Several individuals, including children, have gone missing following a significant landslide that ravaged a renowned campground in New Zealand. First responders are actively searching for those unaccounted for amidst the debris caused by heavy rainfall at Mount Maunganui.
There is a belief that children are among the missing persons in the aftermath of the landslide. The campground has been shut down post the natural disaster, and emergency teams are on-site conducting efforts to locate the missing individuals.
The tragic incident unfolded in the popular tourist destination, approximately 240 kilometers southeast of Auckland, on Thursday morning. Witnesses reported hearing screams emanating from the beachside holiday resort where the landslip struck tents, campervans, and a shower block.
The Tauranga City Council issued a statement indicating that the majority of people at Mount Holiday Park have been successfully evacuated.
A council spokesperson stated, “The landslide at Mount Maunganui is an unfolding situation. We are present at the site collaborating with emergency services to gather more information and provide assistance. Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this incident and their families.”
According to a Fire and Emergency department spokesperson, rescuers had to temporarily halt operations due to the risk of a second landslide. Reportedly, voices were heard as the land collapsed, but no sounds have been heard since then.
Minister Mark Mitchell mentioned that “young people” are among the missing individuals, with distressed parents awaiting updates at the nearby surf club.
As per reports, no survivors have been found yet. Emergency services have confirmed the absence of a young girl among the missing persons.
A nearby fisherman, Alister Hardy, recounted hearing rumbling noises and tree branches snapping before witnessing the entire hillside giving way. “There were people running and screaming, and I saw people being knocked down. Some individuals are trapped,” he recounted.
The region has been hammered by incessant rain, experiencing its wettest day on record as two-and-a-half months’ worth of rainfall poured down within just 12 hours.
