The first blow: On April 24, rocks piled on to the road through the Manawatū Gorge, forcing it to close. GRANT MATTHEW/STUFF A look inside the Manawatū Gorge, which closed after slips fell in April. READ MORE:* Residents affected by the Manawatū Gorge closure in limbo* Decision on preferred alternative route to Manawatū Gorge delayed* New Manawatū Gorge footage shows extent of damage to the highway* Looking back at 145 years of the Manawatū Gorge roadThe smaller slip, about 200 cubic metres, was cleared within days, but just a few days later, more rocks fell. WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Bridge Cafe owner Rebecca Algie lost 70 per cent of her profit when the Manawatū Gorge closed. The next move: The announcement on a preferred alternative route to the Manawatū Gorge is expected in the first quarter of 2018.

Source: Stuff January 12, 2018 08:26 UTC