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Chard Rd reopens after rockfall closure

An investigation followed a rockfall that closed Chard Rd near State Highway 6 at Gibbston yesterday afternoon.

Two large boulders fell from ''quite a height'' and shattered when they landed on Chard Rd, outside Queenstown, shortly after 2pm.

A number of fragments also landed on AJ Hackett Bungy's car park.

Traffic on State Highway 6 was affected for a time.

The road is now open; however, cars are instructed not to stop between the caution signs. 

Otago senior network manager for NZ Transport Agency John Jarvis yesterday described it as a ''reasonably significant event''.

Speaking to the Otago Daily Times from his Dunedin base, he said NZTA was working with Queenstown District Council on the incident.

''We had a consultant up in a chopper assessing the site. It is safe at the moment and a clearance operation is going on with Downer. It appears as though two rocks have come down from quite a height. The helicopter inspection deems it safe but we will probably do some scaling work in the next week or so.''

He said the agency regularly monitored the site and temporary warning signs would be put in place.

Following the inspection by geotechnical experts, he described the area as ''relatively low risk'' but said that could change depending on weather conditions.

''There are no obvious hanging parts of rock still up there that pose any immediate potential risk and I am satisfied with that. However, there is always risk when driving in Otago and drivers need to take care.''

The clearing operation was expected to be completed last night.

He confirmed his team would liaise with the council today. Spokesman Jimmy Sygrove said the council was involved as Chard Rd was a council-maintained route.

Traffic on the main highway was diverted through AJ Hackett Bungy's car park after the fall.

Bungy chief executive David Mitchell confirmed his staff stepped in to help out.

''[The] bungy team were first to notice the event around 2.15pm and called for assistance from NZTA and police. Initial reports suggest this was an isolated rockfall that went on to the highway and smaller fragments into bungy car park, causing minor damage to a couple of vehicles.''

A police media spokesperson confirmed a number of people reported the incident.

Officers attended the scene due to the potential''risk'' of an accident but it is understood no-one was injured.

 

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