The cordons between Rutherford Street and Van Diemen Street in Nelson, as police deal with a suspicious item left at a Waimea Road address.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
People in Nelson who were forced to leave their homes because of a hoax bomb threat have criticised police communication with them.
Several homes were evacuated after police were called to deal with a suspicious item at a property on Waimea Road on Thursday afternoon.
People were allowed to go home early Friday after the item wasn’t deemed to be a threat.
Nearby residents spoken to by RNZ say they weren’t kept well-informed about what was happening.
A cordon was set up and a New Zealand Defence Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal team called to assess the item.
The bomb disposal team also travelled from Christchurch.
A number of homes in the area, including a section of Waimea Road and Renwick Place, had been evacuated as a precaution.
Police said the suspicious item was not a bomb and residents were allowed to return to their homes shortly after 4am.
Investigations into the matter would continue today, police said.
Deputy mayor Rohan O’Neill-Stevens urged caution at the time.
“Those who need or who have needed to evacuate have been told directly, but really it’s about keeping out of the area, letting the response take place, trying to be cautious or courteous with some of the impacts on traffic that we’re seeing.”
O’Neill-Stevens said Waimea Road was a main thoroughfare and traffic was backed up earlier on Thursday.
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