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23 Jan 2026 11:56
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  •   Home > News > International

    What we know about the landslide at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand

    A young girl is among those missing after a landslide hit a popular campsite south-east of Auckland.


    New Zealand authorities are working to confirm how many people are missing after a landslide hit a campground in the Bay of Plenty region, south-east of Auckland.

    The disaster occurred in the coastal resort town of Mount Maunganui, a popular surfing destination, after record-breaking rains hit NZ's North Island.

    Here's what we know so far.

    What do we know about the incident?

    A landslide hit campervans and a shower block at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park at 9.30am on Thursday, local time.

    The park sits at the base of Mount Maunganui, which is also referred to as Mauao.

    Search and rescue teams, including 40 firefighters and sniffer dogs, are searching for survivors.

    Fire and Emergency commander William Pike said first responders heard voices from under the rubble when they arrived, but nothing else since.

    Police spokesperson TIm Anderson said the number of missing was in the "single figures".

    "It is possible we could find someone alive", he said.

    NZ Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said emergency workers were searching the entire area for survivors and confirmed a young girl was one of the missing.

    "They're working as quickly as they can but, of course, when you've got unstable ground they also have to make sure it's safe for first responders," he told the New Zealand Herald.

    Tourists' cars and tents were also affected by the landslide, local MP Tom Rutherford said.

    "Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island," NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said.

    "Right now, the government is doing everything we can to support those impacted."

    What have witnesses said?

    Nix Jaques was about to walk up the mountain, Mauao, when she heard a loud noise.

    "I turned around and I could see the land coming down onto some structures," she told RNZ.

    "It came down on an ablutions block — I believe there were some people in the showers — and it shifted a campervan. There was a family with a campervan."

    Sonny Worrall, an Australian who was holidaying at the park, said he was heading for a swim at Mount Hot Pools, a swimming facility at the base of the mountain, when the landslide occurred.

    "People were in the pools, they were jumping out, running, they were screaming. It was insane, I couldn't believe it," he said. 

    "It all happened in a flash, I was definitely fearing for my life … it was right behind me as I was diving, it was like a movie," he said.

    "There was a tree coming down and a caravan smashing towards me."

    At Mount Hot Pools, Dion Siluch captured how close a caravan from the nearby holiday park came to tumbling into a pool below.

    Mr Worrall said several hot pools, including the kids pool, were "covered up by dirt" after the landslide.

    How much rain has there been in the area recently?

    New Zealand's meteorology agency MetService on Wednesday issued red warnings for several regions of New Zealand's North Island.

    It warned of "threat to life" from dangerous river conditions, flooding and landslides.

    More than 8,000 people remain without power across the North Island, amid heavy rainfall and floods along the east coast.

    Mr Mitchell, the emergency minister, told RNZ on Thursday that parts of the North Island's east coast were "like a warzone".

    In another part of the Bay of Plenty region, a separate landslide hit a home in Welcome Bay and killed two people.

    What do we know about landslides in the area?

    Landslides are common in New Zealand, where they are referred to as "slips".

    There's a history of slips on Mauao or "The Mount" as it's known locally. 

    It was forced to close for nearly a year back in 2012 because of landslides.

    According to Professor Michael J Crozier from the Victoria University of Wellington's earth sciences department, landslides frequently take place in New Zealand's steep hill country, especially on the North Island.

    "These unstable slopes are often covered by weak soils derived from volcanic ash or loess," he writes on the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, a government website.

    "New Zealand can also experience high rainfall."

    What do we know about the campsite?

    Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park is located right on Mount Maunganui Main Beach, making it a popular destination for tourists.

    The beach is among the top rated beaches in New Zealand on the Tripadvisor travel website.

    According to Tourism New Zealand, Mount Maunganui is "a swimming and surfing mecca, popular with locals during the summer months".

    "This relaxed beach town can be likened to Southern California and Australia's Gold Coast with the charm of New Zealand," its website says.

    © 2026 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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