A moraine washout at Husky Stream, Tasman Valley. Photo: Supplied / Department of ConservationThe Department of Conservation is assessing if foot access to the Tasman Glacier and Ball Hut can be restored, after a metre of damaging rain in eight days. Torrential rain scoured out the loose moraine at Husky Flat, where a 300m wide gulf has obliterated the track. Access to the Hooker Valley was also severely damaged by the equivalent of three months' average rain in a week in the alpine region. The damage to these back-country routes would have long term implications for some guiding operations, she said.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 14, 2019 21:00 UTC