Search and rescue efforts after a landslide hit a busy Mount Maunganui holiday park in New Zealand have ended, with police saying the focus has shifted to recovering bodies and identifying victims.
Police say at least six people remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead after heavy rain triggered the slide on Thursday, sending mud, soil, and debris into the campsite area.
Rescue shifts to recovery at Mount Maunganui
Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said the rescue phase ended on Saturday (Jan 24) because authorities believed there was little chance anyone buried had survived. He described the situation as “heartbreaking,” with six people still missing, including two teenagers.
Reports said the landslide buried camper vans, caravans, and a shower block at the site. They also said vigils were held over two days at the holiday destination as people hoped for a different outcome.
Safety concerns pause work
On Sunday, authorities suspended recovery efforts for the day after a crack was found at the site, prompting teams to withdraw for safety reasons. Anderson said staff had to be pulled out “for the safety of everyone concerned,” and officials would take the recovery effort “day by day.”
Anderson also said safety rules at the site were strict and that protecting personnel on the ground was his top concern. Another report similarly quoted Anderson saying it was unlikely missing people could be brought back alive, while stressing that worker safety was “of utmost importance.”
Missing people and identification process
Police said six people were still missing and presumed dead, including two teenagers. One report said police identified the missing as five New Zealanders and one foreign national, a 20-year-old from Sweden.
Reports said a formal identification process was underway. One account quoted Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton as saying the process would be complex and meticulous. It also said authorities were working to reunite families as carefully and quickly as possible.
The reports differ on when remains were found at the site. One said search teams found human remains on Friday evening, while another said remains were found on Saturday. Both accounts said remains were located under dirt and rubble at the campground.
Heavy rain and other landslides nearby
The landslide happened during a period of heavy rainfall on New Zealand’s North Island, with police describing conditions at Mount Maunganui as extremely difficult to work in. Another report said more wet weather was expected over the weekend.
Multiple reports also described other deadly landslides nearby, but with differing details. One account said heavy rain triggered another landslide in Papamoa that killed two people. Another reported a separate landslide at Welcome Bay that killed a grandmother and her grandchild. A third reported two deaths in a separate landslide on Thursday in Tauranga and said one of those killed was a Chinese national.
Another report said New Zealand authorities faced questions about why people were not evacuated after reports of a landslip at the campsite and nearby areas earlier on Thursday.
Prime minister responds
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed condolences and said families would be supported. Another report also quoted Luxon calling the news devastating and saying New Zealanders were grieving with the affected families.
One report said Luxon visited the site on Friday and commented on community support as locals helped clear debris in areas affected by flooding.
