The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) advises that State Highway 35 will remain closed at Maraenui Hill, approximately 32km east of Opotiki, until further notice. 

A 15-year-old appeared in the Youth Court at Rotorua on a charge of murder before Judge Maree Mackenzie Tuesday afternoon.

Police then withdrew a holding charge of assault against the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Judge Mackenzie gave permission to release only the age of the alleged offender, where the teen is from, the charge being faced and the outcome of the Youth Court appearance.

All other details were suppressed by the judge.

Residents affected by the closure of State Highway 35 are angry it's taken so long for something to be done to fix the road.

The road's closed indefinitely while it's repaired near Maraenui Hill.

Many people are getting the idea that the Transport Agency doesn't care about them, because they're out of the way, down the coast.

Having to travel through to Gisborne and around the coast, when the road is closed, is ludicrous.

There's a road through the forest that could have been used, or negotiated as a temporary route.

Two undersea earthquakes rattled Whakatane on Tuesday night.

At 7.05pm there was a 2.9 magnitude earthquake centred 10 km northwest of the town.It was at a depth of 7km.

A second earthquake at 7.15pm was centred 10km north of the town and at a depth of 2km.

The Second earthquake had a recorded magnitude of 2.5 on the Richter scale.