Two teenagers are among six individuals still missing following a catastrophic landslide that engulfed a popular holiday campsite on New Zealand's North Island. The disaster occurred at the Beachside Holiday Park in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, during the summer school holidays, as families were enjoying their vacations.
Rescue Operations Continue Through the Night
Emergency services have been working tirelessly through the night, with police confirming there has been no sign of life detected beneath the substantial rubble. Recovery operations involve twenty-five personnel alongside contractors, utilising diggers and police dogs to meticulously examine every inch of displaced soil.
"We have six people that we know are unaccounted for, and we have a further list of three that we're working through," Police District Commander Tim Anderson stated. He emphasised that while no signs of life have been found, teams remain hopeful and are "working 24/7" and "leaving no stone unturned."
Prime Minister Visits Scene of "Absolute Tragedy"
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrived in Tauranga on Friday afternoon, meeting with the grieving families of those impacted. He described the scene as an "absolute tragedy" and acknowledged the profound anxiety and grief being experienced.
"They are grieving incredibly hard, and I know that New Zealand grieves with them. It's a highly anxious time," Mr Luxon said, pledging ongoing support for the affected families.
Scale of Disaster Could Delay Recovery Efforts
New Zealand Police Commissioner Richard Chambers warned that the sheer scale of the disaster and ongoing risks at the site could significantly delay recovery efforts. "It could be days. We appreciate that everybody is anxious and waiting for their loved ones, and for some answers, but we also have to be very careful," he told the New Zealand Herald.
The landslide-struck campsite sits at the base of Mount Maunganui, also known as Mauao, an extinct volcano that is both a major tourist destination and a sacred Māori site. The area attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each month.
Torrential Rain Creates "War Zone" Conditions
The landslide was triggered by days of extraordinary rainfall linked to a tropical weather system. The Bay of Plenty region recorded its wettest day on record, with the nearby city of Tauranga receiving approximately 295mm of rain in just over thirty hours—equivalent to about two and a half months' worth of typical rainfall.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell stated that parts of the east coast now resemble "a war zone," with helicopters deployed to rescue families trapped on rooftops. Local states of emergency have been declared across several regions.
Footage from the devastated campsite shows rescue workers and sniffer dogs navigating through crushed caravans and flattened tents. One tourist reportedly witnessed the massive landslide descending and immediately jumped from a swimming pool, recognising the extreme emergency.
Additional Landslide Claims Lives in Nearby Area
In a separate but related incident, another landslide struck the nearby Welcome Bay in Tauranga, resulting in two fatalities—a grandmother and her grandchild. Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiaolong confirmed on social media that one of the deceased was a Chinese citizen.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand reported responding to more than 230 weather-related callouts since Tuesday, including numerous rescues from flooded homes and rooftops. The community now faces a prolonged period of recovery and uncertainty as the search for the missing continues.
