Police in New Zealand say there will likely be no survivors from a landslide that struck a busy campground at Mount Maunganui on the North Island, after human remains were found overnight and the operation shifted from rescue to recovery. Six people, including two teenagers, remain unaccounted for following the collapse, which was triggered by heavy rains on Thursday on the country’s east coast in Tauranga.
Authorities said the slip sent a mass of soil and rubble down onto a campsite crowded with families on summer holidays. Rescue teams worked through unstable ground and worsening weather before calling off search-and-rescue efforts and moving to a recovery phase amid mounting risks.
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“The likelihood of someone being alive is highly unlikely according to the experts, but you could never rule that out,” police Superintendent Tim Anderson told reporters at Mount Maunganui, confirming the change in operation. He said the decision reflected expert advice on survivability and safety conditions on the slip face.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said 35 crew members, assisted by heavy machinery, were working to clear debris and search the area after a partial slip occurred in one section of the site late Friday. The discovery of remains overnight underscored the danger for responders as they navigate sodden, unstable ground and debris flows.
Forecasters warned more heavy rain is expected in the area, which could force crews to temporarily leave the slip zone for safety. “Conditions could change rapidly and crews may have to withdraw from the slip area for their safety,” Fire and Emergency official Megan Stiffler said, noting the threat of additional ground movement and surface water on the slope.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called the news “devastating,” posting on X that it was “the news we have all been dreading.” He said, “To the families who have lost loved ones — every New Zealander is grieving with you.” Luxon visited Mount Maunganui and met with affected families, according to officials.
The landslide in Tauranga came amid a week of intense rain across parts of the North Island. In the neighboring suburb of Papamoa, another landslide earlier in the week killed two people, compounding the region’s grief and highlighting the hazards of saturated hillsides.
Aerial video released by authorities showed the steep, raw scar of the Mount Maunganui slide cutting through vegetation and into the campground, with responders navigating fallen trees, mud and crushed structures. Police have not provided a timeline for when the site might be fully cleared, saying conditions and safety will dictate the pace of the operation.
Officials have not publicly identified those missing. Anderson said teams are working methodically with geotechnical experts to stabilize sections of the slip where possible, while balancing the imperative to recover those unaccounted for and the need to protect emergency personnel on the ground.
Local authorities urged residents and visitors to avoid the area and heed weather advisories as rainfall continues. The focus, they said, remains on supporting families awaiting news and ensuring the safety of crews as the recovery proceeds under difficult, shifting conditions.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
