Extreme storms trigger deadly landslides in New Zealand 

A powerful landslide triggered by days of torrential rain has devastated part of New Zealand’s North Island, leaving several people missing and emergency crews racing to locate survivors. 

Emergency services are continuing a large-scale search and rescue operation at the Beachside Holiday Park at Mount Maunganui. Officials warn the effort could take days due to the volume of debris and ongoing safety risks.  

Police confirmed that at least six people remain unaccounted for following the landslide. Authorities are also attempting to confirm the whereabouts of three others who may have been in the vicinity but are not believed to have been at the campsite when the slip occurred.  

This landslide did not occur in isolation. It is part of a broader severe weather system that has battered the east coast of the North Island after weeks of record-breaking rainfall. Flooded roads, overwhelmed drainage systems and multiple landslides have exposed how saturated land, pushed beyond its limits, can quickly become lethal. 

In nearby Papamoa, the consequences were already fatal. A residential home was destroyed by an earlier landslide, killing an elderly woman and her grandson and seriously injuring another resident.  

The incident has led to questions about the impact of climate change as the warming atmosphere holds more moisture, leading to heavier downpours and longer periods of intense rain. In addition, the warmer oceans surrounding New Zealand are amplifying these weather systems, while changing climate patterns make extreme rainfall events more likely and more severe.  

States of emergency have been declared across multiple regions, yet the sense of crisis extends beyond this single storm. Communities are being asked to remain on alert not just for days, but indefinitely, as saturated ground and unstable hillsides continue to threaten lives and infrastructure.