In brief
Heavy rains have triggered catastrophic landslides in New Zealand, resulting in two confirmed deaths and many more feared missing. Rescue teams are scouring the debris in a popular campsite as the country grapples with the aftermath. Authorities are concerned about ongoing risks as additional landslides loom and thousands remain without power.
Two people have died and several are feared buried after landslides in New Zealand's North Island.
The deaths were reported at Welcome Bay, while rescue workers are still searching through rubble at a different site in a popular campground on Mount Maunganui.
There are no 'signs of life', authorities said, adding that they have a 'rough idea' of how many people are missing but are waiting for an exact figure. They provided no other details except that the group includes 'at least one young girl'.
The landslides were triggered by heavy rains over the last few days, which led to flooding and power outages across North Island. One minister said the east coast resembled 'a war zone'.
New Zealand is 'heavy with grief' after the 'profound tragedy' caused by recent weather, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X.
Footage from the campsite on Mount Maunganui, an extinct volcano, shows a huge slip near the base of the volcanic dome, as rescuers and sniffer dogs comb through crushed caravans and flattened tents.
Authorities said that the search would continue through the night. 'This is a complex and high-risk environment, and our teams are working to achieve the best possible outcome while keeping everyone safe,' said Megan Stiffler, the deputy national commander for the Urban Search and Rescue team.
A state of emergency has been declared in the Bay of Plenty where Mount Maunganui sits, and various parts of the North Island, including Northland, Coromandel, Tairāwhiti, and Hauraki.
Several areas reported their wettest days on record on Thursday. Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, for example, received three months worth of rain within a day, according to local media.
