At least two people have died, and several others remain unaccounted for following severe landslips triggered by record rainfall on New Zealand’s North Island. The first landslip struck a residence in Welcome Bay early on Thursday, resulting in the tragic recovery of two bodies that had been trapped inside. According to Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell, two individuals managed to escape the house before the landslide ensued.
In a separate incident, multiple casualties are feared at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, where a landslip occurred around 09:30 local time. The landslide devastated the area, crushing tents, campervans, and a shower/toilet block. A rescue operation is currently underway, involving teams trained in search and rescue, including dogs, as officials confirm that several individuals are unaccounted for. While the exact number of missing persons has not been disclosed, police indicate it is in “single figures.”
Extreme Weather Causes Unprecedented Conditions
The landslips followed a period of intense rainfall, with the region experiencing an astonishing 270 millimeters of rain within just 24 hours, marking the heaviest single-day rainfall on record for Tauranga. This amount of precipitation is equivalent to approximately three months of average rainfall. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has urged residents in affected regions to heed safety advisories from local authorities amid these extreme weather conditions. In a social media post, he stated, “Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted.”
The situation at Mount Maunganui is particularly dire. Witnesses reported hearing calls for help coming from beneath the debris shortly after the landslide. A spokesman for Fire and Emergency NZ, William Pike, noted that members of the public attempted to assist before the emergency teams arrived. “Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same,” he said.
One tourist, Sonny Worrall, who was swimming at the nearby Mount Hot Pools, described the harrowing experience of witnessing the landslide. “I heard this huge landslide behind me, trees cracking, there was a caravan that almost hit me and I had to dive into the next pool,” he recounted. “I was fearing for my life; it was the scariest thing I’ve ever felt.”
Widespread Flooding and Additional Casualties
Meteorologists from MetService had issued a rare red weather warning, indicating a “threat to life” in several regions due to the tropical storm. The impact of the storm has been felt across large areas of the North Island, with reports of severe flooding in locations like Oakura, described by residents as the worst in fifty years. In the eastern cape of the North Island, parts of Tairawhiti are currently underwater.
A family of seven experienced a harrowing ordeal, spending hours stranded on the roof of their Te Araroa home as floodwaters rose around them. “My children were screaming and crying, and we were all in shock… I was completely distressed and kept begging for a helicopter,” stated Huia Ngatai, who spoke with the NZ Herald.
Concerns are also growing for a man in his forties who was swept away in his vehicle by the swollen Mahurangi River, located north of Auckland. While a passenger in the car managed to escape, the search for the driver continues.
This week’s events mark the first rain-related red warning to affect the area since Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals and caused approximately AUD 8 billion in damages. The current situation highlights the ongoing challenges posed by extreme weather, as communities grapple with the immediate and long-term impacts of such natural disasters.
