State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Napier will remain shut after yet another slip caused the road to close.
It is the second time in a little more than a week the road has been closed after a person fatally crashed into a slip near Wairoa on November 26.
The most recent slip happened between Pūtōrino and Kotemaori on Sunday after heavy rainfall in the region over the weekend.
Crews are back at the site on Monday morning and have been working to remove more material from the road. However, the road will remain closed due to the risk of more material coming down.
Waka Kotahi said a geotechnical assessment will be undertaken with the assistance of a drone, to assess the upper area of the slip, which can't be seen from the road.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Hawke’s Bay / Tairāwhiti system manager Martin Colditz said safety for road users is the number one priority at the moment.
"We need to keep the road closed while that geotechnical assessment is carried out, from the ground and from the air," Colditz said.
"We anticipate being in a position to provide more information about today's timeframe early this afternoon."
