Search-and-rescue teams worked through the night at a campground in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, after a landslide left two dead and at least six people missing, officials said on Friday. The landslides struck a house and a busy holiday park on Thursday morning, prompting a major emergency response.
Police confirmed that two bodies were recovered from a house in Welcome Bay, where a landslide hit at 4.50am. Two people escaped the property. Later that morning, a second landslide hit Beachside Holiday Park at the base of Mount Maunganui, crushing recreational vehicles and an amenities block. At least six people, including two teenagers, are believed to be missing under the debris.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the region on Friday, describing the event as “absolutely tragic”. He said New Zealand is “full of grief” and that he had met with grieving families. The Chinese ambassador confirmed that one of the deceased was a Chinese citizen.
Local mayor Mahé Drysdale said search efforts continued overnight but no further survivors had been found. He noted the area remains unstable. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the environment was challenging, and police were checking if some campers may have left without notifying authorities.
The landslides followed heavy rain that soaked much of the North Island’s east coast earlier this week, causing widespread damage. Civil Defence warned that landslides can occur without warning and urged people to evacuate if in danger. Roads remained closed in some areas, and a man was missing after being swept away by floodwaters near Warkworth.
Luxon urged residents to follow safety advice as extreme weather continued to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island.
