The east coast of New Zealand’s North Island has entered a prolonged search mission after a mass landslide displaced several vehicles and left an estimated 30 people, including three teenagers, unaccounted at a popular campsite in Mount Maunganui. The event, which unfolded early in the morning, altered the landscape of a tidal trail and created working pit trenches that hindered immediate access to the campsite’s northern perimeter. Initial reports indicate that the shift of the sandy slope caused a rapid loss of stability for visitors who were attending a mid‑week camping event. The incident was first noticed by onsite staff after hilly terrain collapsed, blocking the only narrow approach and trapping a small number of campers inside the newly formed basin. b

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The response has included a coordinated operation between local emergency services, the New Zealand Mountain Rescue Society, and a civilian volunteer team. Search teams deployed ground units, aerial drones, and thermal imagery to scan the debris‑covered zone for signs of life. The continuing resumption of fall‑quarter mud weather and variable visibility conditions complicates these efforts. The official search status was updated at noon, confirming that there were 29 people listed at large, with a narrower focus on the teenagers who were among those found to have been trapped by the sudden slope movement. b

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Updated data from the Harbour Chief’s office indicates progress in the recovery operation: local terrain has been cleared in a 2‑kilometre radius on the eastern side of the lodge, and six rescue teams have been stationed near the new debris field. Preliminary rescue attempts have revealed that five individuals were discovered alive inside a partially collapsed cabin, while four additional persons have been found in a secluded campsite area, all in stable conditions. The mission’s direction now focuses on a systematic sweep of the remaining terrain, with secondary teams focusing on underlying water flow and secondary failure points in the adjacent slopes. Rescue personnel report that the current weather outlook predicts a clean day of 8–10 hours, sufficient for a possible final sweep before nightfall. This continued coordination contrasts earlier internal communications that emphasized the dangers associated with unstable slopes in that region. The ongoing efforts are characterized by detailed tracking protocols that will integrate GPS and satellite updates to ensure all missing individuals are located and transported to safety with appropriate medical oversight as soon as possible.