A devastating landslide struck a popular campground at the base of Mount Maunganui on New Zealand’s North Island early Thursday, burying camper vans, crushing a shower block, and leaving several people feared dead or trapped beneath tonnes of mud and debris. Heavy overnight rain saturated the slopes of the extinct volcano, triggering the sudden collapse that sent earth cascading onto the site. Emergency services described the scene as chaotic, with initial reports indicating the number of victims in single figures.

Witnesses and first responders reported hearing desperate cries for help emerging from the rubble shortly after the slide. Local hiker Mark Tangney told media he rushed to the scene after hearing screams and found several people attempting to free victims by removing sections of the collapsed toilet block roof. Fire and Emergency commander William Pike confirmed that arriving crews also heard voices calling out, but ongoing instability forced rescuers to pull back everyone from the danger zone to avoid further slides. No further calls for help have been reported since the initial phase.

Canadian tourist Dion Siluch, who was at the nearby Mount Hot Pools complex during the event, described a terrifying experience. While receiving a massage, the building began shaking violently. Upon stepping outside, he saw a caravan had been swept into the pool and realised a section of the mountain had collapsed, narrowly missing him by about 30 feet. He noted an earlier, smaller landslip had occurred but attracted little attention at the time. Police helicopters soon arrived, ordering an immediate evacuation of the area.

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Assistant Police Commissioner Tim Anderson, speaking at the scene, emphasised that the ground remains unstable, turning the operation into a high-risk rescue mission. Authorities have deliberately refrained from releasing precise victim numbers or confirming fatalities while search efforts continue under precarious conditions. The affected campground, popular among both locals and visitors, sits in a region that experienced intense rainfall overnight, a factor emergency officials are citing as the primary trigger.

The incident has shocked the local community and tourists alike, with many expressing sorrow for those caught in the disaster. Rescue teams, supported by specialist equipment, are working cautiously to reach any possible survivors while monitoring for additional movement on the unstable slopes. As the operation progresses, attention is turning to the broader risks posed by extreme weather events in geologically sensitive areas of New Zealand.

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