Two people are dead after a landslide tore through a holiday park at the base of Mount Maunganui during a summer storm, burying tents, campervans, and vehicles in a catastrophic collapse that has shocked New Zealand.
Emergency services launched a major search and rescue operation after the slip struck the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park mid-morning on January 21, following heavy overnight rainfall that destabilized the mountainside.
Two bodies were recovered by search teams, according to New Zealand media reports. The landslide destroyed buildings, including an ablution block, and sent debris crashing onto roofs and vehicles below.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and terror. Canadian tourist Dion Siluch, who was at nearby Mount Hot Pools during the collapse, told reporters "the whole room began to violently shake." Another resident said it sounded "like a truck full of glass rolling over and over."
Mate, this is the kind of disaster that hits during what should be the best time of year. Peak summer holidays, families camping by the beach, and a mountain gives way.
The Scale of Response
The emergency response was massive: over 30 police cars, multiple helicopters including Royal New Zealand Air Force units, seven to eight fire engines, and urban search and rescue teams descended on the scene.
Adams Avenue was closed. The mountain was sealed to the public. Campers were evacuated to the Surf Life Saving Club for a roll call to account for missing persons.
A second, smaller slip temporarily halted rescue efforts as teams worked to stabilize the area and search through the debris.
Broadcaster Brian Kelly noted that an had preceded the collapse, saturating the slopes above the popular holiday park.
