Emergency Rescue Operations Continue After Landslides Devastate New Zealand Campground and Home
Emergency crews are engaged in a race against time to rescue people buried under rubble after devastating landslides struck a popular campground and a residential property in New Zealand's North Island. The catastrophic events unfolded during a period of extreme weather that has battered large swathes of the region with torrential rainfall.
Mount Maunganui Campground Disaster
Emergency services were first alerted to a major landslide at the base of Mount Maunganui shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. The massive debris flow directly impacted the Beachside Holiday Park, a campground located in the town named after the extinct volcano. Police Superintendent Tim Anderson confirmed that the number of people missing from this incident remains in the "single figures."
Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike provided a sobering update, revealing that no survivors had been recovered in the first three hours following the landslide. Pike detailed how initial reports indicated that members of the public had attempted to access the rubble and reported hearing voices from within. Emergency crews arriving on the scene confirmed these reports before being forced to withdraw due to concerns about further ground movement and potential additional slips.
"Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same voices," Pike explained to reporters. "Shortly after our initial crew arrived, we withdrew everyone from the site due to possible movement and slip." Pike added that no signs of life have been detected since that initial withdrawal, though rescue operations continue with urgency.
Bay of Plenty Residential Landslide
In a separate but related incident, another landslide struck a residential property overnight in the nearby Bay of Plenty community. Superintendent Anderson confirmed that while two occupants managed to escape the collapsing structure, two other individuals remain unaccounted for. A dedicated rescue operation is currently underway at this location as emergency teams work to locate the missing residents.
Wider Weather-Related Incidents
The landslides form part of a broader pattern of dangerous weather events affecting New Zealand's North Island. Further north near Warkworth, authorities confirmed that a man remains missing after being swept from a road by floodwaters on Wednesday morning. This incident occurred as heavy rainfall continued to lash the region, creating treacherous conditions across multiple areas.
Official Responses and Safety Warnings
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has issued a direct appeal to residents in affected areas, urging them to strictly follow safety advice from local authorities during the ongoing extreme conditions. In a social media statement, Luxon emphasized the government's commitment to supporting those impacted by the severe weather.
"Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island," Luxon posted. "Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted."
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed that rescue operations continue at both the Mount Maunganui and Bay of Plenty sites, with emergency crews working under challenging conditions to locate and extract any trapped individuals.
Campground Closure and Accounting Challenges
Mount Maunganui Mayor Mahe Drysdale provided additional context about the challenges facing rescue teams, noting that some individuals initially reported as unaccounted for had actually left the campground without notifying authorities. The Beachside Holiday Park has been officially closed following the disaster as authorities assess the full extent of the damage and continue their search operations.
The combination of extreme weather, multiple landslide incidents, and ongoing rescue operations has created a complex emergency situation across New Zealand's North Island, with authorities working around the clock to ensure public safety and locate all missing individuals.
