Live updates: Police name Pāpāmoa landslide victims after deadly storms
SH35 convoy extended for Te Araroa residents, essential services
Scott Palmer
The piloted convoy on State Highway 35 between Tikitiki and Te Araroa will be extended for residents and essential services starting tomorrow.
SH35 in Tairāwhiti is now open from Gisborne through to Taurangakoau Bridge, which is about 3 kilometres south of Te Araroa.
However the road remains closed between Pōtaka in the west and the Taurangakoau Bridge.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi incident controller Richard Bayley said the daily convoys have been a crucial lifeline for many residents and deliveries.
To support the delivery of more goods through to Te Araroa, the midday convoy tomorrow and Thursday will be extended.
The convoy times on those days will be from 8am to 8.30am, 11.30am to 1.30pm, and 4pm to 4.30pm.
Traffic management crews will pilot vehicles to and from Te Araroa during these times, but drivers are advised to take extra care as there are active tree removal worksites in the area.
“During further on-the-ground inspections today, Geotech inspectors have noted a large number of high-risk sites where slips are still moving or generally unsafe for public,” Bayley said.
“We can’t stress enough the importance that these convoys are kept only for residents and essential services - please avoid travelling them if you don’t need to be in the area.”
Young boy was 'gifted musician' – Parents
Scott Palmer
The parents of the 10-year-old named as a victim of the Pāpāmoa landslide have described the young boy as a “gifted musician”.
They said he was "extremely mechanically minded, loved building Lego, riding motorbikes, Pokémon and solving math equations".
Read more below:
'Absolutely devastated by the loss'
Scott Palmer
In a statement, Austen's parents Keith and Angel said they are "absolutely devastated by the loss of our treasured son and his beloved Nai Nai".
"Austen was the much-loved only child of Keith and Angel, and Fang’s only grandchild," they said.
"A gifted musician, Austen loved piano, was extremely mechanically minded, loved building Lego, riding motorbikes, Pokémon and solving math equations.
"The weekend before the tragedy, we visited the Kumeū Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival before surprising him with his dream motocross bike from a mate on the way home. This will forever be a treasured memory."
Keith and Angel said their son spoke Mandarin fluently, was proud of his Chinese heritage and loved visiting China on their trips back.
"We were lucky to have Fang spend so much time with us as a family. She was a beautiful mother and grandmother, deeply caring, so generous and always prioritising looking after others ahead of herself."
Police name Welcome Bay victims
Scott Palmer
Police have released the names of the two people who died in a landslide in Pāpāmoa.
Ten-year-old Austen Keith Richardson and his grandmother, 71-year-old Yao Fang, lost their lives when the house they were in was severely damaged by the landslide.
The incident occurred on Welcome Bay Rd last Thursday.
Police say they are providing ongoing support to the grieving family.
The deaths have been referred to the coroner for further investigation.
Officials warn of AI-generated images of Mount damage
James Wheeler
Officials are warning people of artificial images circulating online claiming to capture the fallout of last week’s weather, including the Mount Maunganui slip.
Images on TikTok show scenes of destruction with mud and wreckage not actually visible at the site – with captions like “Mount Maunganui Campground. Prayers for those possibly trapped”.
They depict destroyed tents and campervans – but also some seemingly completely unscathed amidst the ruin surrounding them – as well as a raging waterfall of brown water rushing down a mountain, and emergency workers digging.
Read more below:
Why deadly slips are so hard to predict – and what it means for where we live
James Wheeler
University of Canterbury senior lecturer in disaster risk and resilience, Dr Tom Robinson talks to The Front Page, the Herald's daily news podcast, about the danger of landslides after severe weather events.
Rāhui in place at Mount Maunganui
James Wheeler
The Mauao Trust has placed a rāhui (temporary ritual prohibition) over parts of Waikorire (Pilot Bay) and Hīnekite (Mount Main Beach).
The rāhui applies to the cordoned area:
- Waikorire side: from Leinster Ave to Mauao
- Hīnekite side: from Commons Ave to Mauao
The trust has asked everyone to:
- Refrain from entering the rāhui zone
- Avoid swimming, gathering kaimoana, or undertaking recreational activities in the affected area
- Support the intent of the rāhui in upholding tikanga (custom) and ensuring safety
'This has been an absolute tragedy'
James Wheeler
"This has been an absolute tragedy. Six people have lost their lives, and there are some legitimate questions that need to be answered," Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said.
He thanked the Government for its commitment following a number of visits by MPs.
"It's been absolutely humbling to see how our community has got together and support the families."
Drysdale said the event on Thursday to mark a week since the tragedy is set to be an informal opportunity for people to seek solace from each other.
He confirmed human remains have been found.
"There certainly has been human remains found, and that is a matter for the coroner and police."
