Heavy rain caused big landslides in a popular holiday place. Six people have died. Six others are still missing. The Beachside Holiday Park near Mount Maunganui is now a sad place. Police are now looking for bodies.
Two people also died in another landslide. This happened at a house in Welcome Bay. The landslides started early Thursday. Mud and rocks fell down the hills. They covered campervans and cars. The country is very sad. This happened during summer holidays when people relax.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the area. He said New Zealand is full of grief. He feels sad for the families. Two people died in the house landslide. One was a Chinese citizen. The Chinese Ambassador confirmed this. Six people were at the holiday park. We do not know if they are alive.
Police Superintendent Tim Anderson is leading the search. The ground is very muddy and dangerous. He said the safety of the workers is most important. Finding the bodies will take many days. The bodies will go to Hamilton for identification. This will be a long and difficult process.
The landslides were like mountains of earth. They destroyed the holiday park. Search teams looked for survivors all night. They hoped to find people alive. Now they are recovering bodies. People are asking about safety plans for bad weather. This event shows nature's power.