Emergency crews are pressing on with search and rescue efforts at Mount Maunganui’s Beachside Holiday Park in the Bay of Plenty after a massive landslide struck the popular campground during record-breaking rainfall earlier this week.
The landslide hit the site on Thursday morning around 9:30 am, burying campervans, tents and a facilities block under a vast amount of earth and debris. The disaster came amid intense storms that have battered much of the North Island with flooding and slips.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers says the rescue operation is complex and dangerous, and it could take days before teams can safely reach those thought to be trapped. Debris is substantial, and the risk of further slips means responders must proceed with caution.
Authorities have confirmed that multiple people remain unaccounted for, and there are serious concerns that children may be among those missing. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell has acknowledged the scale of the disaster, describing parts of the region as looking like a “war zone.”
Teams on the ground include search dogs, disaster identification specialists and liaison officers supporting families waiting anxiously at the site. Police have emphasised there is still hope of finding survivors, even as the terrain complicates efforts.
The landslide was triggered by extraordinary rainfall linked to the ongoing North Island storm system – one of the most significant weather events in recent memory. Other parts of the Bay of Plenty region have also experienced landslides, road closures and power outages.
Elsewhere in the disaster zone, nearby Welcome Bay reported two confirmed deaths after a separate landslide struck a home, underscoring the widespread impact of this extreme weather event.
Police continue to urge anyone who may have left the campground prior to the disaster – without notifying staff – to contact authorities so missing persons lists can be updated accurately.
Our thoughts are with the families and whānau waiting for news of loved ones, and with all the first responders working tirelessly in difficult conditions.
