New Zealand Post services resume after record snowfalls

New Zealand Post said today that postal services are now beginning to return to normal in most parts of the country after two days of reduced services resulting from record snow storms. Some of the heaviest snowfalls in decades have been seen in New Zealand since the weekend, closing airports, making roads impassable and causing power cuts.

The storms have brought some of the first snowfalls to New Zealand’s North Island for 40 years.

On Monday New Zealand Post warned that mail deliveries in various affected regions were being delayed or postponed from as far north as Gisborne down to Wellington, and much of the South Island.

Yesterday, mail processing centres in Wellington and Christchurch were temporarily closed.

Today, New Zealand Post said services were resuming, with delays in most areas, although transport issues remained in particularly upland areas.

The company said it could take a few days to catch up with the backlog of mail.

New Zealand Post spokesman Michael Tull said: “This backlog was created by road and airport closures, postponed mail rounds due to hazardous road and footpath conditions, and the closure last night of some of our largest mail centres – including Christchurch and Wellington.

“Christchurch has been the hardest hit area, and while posties will be back out on the streets today, mail delivery services will continue to be limited in the short term.”

The Wellington Mail Centre is set to be back up and running today, but New Zealand Post said it will keep a close eye on the situation at the Christchurch Mail Centre.

Deliveries are likely to face more disruptions in some parts of the country, particularly in the Wairarapa region and in Christchurch where mail carriers will assess the situation on a street-by-street basis.