The only road into Golden Bay will be closed for at least a few days after the former cyclone Gita brought down several slips on the Motueka side.

The Takaka Hill road, State Highway 60, remains closed with Civil Defence saying it will be several days until the road can be reopened to one lane.

This has left about 6000 Golden Bay residents cut-off from the rest of the country.

New Zealand Transport Agency system manager Frank Porter told Stuff that agency staff were assessing the extent of the damaged road.

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Two sections of the road between Riwaka Valley and the Summit of Takaka Hill had been completely washed away, with 16 slips in total along the stretch of road.

"Multiple crews will be working on the Takaka Hill today and in coming days but it is likely to take at least several days before we're able to re-open the road to a single lane," he said.

With the road out of action, medical supplies have been picked up in Nelson and flown to Golden Bay in the helicopter that's taking two cabinet ministers around parts of the area hit by Gita.

They also met Tasman Mayor Richard Kempthorn and Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese.

Emergency services face a massive task to clear Takaka Hill Rd. (Photo \ Supplied)

The local civil defence controllers told the ministers Kakaka wasn't as badly hit as they had anticipated but the Takaka Hill Road was likely to be closed for several days.

There are huge slips and mudslides on the road that links Nelson and Kakaka.

Mr O'Connor, who is the MP for the West Coast, said vineyards would be hard hit because they were close to harvesting.

Civil Defence has advised residents not to panic buy supplies, and to only buy fuel for the coming week to ensure there is enough for everyone.

Local commercial air operators were still running services for those who want to fly into or out of Takaka, Civil Defence said.

Food supplies would be delivered by New Zealand Defence Force with an Air Force helicopter flying from Woodbourne, Blenheim to Motueka on Wednesday morning.

In addition, welfare teams were being sent to transport police and equipment to Takaka and conduct aerial surveys of storm-hit areas, Major General Tim Gall says.

"We have been working with Civil Defence authorities in areas affected by the storm and will continue to support them as required."