Rotorua locals are a "little shaken up" but not "surprised" after two tourists ended up in hospital following a road collapse in the geothermal village of Whakarewarewa.
Locals had noticed steam coming out of the road about a week ago and a cordon was put in place to ensure people didn't walk over the area.
Aukaha News producer Kereama Wright told AM on Friday locals were "shaken up".
"They were well aware that this area of the road had been fragile over the last week. Although they were shocked, they weren't surprised," he told AM co-host Ryan Bridge.
"Everyone is feeling for the tourist who is in hospital at the moment because Whakarewarewa is built on manaakitanga - on hospitality - so the locals here are a little shaken up."
St John said on Thursday it responded to the incident at 2:23pm, where two people were treated at the scene and taken to Rotorua Hospital - one in a critical condition and the other in a moderate condition.
Wright said the condition of the couple had improved, with the critically injured wife now in a stable condition while the husband has been discharged.
It's still unclear exactly how the incident unfolded, Wright said.
"We know there is steam protruding from this area of the road about a week ago and the management here at Whakarewarewa had put in place the cordon to ensure that the locals did not walk over or drive over this area of the road," he told AM.
"It's not clear whether the road had already collapsed before the tourists had come and had a look or she fell in, but listening to the police officer and describing her injuries, she had a fractured ankle, dislocated shoulder and burns to her hands, legs and face. So it sounds like she was walking and then fell into the hole while they were walking up to the village."
Wright said locals told him the husband had jumped into the hole to help his wife.
"It's about two metres deep this hole so it's not a small hole and he was burnt in the process, but I believe the medical officers here who were on site helped him both out of the hole after turning up yesterday."
Watch the full interview with Kereama Wright above.
