New Zealand authorities have begun identifying victims after human remains were found following a landslide that hit a crowded campground at Mount Maunganui on the North Island. Six people, including two teenagers, are presumed dead and rescue efforts have transitioned to a recovery operation. Officials say it is unlikely any of the missing are alive after first responders heard voices on Thursday but detected no signs of life since. Heavy rain in the area could further hamper recovery work.
Authorities Begin Identification After Devastating Mount Maunganui Landslide
The portion of cliff that gave way at the scene of a landslide triggered by heavy rains on January 23, in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, January 24, 2026. REUTERS/David Rowland/Pool
SYDNEY, Jan 24 (Reuters) - New Zealand authorities said on Saturday they have begun the process of identifying victims after human remains were discovered overnight following a landslide that struck a busy campground at Mount Maunganui on the North Island.
Six people, including two teenagers, are now presumed dead after heavy rain on Thursday triggered the slide along the island's east coast, sending soil and rubble onto a Tauranga campsite crowded with families on summer holiday.
Police said rescue operations have ceased and a recovery phase is under way. It is unlikely that any of the missing are still alive; first responders reported hearing voices on Thursday but no signs of life have been detected in the debris since then.
An emergency worker surveys the scene of a landslide triggered by heavy rains on January 23, in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, January 24, 2026. REUTERS/David Rowland/Pool
Identification effort
Chief Coroner Anna Tutton said her office is leading the careful and methodical identification work. "I can’t say how long the identification process will take, but I give my absolute assurance that we will work very carefully," Tutton said in a statement.
Government response
Emergency vehicles and heavy machinery at the scene of a landslide triggered by heavy rains on January 23, in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, January 24, 2026. REUTERS/David Rowland
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called the news "devastating" and said the nation was grieving with the families affected. He visited the site on Friday and met with relatives of those missing.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said 35 crew, supported by heavy machinery, were clearing debris on Saturday after a partial slip in a section of the search area on Friday evening. Officials warned that heavy rain forecast for the area could force crews to withdraw temporarily for safety reasons.
Earlier in the week, intense rainfall triggered another landslide in the neighbouring suburb of Papamoa, which killed two people.
(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Aurora Ellis, William Mallard and Tom Hogue)
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