New Zealand continues hunt for victims at campground hit by landslide

January 23, 2026 3:47 PM

New Zealand continues hunt for victims at campground hit by landslide

New Zealand emergency crews continued to search on Friday for victims of a landslide that ripped through a busy campground on the country's North Island the day before due to heavy rains. The landslide hit Mount Maunganui on the island's east coast at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday (2030 GMT Wednesday), bringing soil and rubble down on the busy campsite. Police reported that as many as nine people may be missing including children. Families enjoying the summer school holiday were among the campers. Rec...

New Zealand rescuers seek landslide survivors as weather havoc kills two

January 22, 2026 4:37 PM

New Zealand rescuers seek landslide survivors as weather havoc kills two

Rescue workers combed rubble on Thursday at a campsite in New Zealand as they searched for the missing, children among them, following a landslide triggered by heavy rains that snapped power links to thousands and caused widespread damage. Homes were evacuated and roads closed as the rain lashed almost the entire eastern seaboard of the North Island, killing two people, while police put the number of those missing after the landslide in the single digits. Rescuers at the campsite in the touris...

Severe weather in New Zealand’s North Island prompts evacuations

January 21, 2026 4:22 PM

Severe weather in New Zealand’s North Island prompts evacuations

Authorities urged evacuations in some low-lying areas of New Zealand's North Island on Wednesday and police searched for a missing man who was swept away in a river after continued heavy rain and strong winds triggered flooding, swollen rivers and landslides. Local councils across the north asked residents in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground and others to prepare to evacuate if needed. Several roads were closed because of slips and flooding, the New Zealand Transport Agency said. Ima...