New Zealand's North Island Ravaged by Severe Storms as Landslide Strikes Campsite
Emergency services in New Zealand are conducting urgent search operations for multiple individuals, including a young child, reported missing after a devastating landslide struck a popular campsite during catastrophic storms that have wreaked havoc across the North Island. The extreme weather event has prompted local states of emergency to be declared in five regions, with emergency minister Mark Mitchell describing parts of the east coast as resembling "a war zone" due to the extensive damage.
Mount Maunganui Landslide and Rescue Operations
The landslide occurred on Thursday morning at a campground in the tourist hotspot of Mount Maunganui on the east coast. Mitchell confirmed that a young girl is among those unaccounted for, stating "It's a fluid and sensitive issue at the moment" and emphasising that emergency teams are working tirelessly in "a very difficult and challenging situation."
Footage from the scene reveals overturned camper vans and uprooted trees, with witnesses reporting hearing an incredibly loud noise before witnessing a substantial portion of hillside collapse onto the campsite. Helicopter teams have been deployed to rescue families sheltering on rooftops from severe flooding, with Tauranga – the closest city to Mount Maunganui – recording an extraordinary 295mm of rain in just 30 hours prior to the landslide.
Widespread Devastation Across Multiple Regions
The storms have caused unprecedented damage across Northland and the East Cape, with record-breaking torrential rain leading to:
- Multiple landslides affecting residential areas and infrastructure
- Widespread flooding inundating homes, farmland and community centres
- Roads completely cut off by debris and floodwaters
- Dangerous river conditions posing ongoing threats to communities
In Papamoa, south of Mount Maunganui, one person sustained serious injuries and two others are missing after a separate landslide struck a home in the early hours of Thursday morning. Police are also resuming efforts to locate a man in his 40s who was swept away at a river crossing near Warkworth, north of Auckland, on Wednesday.
Harrowing Escapes and Community Resilience
Stories of remarkable escapes and community-led rescues are emerging from the disaster zone. An Australian visitor, Sonny Worrall, narrowly avoided the Mount Maunganui landslide while swimming in a nearby pool, describing the experience as "the scariest thing I've ever felt in my life" after hearing trees cracking and seeing a caravan nearly strike him.
Elsewhere, a community rallied to assist a 94-year-old man trapped by flood waters in Coromandel, while emergency services rescued a woman by kayak as neck-high, fast-flowing water surrounded her property. Tairāwhiti Fire and Emergency reported rescuing people from rooftops, with their photographs showing houses inundated with logging waste, mud and water, and vehicles and fences almost completely buried.
Government Response and Ongoing Weather Threats
Prime minister Christopher Luxon has assured the public that the government is doing everything possible to support those affected by the extreme weather, expressing gratitude to emergency crews for their efforts. "All those who are putting themselves in harm's way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful," he stated.
The National Emergency Management Agency has warned that a tropical low is expected to bring further heavy rain on Thursday, exacerbating the already critical situation. "Rain is falling on ground that's already saturated, meaning impacts like fallen trees, landslides, flooding and dangerous river conditions are more likely," the agency cautioned.
As recovery efforts continue, the full scale of the devastation across New Zealand's North Island is becoming increasingly apparent, with emergency services working around the clock to locate missing persons and assist affected communities.
