This happened just up the road from us (about 16 Km along the beach). Locals stunned as enormous whale washes up on beach in Levin

The whale was already dead when it washed ashore, but the cause of death is not yet known.

So huge and so sad. 🐳

Update: the news source gave Waitārere Beach as the location, but local sources have identified it as in fact Hokio Beach (even closer to us).

Screenshot from news article, showing huge whale.