In New Zealand, several people, including children, are missing after a large landslide struck a holiday park at the base of Mount Maunganui in Bay of Plenty region today.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said search and rescue efforts were continuing at the Beachside Holiday Park.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand commander William Pike said, rescuers initially heard voices from under the debris but none since, and no survivors had yet been found.
Heavy rain and flooding battered parts of the North Island overnight, leaving thousands without power and isolating some communities on the North Island’s east coast and in Northland.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has urged residents in affected areas to heed local authorities’ safety advice during the extreme conditions.
