Photo: NZTASeveral tourists are stranded at a campground in Whataroa on the West Coast, including some "terrified" freedom campers who narrowly escaped a rapidly rising river. More thunderstorms are expected for the region after torrential rain damaged numerous sections of State Highway 6 south of Hokitika on Saturday. The small south Westland township on the western bank of the Whataroa River was now cut off by slips and washouts on all roads leading in and out. "They told me they'd parked up right above the [Whataroa] river where they were meant to have parked." She said five campervans had arrived at the backpacker hostel, and she was concerned if others might have been stranded.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 07, 2019 23:26 UTC