New Zealand is reeling from a series of devastating storms that have brought widespread destruction to the North Island. The worst-hit areas include Mount Maunganui, where a landslide struck a campsite on Thursday morning, trapping several people beneath tons of earth.
The situation is dire, with emergency services scrambling to rescue those trapped by the disaster. Emergency Minister Mark Mitchell described the east coast as looking like a "war zone", with helicopters deployed to rescue families sheltering on rooftops from flooding.
The landslide was triggered by torrential rain that has caused widespread damage across the region. The North Island has received over 300mm of rain in just 30 hours, making it one of the wettest periods in recent history. Local states of emergency have been declared in five regions across Northland and the East Cape due to the extreme weather conditions.
The full extent of the devastation is still coming to light, with reports emerging of overturned camper vans and upturned trees. Witnesses described an "incredibly loud noise" before seeing a large chunk of hillside come crashing down on the campsite.
One person narrowly escaped the landslide while swimming in a nearby pool, describing it as the "scariest thing he's ever felt". Meanwhile, a community came to the aid of a 94-year-old man trapped by floodwaters in Coromandel, with a woman being rescued by kayak from her flooded home.
The situation is still unfolding, with emergency services working tirelessly to search for those missing and provide assistance to affected communities. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has thanked emergency crews for their efforts, saying that "all those who are putting themselves in harm's way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful".
A tropical low is expected to bring more heavy rain on Thursday, warning of increased risks of landslides, flooding and other hazards. The National Emergency Management Agency has issued a warning, urging residents to take necessary precautions and stay safe.
As the stormy weather continues to batter the region, one thing is clear: New Zealand's east coast is facing an unprecedented crisis. With emergency services working around the clock, residents are bracing themselves for what could be a long and difficult recovery process.
The situation is dire, with emergency services scrambling to rescue those trapped by the disaster. Emergency Minister Mark Mitchell described the east coast as looking like a "war zone", with helicopters deployed to rescue families sheltering on rooftops from flooding.
The landslide was triggered by torrential rain that has caused widespread damage across the region. The North Island has received over 300mm of rain in just 30 hours, making it one of the wettest periods in recent history. Local states of emergency have been declared in five regions across Northland and the East Cape due to the extreme weather conditions.
The full extent of the devastation is still coming to light, with reports emerging of overturned camper vans and upturned trees. Witnesses described an "incredibly loud noise" before seeing a large chunk of hillside come crashing down on the campsite.
One person narrowly escaped the landslide while swimming in a nearby pool, describing it as the "scariest thing he's ever felt". Meanwhile, a community came to the aid of a 94-year-old man trapped by floodwaters in Coromandel, with a woman being rescued by kayak from her flooded home.
The situation is still unfolding, with emergency services working tirelessly to search for those missing and provide assistance to affected communities. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has thanked emergency crews for their efforts, saying that "all those who are putting themselves in harm's way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful".
A tropical low is expected to bring more heavy rain on Thursday, warning of increased risks of landslides, flooding and other hazards. The National Emergency Management Agency has issued a warning, urging residents to take necessary precautions and stay safe.
As the stormy weather continues to batter the region, one thing is clear: New Zealand's east coast is facing an unprecedented crisis. With emergency services working around the clock, residents are bracing themselves for what could be a long and difficult recovery process.
the storms in nz are getting wilder by the minute... i feel so bad for everyone caught up in it 
hope they get through this without too much more damage. all those people trapped & struggling to stay safe... my heart goes out to them 
what if someone wasn't there to be rescued? the poor guy who escaped by swimming in his pool, that must've been terrifying for him 
they're gonna need all the help they can get. hope those emergency crews keep doing their thing & stay safe themselves 
their situation is literally unimaginable... I mean I've seen some crazy weather in my time but this is just insane... all that rain, the landslides, the floods... it's like a nightmare come true 
emergency services are doin their best but it's just so much to handle 
I'm literally glued to my screen watching this storm unfold. The layout of the news article is straight out of a disaster zone 
- all over the place! 
But seriously, 300mm of rain in just 30 hours?! That's like, crazy! 
It's absolutely devastating to see. I hope everyone trapped or affected by this disaster gets through it safely 
this is getting serious, so many ppl stuck in bad situations, hope rescue teams can get thru to everyone ASAP 
, 300mm of rain in just 30 hrs is crazy, doesn't seem like much but its like a whole different world when it hits u hard 
, the east coast is like a war zone atm 
I'm not surprised this is happening, bad weather is always gonna hit NZ but it's like they're right in the middle of it 
. All those people stuck under tons of earth, rescue ops are probably exhausted already...and it's still raining? Like, what even is the point of having a warning system if you know that's just how it's gonna go down? 
And the 94-year-old guy trapped in floodwaters, I mean, I feel bad for him and all but 94?! That's old for this kind of stuff...like who takes a family vacation to the coast when there's a storm warning? 
. I'm glad emergency services are on the scene, they're heroes, for sure 
It's getting old seeing pics of flooded homes and campsite landslides... hope everyone gets rescued safely 
. What's with the tropical low bringing more rain? Like, can't it make up its mind? 
Anywayz, fingers crossed for those affected 
Like that 94-year-old man who was trapped by floodwaters and had a whole community come to his aid? Or the woman who got rescued from her flooded home by kayak? These stories give me hope, you know? And I'm not gonna lie, the fact that people are willing to put themselves in harm's way to help others is just incredible 
. Of course, it's super scary and devastating for those affected, but seeing all these acts of kindness and bravery is giving me a sense of optimism 
. We'll get through this together, New Zealand! 
i think its amazing that a community came together to help an 94-year-old man trapped by floodwaters, its heartening to see people putting their lives on hold to help others during crisis situations.
... hope the rescue efforts go smoothly, can imagine how scary it must be to be stuck on a rooftop with water everywhere 
And to think that people are stuck in their homes or trapped under rubble... it's just heartbreaking. 
It's just not right.
.
. I get it, nature can be cruel, but do they really need to turn entire regions into war zones 
. how much more rain does NZ need before we get some decent infrastructure in place 
? it's like they're just winging it on disaster preparedness