'Hurry, go!': Family narrowly escape as cliff collapses in front of them

Author: Hannah Filmer,
Publish Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2026, 1:46pm

A family say they “went into survival mode” after narrowly missing a collapsing cliff while driving in darkness through Awakino Gorge early this morning.

Nikita Phillips told the Herald she is “still unwinding” after her, her partner and daughter were seconds away from their truck being buried in debris, as the cliff around them started tumbling down.

“The cliff was caving in towards the road and there was debris everywhere. It was so scary.

“A road worker come running towards us screaming and waving his hands and said ‘you need to f***en go! Hurry, go go!’

“It was pitch black. We went into survival mode.”

Phillips and her family were travelling from New Plymouth to Auckland, via the Awakino Gorge, just after 5am, trying to get to the supercity early.

A slip forced the closure of State Highway 3 at Awakino Gorge, between Mokau and Piopio, just before 5.30am.

It comes after a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck just south of Taumarunui, at a depth of 9km, at 4.51am.

Phillips said they had stopped for several “stop-go” signs dotted through the gorge, when they came around a corner and saw a truck was at a standstill.

“There were no stop-go signs or lights and we thought ‘hmm okay’, we weren’t sure what was happening.

“Then my partner looked out the window and said ‘f*** babe, the cliff is coming down’.

“The truck driver got out of his truck and just bolted, he just ran.”

Phillips said what happened next was unlike something either of them had ever experienced.

“A road worker come running towards us screaming and waving his hands and said ‘you need to f***en go! Hurry, go go!’ and that’s when we saw the debris coming across the road.

“We put the truck into reverse, and it was so scary, the road was so narrow we felt trapped. We backed up as fast and safely as we could.”

The truck driver ended up helping to guide the family out, and they drove straight back home to New Plymouth.

Phillips has praised a roading contractor for his quick efforts in warning the family of danger and said he contributed “massively” to the family’s safety.

“I have massive appreciation for his mahi. I wish I knew who he was so I could thank him. He really went above and beyond and made sure our family was safe.

“I don’t think people realise how dangerous the roads around the gorge can be.

“People are quick to attack road closures, but this proves how important they are.”

She said when the family rang the partner’s boss to let them know they wouldn’t be making it to Auckland, the boss mentioned the earthquake that had struck nearby Taumarunui just an hour earlier.

“We were like ‘what?’ and he goes ‘yeah there’s been a big earthquake and I was thinking of you guys’, but we didn’t feel anything in the truck.”

Phillips said the near miss has shown her and her partner what’s really important.

“It’s amazing how fast something can happen. We’ll be spending time with the kids, staying in and watching movies, you know, having family time.”

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says an on-site geotech assessment will take place today and has asked people to avoid the area.

State Highways 4 and 43 remain alternatives, with people being urged to drive to the conditions “following the earthquake near Taumarunui overnight in addition to rain in those areas”.