Auckland: At least two people have died, and several others, including children, are missing after a landslide hit a campground on New Zealand's northern coast amid record rainfall. The incident occurred at Mount Maunganui, where the landslide flattened tents and swept a campervan into nearby hot pools. Witnesses reported hearing cries for help from inside a toilet block, but rescuers were unable to find them, and the voices fell silent after about 15 minutes.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Tauranga area and the surrounding Western Bay of Plenty District experienced their wettest day on record, with two and a half months' worth of rain falling in just 12 hours. Thousands of people lost power, mostly along the North Island's east coast. Police confirmed the discovery of two bodies at Welcome Bay Road in the Tauranga area, while another person was seriously injured at a property in the area. Two individuals were reported missing after a slip came down towards properties overnight, causing damage and evacuations along Welcome Bay Road.
Multiple people remain missing at the Mount Maunganui campsite after a large slip impacted campervans and a shower block. Authorities are also searching for a man who went missing north of Auckland on Wednesday, swept away by floodwaters while attempting to cross a river. Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson stated that police, alongside Fire and Emergency New Zealand, are working to locate and rescue those trapped by the landslide. He urged the public to avoid the campsite and surrounding areas while operations are ongoing and mentioned efforts to locate two missing people in Papamoa.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon acknowledged the extreme weather conditions affecting the North Island and emphasized the government's commitment to supporting those impacted. Luxon communicated via the US-based social media platform X that authorities are closely monitoring developments across the nation, with Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell present at the Mount Maunganui scene.