New Zealand Landslide Tragedy Claims Lives as Search Continues for Missing
Heavy rainfall across New Zealand's North Island has triggered devastating landslides, resulting in confirmed fatalities and a desperate ongoing search for missing individuals, including children. The severe weather events have left communities reeling as emergency services work tirelessly in hazardous conditions.
Dual Landslide Incidents Strike Residential and Recreational Areas
Two separate landslides occurred within hours of each other, impacting both residential and tourist locations. The first incident struck at 4:50am in the Welcome Bay area of Papamoa, where a landslide engulfed a residential property. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed that while two occupants managed to escape the house, tragically, two others were trapped inside and their bodies were later recovered by rescue teams.
Hours later, emergency services were called to a second, larger landslide at the base of Mount Maunganui. This slide devastated a beachside holiday park, crushing vehicles, travel trailers, and an amenities block containing shower and kitchen facilities. Authorities believe people were using these facilities when the disaster struck.
Desperate Search Amidst Dangerous Conditions
Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike reported that voices were heard coming from beneath the debris at the Mount Maunganui site. "Members of the public... tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices," Pike told reporters. Initial rescue crews confirmed hearing the same sounds before being withdrawn due to concerns about further ground movement and potential additional slides.
Rescue operations have been employing specialist dogs to sniff for human victims amidst the unstable rubble. Police Superintendent Tim Anderson indicated that the number of people missing from the Mount Maunganui incident remains in "single figures," though no survivors or additional bodies had been recovered by late Thursday.
Government Response and Weather Warnings
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addressed the ongoing crisis, stating: "Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted." He urged residents to heed advice from local authorities as heavy rains continue to lash the region.
In a separate incident further north near Warkworth, another person remains missing after being swept from a road by floodwaters on Wednesday morning, highlighting the widespread nature of the weather emergency.
Sensitive Recovery Operation Continues
Minister Mitchell declined to comment on whether any of those missing at Mount Maunganui were foreign nationals, describing the situation as "so sensitive." Authorities are reviewing security camera footage from the campground to establish who had left the area before the landslide struck, as they work to determine exact numbers of missing individuals.
"Rescuers are working as hard as they can to try and recover people from the slide," Mitchell told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "But it's a difficult and challenging site, because we could face further slides there." The unstable conditions continue to hamper recovery efforts as teams balance urgency with safety concerns.
