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March 26 (UPI) -- Authorities declared a state of emergency Tuesday on New Zealand's South Island after a severe rain storm on its west coast washed away a bridge. The bridge, near the town of Franz Josef, collapsed over New Zealand's Waiho River and washed away as the storm battered the South Island, BBC footage shows.
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The incident prompted authorities with the emergency management group for the west coast of New Zealand to declare a local state of emergency in the Westland district Tuesday.
No injuries were reported.
Residents were advised to avoid all but essential travel.
The front is expected to continue overnight through Wednesday morning over the South Island, then weaken over the North Island on Wednesday afternoon, MetService warned.
