Bridge washed out, woman missing in West Coast storm

A woman is missing on the West Coast and the approach road to a bridge at Arthur's Pass has been washed out near Otira after heavy rain deluged the region on Thursday. A search is for the woman was called off last night and will resume this morning alongside the Haupiri River near Gloriavale. Further south, the washout near Arthur's Pass left travellers stranded after the main route linking Christchurch to the West Coast State was closed. State highway 73 through Arthurs Pass could be out of action for days or even weeks after the approach road to the Goats Creek Bridge, to the south of Otira, was washed away. Lester Rowntree from the Otira Hotel says there's now a dramatic 20-metre gap between the road and the bridge. He was there when it gave way and says it's lucky no one was killed.