Jan. 22 (UPI) -- At least two people were killed and several remain missing after landslides triggered by heavy rainfall hit New Zealand's North Island on Thursday during the peak summer holiday season.
The fatalities were in Welcome Bay, a popular tourist destination 110 miles southeast of Auckland, with rescue teams searching a second affected site, a campground, in nearby Mount Maunganui, warning "no signs of life" had been detected.
Authorities declined to provide numbers for those unaccounted for, apart from that they included "at least one young girl."
"This is a complex and high-risk environment, and our teams are working to achieve the best possible outcome while keeping everyone safe," Urban Search and Rescue deputy commander Megan Stiffler said as darkness fell at the site at the foot of Mount Maunganui, an extinct volcano.
Related
