PM visits weather-hit Te Araroa and Hicks Bay

The prime minister says it could take up to six months to remove masses of soil dumped on damaged roads on the East Cape from last week's storm. Christopher Luxon visited weather-hit Te Araroa and Hicks Bay by helicopter, and spoke to media at the Tai Rawhiti emergency coordination centre. Like locals, he's bracing for a long and tough road ahead. The PM's comparing the devastation in some places to 20-23's Cyclone Gabrielle. Meanwhile, work has just resumed at Mount Maunganui a week on from the deadly land-slip there. Rescue workers were pulled out of the disaster site this morning after technology that had been installed to monitor land movement was triggered and work suspended. It came ahead of a vigil tonight for a community still reeling over the deaths of six people. Kim Baker Wilson spoke to Lisa Owen.

Checkpoint · RNZ