Mount Maunganui is grappling with heartbreak and uncertainty after a major landslip tore through the Beachside Holiday Park around 9.30am on Thursday, burying parts of the popular campground under tonnes of debris. Six people remain unaccounted for, including two teenagers—the youngest just 15—while authorities continue to scour the unstable site into the night.
For some families, hope is slipping away. Pauanui man Jared Pender told RNZ that his relative, who had been urging campers to evacuate moments before the hillside collapsed, is now among the missing. The family received a devastating update at 10am Friday. “We were told it’s pretty much just a recovery now,” Pender said. “That was a bit crap, but that’s unfortunately life and how much it can change in a split second.”
Despite this, officials maintain the operation is still officially a rescue mission. Police, Fire and Emergency NZ, and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reiterated earlier today that every effort is being made to locate survivors. Luxon, after surveying damage across Tairāwhiti by helicopter, described the destruction as “confronting,” acknowledging the immense toll on affected communities.
Tauranga mayor Mahé Drysdale confirmed search teams will continue working overnight, praising families for their resilience amid “a very, very hard situation.” He also announced an independent review into the lead‑up to the slip, following reports that campers had raised concerns about slope stability earlier in the morning. Council workers were on site shortly before the collapse, and the decision to close the Mount was being enacted at 8.56am—just minutes before the hillside gave way.
Meanwhile, a sudden burst of heavy rain swept across Mount Maunganui this afternoon, a stark reminder of the volatile conditions that contributed to the disaster. Experts warn that landslides—already New Zealand’s deadliest natural hazard—are likely to become more frequent as the climate warms and extreme rainfall intensifies.
As night falls, the community waits, prays, and hopes—clinging to the possibility that someone may still be found alive beneath the rubble.
