More than 900 tourists are still trapped in South Westland as the storm-damaged district remains cut off.
State Highway 6 is the West Coast's lifeline and it's currently covered in slips and closed.
It could take as long as two weeks to clear the debris from at least 20 slips.
"This is our only road, it's very important not just for the local people. Tourism, farming fishing they all rely on this one road," said Haast Senior Constable Paul Gurney.
Work has started to clear the debris but tourists are unsure when they will be able to get back on the road.
"We're just stuck - we haven't been getting much information," tourist Paul Young told Newshub.
Helicopters are being used to rescue and shuttle tourists out of Fox and Franz - but they cost $2000 per person.
It's an expense not everyone can afford.
"No insurance, we could essentially pay $2000 a head to get out on a chopper, but it's not really affordable for us," says tourist Fiona Francis.
Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare got a close up look at the damage.
"I think it's important to get a sense for it myself and to understand the urgency around some of the matters and then relay that back to Parliament to make sure we give the best support package that we can."
Everyone trapped is relying on the efforts of the workers, who are digging out buried roads to clear the vital tourist highway down the West Coast.
The road is expected to be open by the end of the week.
