Floods and landslides have occurred in some parts of New Zealand’s North Island, and search and rescue operations have begun to find those missing as a result of the disasters.
Elchi.az reports that a landslide occurred at a camp located on the slopes of Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island at approximately 09:30 local time.
Police official Tim Anderson said that the number of people missing in the landslide is in the “single digits”, but did not provide information on how many people were affected by the natural disaster.
Anderson also reported that a landslide occurred in the Papamoa area and that efforts are underway to rescue two people missing in the disaster.
New Zealand Fire and Emergency Services official William Pike also said that no survivors had been found three hours after the landslide and that no official statement had yet been made regarding the number of dead or missing. Pike said that local residents heard noises from the rubble after the landslide, and the first firefighters who arrived also heard noises, but no signs of life have been detected since then.
During heavy rains affecting much of the North Island, one person went missing in floods near the town of Warkworth, north of the island. Many roads have been closed due to other floods and landslides in various parts of the island, and efforts are underway to reopen them.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government is continuing its efforts to support those affected by the disasters.
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