A strong tropical storm caused widespread flooding and a landslide that covered a popular campsite on Mount Maunganui on New Zealand's North Island. On Thursday morning, emergency services began evacuating the holiday park, where mudslides and rocks damaged tents, RVs, and outbuildings. A search operation is currently underway, as several people are officially considered missing. This was reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
Due to the natural disaster, authorities declared a state of emergency in the country's northern regions and along the east coast, including the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty. The flooding led to power outages in entire cities – thousands of residents remain without electricity.
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In addition to the incident in Maunganui, police are searching for a man swept away by a river near Warkworth, and two other people missing after a landslide in the Papamoa area.
Weather Forecasts and Public Restrictions
According to the national meteorological service MetService, the catastrophic downpours were caused by a tropical low. Meteorologist Mmatapelo Makgabutleyn noted that the storm's impact would be long-lasting and affect popular holiday destinations throughout the holiday weekend.
This impact is likely to be long-lasting and far-reaching and may continue into the long weekend in popular holiday destinations
Due to the bad weather, government agencies and businesses remain closed, coinciding with preparations for Auckland Anniversary Day on January 26. Authorities urge citizens to avoid dangerous areas and stay safe until water levels begin to recede.