Search and Recovery Efforts Halted at New Zealand Camp Site Due to Landslide After Heavy Rains

Wellington. Search and recovery operations for individuals buried in a landslide at a busy camp ground on the North Island of New Zealand have been temporarily suspended. Officials on Sunday stated that rescue and search operations in the Mount Maunganui area were halted due to safety risks.

It is suspected that at least six people, including two teenagers, died when the landslide occurred last Thursday at the camp ground in Mount Maunganui, part of Tauranga city, following heavy rainfall. The location was crowded with families on summer vacation. Work to identify the deceased began after human remains were discovered at the site on Saturday.

However, police reported that all personnel were moved to a safe location on Sunday due to increased risk of further landslides after new fissures were observed at the site. Police Superintendent Tim Anderson stated that work was temporarily stopped with everyone's safety in mind. He informed that the situation will be assessed daily to determine when rescue operations can resume.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called the incident extremely tragic and expressed his condolences to the affected families. Meanwhile, two people have died in another landslide in the neighboring Papamoa area caused by heavy rainfall.