Young Girl Among Missing After Catastrophic Landslide Destroys New Zealand Campsite
A young girl is among several people unaccounted for following a devastating landslide that destroyed a popular holiday park on New Zealand's North Island. The catastrophic event occurred at approximately 9.30am on Thursday at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, with shocked campers reporting violent shaking and harrowing screams as the hillside gave way.
Scene of Devastation and Desperate Search Efforts
The landslide, triggered by record-breaking rainfall in recent days, completely flattened caravans, tents, vehicles and toilet amenities at the popular coastal campsite. One caravan was reportedly hurled into nearby hot pools by the force of the slip. Tauranga, the closest city to Mount Maunganui, received an extraordinary 295mm of rainfall in the 30 hours leading up to 6am on Thursday.
Emergency responders have launched a desperate search for those feared trapped beneath the rubble. Police District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson confirmed the number of missing people is in 'single figures', adding that it remains 'possible we will find someone alive'. The campground has been fully evacuated and the public has been urged to avoid the area entirely.
Emergency Response and Witness Accounts
Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Park told reporters that rescue teams would continue working through the night, stating 'We're going right through until we've rescued everyone'. He described the situation as a 'complex and high-risk environment' with significant safety concerns. Rescuers were temporarily forced to stand down amid fears of a second slip, despite reports of campers yelling from beneath the rubble.
Witnesses described terrifying scenes as the landslide struck. Fisherman Alister Hardy reported hearing 'rolling thunder and cracking of trees' before witnessing 'the whole hillside gave way'. He told the NZ Herald: 'There were people running and screaming and I saw people get bowled. There are people trapped.'
Camper Carly Morley added: 'The toilet block up the top has been taken out with a number of caravans. It's all slid right down through the hot pools... there's been helicopters, surf life savers are over there helping, and they're just trying to cut into the toilet block at the moment.'
Government Response and Wider Weather Crisis
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed his government was doing everything possible to support those affected. In a statement, he said: 'To the emergency responders, Defence Force personnel, and all those who are putting themselves in harm's way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful. We continue to urge people in affected areas to follow the advice of local authorities.'
The landslide forms part of a wider weather crisis affecting New Zealand's North Island. Meteorologists MetService issued a rare red weather warning for a 'threat to life' in several regions, with a state of local emergency declared. Torrential rain has caused widespread devastation across multiple areas:
- In Warkworth near Auckland, a man in his 40s was swept away in his car in the swollen Mahurangi River, with police continuing their search on Thursday
- Rescue efforts are underway for stranded locals in the remote Tairawhiti region, where people have been trapped on rooftops in Te Araroa
- Another couple in Welcome Bay, near Tauranga, were rescued after a landslip hit their house, with one person seriously injured
- Thousands of people in Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti were left without power following the storm and flooding
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell has confirmed that a young girl remains among those missing at the Mount Maunganui campsite. The search continues as New Zealand grapples with one of its most severe weather events in recent memory.
