Tragedy Strikes New Zealand: Two Dead and Missing in Landslide Catastrophe

Fri Jan 23 2026 01:18:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

New Zealand is grappling with devastating landslides in its North Island, resulting in two confirmed deaths and several individuals reported missing. Authorities continue their search efforts amidst heavy rainfall and widespread damage.

A series of landslides in New Zealand's North Island have led to the tragic deaths of two people and multiple missing individuals, including at least one young girl. Rescue operations are ongoing in the affected areas, which have seen extensive flooding and damage due to recent heavy rains. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed the nation's grief as rescue teams comb through rubble at popular campgrounds, with many residents still reeling from the impacts of severe weather.

Two people have died and several are feared buried after landslides in New Zealand's North Island.

The deaths were reported at Welcome Bay, while rescue workers are still searching through rubble at a different site in a popular campground on Mount Maunganui.

There are no 'signs of life', authorities said, adding that they have a 'rough idea' of how many people are missing but are waiting for an exact figure. They provided no other details except that the group includes 'at least one young girl'.

The landslides were triggered by heavy rains over the last few days, which led to flooding and power outages across North Island. One minister said the east coast resembled 'a war zone'.

New Zealand is 'heavy with grief' after the 'profound tragedy' caused by recent weather, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X.

Footage from the campsite on Mount Maunganui, an extinct volcano, shows a huge slip near the base of the volcanic dome, as rescuers and sniffer dogs comb through crushed caravans and flattened tents.

Authorities said that the search would continue through the night. 'This is a complex and high-risk environment, and our teams are working to achieve the best possible outcome while keeping everyone safe,' said Megan Stiffler, the deputy national commander for the Urban Search and Rescue team.

The extinct volcano is a sacred Māori site and one of the most popular campgrounds in New Zealand, with a local holiday website describing it as a 'slice of paradise'. But it has been repeatedly hit by landslides in recent years.

A surf club in another part of Mount Maunganui has been evacuated following fears of more landslides. A state of emergency has been declared in the Bay of Plenty where Mount Maunganui sits, and various parts of the North Island, including Northland, Coromandel, Tairāwhiti and Hauraki.

Several areas reported their wettest days on record on Thursday with some 8,000 people without power. As the nation braces for continuing inclement weather, the impact of recent storms has added to the toll for local communities already rebuilding from prior disasters.