At least two people have been killed and several others, including children, remain missing after devastating landslides struck the Tauranga region of New Zealand on Thursday following record-breaking rainfall. Emergency services are conducting urgent search and rescue operations at a holiday park where a landslide buried tents, campervans, and buildings.
The first landslide hit a house in Welcome Bay early Thursday morning, killing two people who were trapped inside. Two others managed to escape the property, while another couple at a nearby house were rescued with one person sustaining serious injuries. Hours later, a second and more catastrophic landslide struck the Beachside Holiday Park at the base of Mount Maunganui at approximately 9:30 AM local time.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed that a young girl is among those missing at the campsite, with the total number of unaccounted persons described as being in single figures. Fire and Emergency Commander William Pike reported that rescuers initially heard voices calling for help from beneath the rubble, though no sounds have been detected in subsequent hours. The landslide crushed tents, campervans, an ablution block, and hot pools facilities.
The disaster followed Tauranga's heaviest single day of rainfall on record, with 270 millimeters falling in just 24 hours, equivalent to three months of average precipitation. Fire and Emergency's specialist Urban Search and Rescue team has deployed 40 firefighters along with sniffer dogs and heavy machinery to carefully remove layers of debris. Police and St John Ambulance crews are also supporting the operation.
Western Bay of Plenty District Mayor James Denyer confirmed that 80 people were evacuated across the district overnight, including 73 from a campground in Waihi. Minister Mitchell described the situation as fluid and ongoing, emphasizing that operations remain focused on rescue rather than recovery. The search is expected to continue through the night as emergency crews work against time to locate survivors.
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