1200 stranded in NZ resort as weather closes in
Thursday August 12, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

Everyone has been accounted for and the resort is closed.

People have taken shelter in every available building and the resort says that when the winds drop the road will open.

They are having to spend the night in the resort.

The last time people were stranded overnight was in 2005.

100 staff are trapped and they are helping as best they can.

Many of the children are in the cafeteria and are reported to be treating the whole episode as an adventure.

Other people are seeking refuge in the base buildings of the resort.

The toilets are outside and people have to be escorted to them through the strong gusts of wind.

Everyone is safe and well.

The wind is dropping and the forecast says the wind is expected to drop further early on Friday morning.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand the Ski field manager, Dave Wilson, says everyone is safely inside buildings on the mountain.

"Everyone seems to be pretty good. Safety is paramount for us and we're just keeping everyone ready in case the wind drops down and then we'll be out," said Wilson.

The resort has had large amounts of snow already this winter and some severe weather.

There have also been 3 deaths on the slopes as we have already reported on PlanetSKI.

A 4^th person has died in a road accident on the access road and there have been a number of injuries.

Earlier this week 2 people were caught in an avalanche and had to be dug out. Both were unharmed.

For some images of what it looks like see the web camera photos below.

The summit 6 lift

Bit bleak at the Towers Triple chairlift

For more information and interviews with people stuck in the resort and the latest weather see this story in the New Zealand Herald.

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