Emergency services cordon tape at Mount Maunganui beach after landslide. Photo / Michael Craig
Emergency services cordon tape at Mount Maunganui beach after landslide. Photo / Michael Craig
The scale of the Bay of Plenty landslides has been revealed by new photographs taken just before and after the fatal disasters struck the region.
Deadly slips devastated parts of the North Island this week, killing two people at a property in Pāpāmoa and leaving six unaccounted for at aMount Maunganui campground.
A large landslide struck Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park at 9.30am on Thursday, flattening much of the campground’s infrastructure and trapping holidaymakers beneath debris
Images taken on Monday show the popular site in a state of calm, with campers relaxing near the base of the iconic Mauao. Just days later, fast-moving masses of earth would overturn caravans and crush the site’s ablution block.
The toilet block was flattened by the slip, trapping six campers under the rubble. Photo / Torbjörn Miller and Alister McHardy
Rescuers initially reported hearing the voices of those missing. Yesterday, police confirmed human remains were discovered at the site overnight as the operation moved into a recovery phase.
The six missing and believed dead are 15-year-old students Sharon Maccanico and Max Furse-Kee, Rotorua grandmother Sue Knowles, Morrinsville school tutor Lisa Maclennan, Swedish tourist Måns Bernhardsson, and 71-year-old Jacqualine Wheeler.
Search crews worked through Thursday night to excavate the site. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers described the scene as complex, citing the “massive” volume of rubble and the ongoing risk of further slips.
Campers at the popular Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park were caught unawares by the landslide, despite warnings from concerned locals. Photo / Torbjörn Miller
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said conditions remained a major concern, with weather expected to worsen this evening.
“There’s still a lot of mud and other aspects [around the site], so my primary consideration today is actually the safety of the staff working on it”, he said.
“It rained last night, it’s just rained before, that’s something we’ll keep an eye on.”
A slip on Mauao slid down the hillside on Thursday morning, striking buildings and caravans at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park. Photo / Tauranga City Council and Jason Dorday
Mauao remains closed to the public as the area braces for another bout of heavy rain.
Stormy conditions have battered much of the Bay of Plenty this week, triggering road closures, flooding, property damage and multiple landslides.
Two people were killed by the early morning landslide on Welcome Bay Rd. Photo / Michael Craig
In Pāpāmoa, a grandmother and grandchild died early Thursday after a landslide smashed into their home. Several residents along Welcome Bay Rd were forced to evacuate, with five people receiving medical treatment at the scene.
The property was flattened with both residents inside. Photo / Michael Craig
National Emergency Management Agency director John Price said both incidents should serve as a warning, with the impacts of heavy rain expected to continue through the weekend.
“We have seen the tragic consequences of landslides at Welcome Bay and with the ongoing search at Mount Maunganui Hot Pools and Camping Ground.
“Our thoughts and aroha are with the families who have lost loved ones and those with family members unaccounted for.”
He urged the public to stay away from existing landslides until they have been cleared by local authorities.
