A number of folks have been lacking after heavy rains brought on flooding and landslides throughout New Zealand’s North Island.
Revealed On 22 Jan 2026
Rescue staff are trying to find a number of folks, together with kids, lacking after landslides in New Zealand, the place houses have been evacuated and roads closed as heavy rains hit virtually your entire jap seaboard of the nation’s North Island.
A number of folks have been lacking on Thursday afternoon following a landslide which hit Mount Maunganui vacation park on North Island, at roughly 9:30am native time (20:30 GMT, Wednesday).
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In response to Radio New Zealand, the landslide hit campervans and a bathe block on the widespread vacationer spot over the last week of summer time faculty holidays.
Two folks have been additionally lacking after a landslide struck a home in neighbouring Papamoa, police stated. A 47-year-old man was lacking after he tried to cross the Mahurangi River north of Auckland, and his automobile was caught in floodwaters, based on Radio New Zealand.
Officers briefing reporters in regards to the ongoing rescue efforts at Mount Maunganui stated they nonetheless hoped to search out survivors however that the potential for additional landslides was hampering operations.
Police District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson stated that “it’s doable that we might discover somebody alive”, including that he wouldn’t touch upon the variety of folks lacking, solely to say that “it’s within the single figures”.
Fireplace and Emergency Commander William Park stated first responders had detected indicators of life within the rubble however withdrew after issues of additional floor motion.
“My understanding was members of the general public … tried to get into the rubble and did hear some voices. Our preliminary hearth crew arrived and have been in a position to hear the identical. Shortly after our preliminary crew arrived, we withdrew everybody from the positioning as a result of doable motion of the slip,” Park stated.
Native media cited Emergency Administration and Restoration Minister Mark Mitchell as saying kids have been amongst these lacking.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated on X that he was “actively monitoring conditions throughout the nation”, together with in Mount Maunganui.
Local weather change, brought on by fossil fuels and different pollution, is making excessive rainfall and different disasters extra frequent, resulting in unprecedented flooding in locations all over the world.
Scientists have warned that related excessive climate will proceed to worsen with out vital steps taken to cut back air pollution.
