New Zealand / Weather

Rockfall blocks state highway

06:55 am on 26 December 2025

File image. Photo: 123RF

Rockfall has been causing disruption on the roads around Arthur's Pass between Canterbury and the West Coast.

Fire and Emergency says it responded to a crash around 10.15pm on Christmas Day on State Highway 73, near the turnoff to Mount White.

A car had run into a fallen rock and was damaged, but there were no injuries.

And further west on the Ōtira Gorge stretch of the same highway, a section of the road had a priority give-way system in place because of rockfall. It was still in place early on Boxing Day morning.

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