Heavy rains wreak havoc in New Zealand, several people missing in landslide

Several people were missing following a landslide near a campsite in New Zealand's North Island on Thursday, as heavy rains caused widespread damage, with homes being evacuated, thousands without power and roads closed.



Emergency services were responding to a landslide near a campsite in Mount Maunganui, a popular tourist spot in the Bay of Plenty region along the northern coast of New Zealand.



The campsite has been evacuated and emergency services are working to locate anybody who remains in the area, police said in a statement.



Local media reports said helicopters have also been deployed to support ongoing search and rescue efforts.



Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X that he was "actively monitoring situations across the country – including the major incident in Mt Maunganui", adding extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island.