather Moller said the school's kitchens were busy as Red Cross staff ensured everyone had hot drinks and food.

Waipahihi Marae in Taupo hosted about 50 people, providing hot food and drinks, and accommodation in the meeting house.

SNOW, BUT NO GOOD FOR SKIING

The weekend's snowstorm on Mt Ruapehu was too violent to extend the skiing season, ski-field managers say.

Blizzards that closed roads, stranded motorists and prompted civil emergencies in the central North Island have done little to boost the diminishing snow base at Turoa and Whakapapa ski-fields.

Both fields were closed yesterday because of the weather.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts marketing manager Mike Smith said he doubted much of the snow would be left when the storm eased off, as the wind was so strong it was stopping the snow from settling on the ski-fields.

"It will drift into the gullies and valleys."