Following heavy rains in New Zealand, a tragic landslide has claimed the lives of two individuals.
The impact of two separate landslides, one at a house and the other at a campground, resulted in the deaths of at least two people. Rescue efforts are underway to locate any other individuals who may be trapped under the debris.
At Welcome Bay in Papamoa, a landslide struck the community at 4:50 am, according to officials. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell revealed that while two people managed to escape from a house, rescuers later discovered the bodies of two individuals who were trapped inside.
Subsequently, emergency services responded to another landslide near Mount Maunganui. The slide affected a beachside holiday park in the same area, damaging vehicles, travel trailers, and facilities.
During the Mount Maunganui incident, voices were heard beneath the debris, as reported by Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike. Despite initial attempts by the public to locate survivors, the area was evacuated due to safety concerns.
Rescue operations are ongoing at the second site, with Police Superintendent Tim Anderson confirming that the number of missing individuals is in the single digits.
Search teams, including dogs trained to detect human scents, are combing through the debris at Mount Maunganui. As of late Thursday, no survivors or bodies had been recovered from the affected area, according to Mitchell.
Mitchell highlighted the plight of individuals at the Mount Maunganui site, mentioning the structures affected and the ongoing rescue efforts to retrieve those impacted by the disaster.
In a separate incident near Warkworth, one person remains missing after being swept away by floodwaters. The incident occurred amid heavy rainfall in parts of the North Island, as per a police statement.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged residents to adhere to safety guidance from local authorities, emphasizing the dangerous weather conditions prevailing across the North Island.
When questioned about the nationality of those missing at Mount Maunganui, Mark Mitchell refrained from providing details due to the sensitivity of the situation. He mentioned ongoing efforts to determine the exact number of missing individuals through security footage review.
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