New Zealand Landslide Leaves Campers Missing at Mount Maunganui

A landslide at Mount Maunganui has left several people missing after a hillside collapsed into a popular coastal campsite in New Zealand, triggering a major rescue operation amid fears of further ground movement.

Emergency services were called to the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park on Thursday morning after heavy rain caused part of a slope above the site to give way, sweeping through tents, campervans and shared facilities. Authorities say the number of people unaccounted for remains unclear, as some campers had left the site earlier without others knowing.

Rescue teams have been working through debris throughout the day, but progress has been slow due to unstable ground and the ongoing risk of additional slips. Specialist search units and heavy machinery are being used cautiously, with crews forced to pause operations at times as conditions shift.

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the situation remained highly sensitive. Speaking during a site briefing, he declined to confirm whether foreign nationals were among those missing. “I’m not going to go into details on that because it is so sensitive,” he said. “People have left the campsite without others knowing, so we are checking footage and doing everything we can to track people down.”

He added that there was still no confirmed number of missing people. “Rescuers are working as hard as they can to recover people from the slide, but it’s a difficult and challenging site. We could face further slides there.”

Families and friends of those believed to be missing have been taken to a nearby welfare centre, where police and support staff are providing updates as information becomes available. Witnesses at the scene described hearing a sudden roar before mud and debris surged down towards the campsite.

The Mount Maunganui incident comes as large parts of New Zealand’s North Island continue to deal with severe weather, including flooding, road closures and evacuations. Authorities have urged the public to avoid affected areas and to follow official safety advice as conditions remain unpredictable.

Search efforts are expected to continue overnight, with emergency services warning that the operation may take time due to the complexity of the site and the need to prioritise the safety of responders.

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