A sudden landslide slammed into a campsite at the foot of Mount Maunganui in northern New Zealand, leaving several people missing. Rescuers heard voices under the mud but had to pull back because the ground was still unstable
A landslide tore through a campsite in rain-soaked northern New Zealand on Thursday, leaving several people missing, authorities and rescue teams said.
Videos and photographs shared by local media showed mud burying and crushing a shower block at the camp, situated at the base of the extinct volcano Mount Maunganui. Emergency officials reported hearing voices from beneath the rubble.
“Whilst the land’s still moving there, they’re in a rescue mission,” Assistant Police Commissioner Tim Anderson told reporters at the scene, as quoted by AFP. “I can’t be drawn on numbers. What I can say is that it is single figures,” he added.
The landslide hit multiple campervans and the shower block at the site on New Zealand’s North Island, an area that has been battered by heavy rain.
Campers initially tried to dig through the debris themselves and heard voices calling for help, Fire and Emergency commander William Pike said. “Our initial fire crew arrived and were able to hear the same,” he told reporters.
However, rescuers had to pull everyone back from the site due to ongoing risks of further earth movement. Asked if any voices had been heard since the withdrawal, Pike said: “Not that I know of, no.”
Emergency teams are continuing to monitor the unstable area and plan a careful approach to search and rescue once the ground is deemed safer.
(More information to follow)
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