MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand – Rescue crews searched Thursday for several people missing after a landslide tore through a seaside campground at the base of Mauao, burying campervans and parts of a toilet-and-shower block. Torrential rain soaked already saturated slopes across the North Island, triggering flooding, power outages and other slips as authorities warned the ground remained unstable, Jan. 22, 2026.
Mount Maunganui landslide: what happened at the holiday park
The Mount Maunganui landslide struck the Beachside Holiday Park area about 9:30 a.m., setting off an urgent response from firefighters, police and specialist Urban Search and Rescue teams. In an afternoon update, New Zealand Police said two rescue operations were running at the same time – at the campground and at Welcome Bay Road, where two people were still unaccounted for after an overnight slip. A police commander described the weather impacts as “one in 100 years events.”
Officials have not released an exact tally of those missing at the campground, saying the situation is fluid – in part because some campers may have left without formally checking out. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell has confirmed a young girl is among those unaccounted for, and police have described the number as in the “single figures.” Radio New Zealand reported the slip hit campervans, cars and tents, as well as a toilet-and-shower block and the park’s hot pools. It said sniffer dogs were deployed and heavy machinery was brought in to remove layers of debris while teams worked into the night, with the nearby Mount Maunganui Surf Life Saving Club used as a triage and evacuation point.
At the Mount Maunganui landslide site, emergency officials said the ground remained unstable and the operation “complex and high-risk.” Fire and Emergency commanders told media that first responders initially heard voices beneath the debris, but teams later pulled back at times over concerns about further movement. As of Thursday evening, officials had not announced any rescues from the main debris zone.
Storm impacts spread across the upper North Island
Beyond Mount Maunganui, the storm damaged roads and infrastructure across the Bay of Plenty and other regions. The Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s weather event hub posted rolling updates on a local emergency declaration, road closures, power outages and community hubs opened for residents needing help, urging people to avoid unnecessary travel while crews cleared debris and downed trees.
In guidance issued during the red warning period, the National Emergency Management Agency urged residents to avoid floodwater, watch for slips and debris, and delay travel if possible, noting that rain falling on saturated ground increases the likelihood of landslides. Authorities also urged residents and visitors to keep checking MetService’s warnings and watches as conditions change and to follow local civil defence instructions.
Past storms show why the Mount Maunganui landslide risk matters
For locals, the Mount Maunganui landslide revived memories of earlier weather-triggered failures on the maunga. In 2018, 1News reported the popular base track was closed after heavy rain left it “not possible to walk,” underscoring how quickly slips and debris can make parts of the Mount unsafe.
Tauranga City Council has also documented long recovery work after previous damage. A section of the base track destroyed by a slip in April 2017 was later restored, according to a 2020 council update. And in 2024, RNZ reported track upgrades and drainage improvements were scheduled ahead of winter on Mount Maunganui/Mauao, where tourism officials have estimated close to a million people walk up or around the landmark each year.
Thursday’s Mount Maunganui landslide has renewed calls for caution around steep, rain-soaked slopes. Authorities urged the public to stay away from active slip zones and to follow official advice while assessments continue and search teams work to account for everyone.