James Wheeler
Mayor: 'Multiple days into weeks' until operation complete
James Wheeler
Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale, speaking from the Marine Parade cordon in Mount Maunganui, said the recovery operation is ongoing.
"With the new equipment, there is a lessened risk for the workers," he said.
He said it's hoped the weather will remain clear for the operation.
"It is expected to take still multiple days into weeks until that operation is complete," Drysdale said.
"Today you would have picked up that the Government made a couple of announcements, one around funding and have given an extra $1.2 million to the mayoral relief funds."
He said the other was the announcement of an independent inquiry.
"We will continue to work with Government and ensure that we don't duplicate each other’s processes too much."
Community event Thursday
He said a community gathering is being organised on Thursday.
"That will be in the evening and it will be held here at Mount Maunganui," he said.
"We know our community is grieving. It marks one week from when this tragic event happened, and there will be an invitation for all the emergency services workers who have been involved in this event and mark a reopening of some of our city," he said.
He said authorities are looking to take the cordons back a little bit in the next few days.
"Please have the respect and allow the police to do the very important work of returning the loved ones to their families, that are still very much grieving," he said.
He said the council is looking at supporting all those businesses affected by the cordons and trying to get them back up and running.
"We ask people to stay away from the immediate vicinity around the hot pools and the Mount Holiday Park.
"We do want to continue to open up the rest of the city and encourage the events that are coming up," he said.
"We want to know what happened and any lessons that can be learned for that. Obviously, being a government inquiry, we expect it to be a much wider-ranging inquiry, and as I said, we’re just working through the details. But we still think there is merit in doing a review and bringing all the facts," he said.
He said there is always a potential for a conflict of interest.
"We are elected by the community to represent the community, and I think there has to be some trust and confidence in that, and if people aren’t satisfied they can wait the time to see the government inquiry, but I would expect that both have very similar facts."
He said many tracks on the maunga have been significantly damaged by multiple slips.
"It is a much-loved and treasured part of the community, but until the police operation is [over] we won't have access to start to assess and understand what needs to be done."
Tauranga Mayor to speak at 4.30pm
James Wheeler
Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale will give an update this afternoon at 4.30pm. He will be answering questions about today’s Government announcements, the initiation of an independent review, and how Tauranga City Council is supporting the community.
'Like a war zone': Photos capture heroic East Cape rescues amid massive slips and isolation
James Wheeler
Two incredible photos have captured the initial aftermath and response to the devastation on part of the East Coast after severe weather last week.
Gisborne senior firefighter Dion Wilson was pictured carrying a young girl evacuated from Te Araroa Holiday Park down a State Highway 35 covered in debris last Thursday.
He recalled the "mind-boggling situation" that residents of the area were facing on the day.
Read more from Murray Robertson below:
Photos: Flowers and messages – Kiwis' tributes at Mount site
James Wheeler
New Zealanders from all walks of life continue to show their support, laying flowers and writing tributes on what is now the tribute fence at the intersection of The Mall and Leinster Avenue in Mount Maunganui.
These photos are from the Herald's Hayden Woodward:
Crowds gather at Pilot Bay cordon to pay respects
James Wheeler
The stream of wellwishers coming to the cordon at Pilot Bay has not ceased all day.
Those coming to pay their respects are the very young, children with their parents, and also the young at heart.
Residents from the Pacific Coast retirement village have visited the cordon in marked vans and laid flowers with the aid of village staff.
Detective Inspector Lew Warner has seen driving through the cordon this afternoon.
Warner is the most senior detective in the Bay of Plenty District, who's served more than 40 years in the police, and is a highly regarded investigator.
He is also experienced in investigations involving natural disasters; Warner oversaw the long-running police inquiry conducted on behalf of the coroner for the 22 victims of the Whakaari/White Island eruption in 2019.
James Wheeler
Ousted Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi tried to take a call on the motion but was denied, with Speaker Gerry Brownlee noting only party leaders speak on these motions.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi expresses sympathy
James Wheeler
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, speaking in te reo Māori, said he passed on his sympathies to the affected areas, "we cry for you".
In English, he said, Māori were the "first to be hit, the first to respond, and the last to receive support".
NZ First leader Winston Peters 'applauds brave first responders'
James Wheeler
NZ First leader Winston Peters said his party "applauds brave first responders who have been working tirelessly".
Peters said there needs to be more resourcing in resilience.
He accused some in the media of being "Monday morning quarterbacks".
Peters said that while bodies had yet to be recovered, some in the media had been jumping to conclusions about the tragedy.
"That approach will serve no one," he said.
'Gallant acts': Act MP Cameron Luxton on responders, calls for unity
James Wheeler
Cameron Luxton spoke on behalf of the Act Party.
Luxton contested the Tauranga electorate in 2020 and in the 2022 byelection, before moving to the Bay of Plenty electorate.
He thanked members of the public who performed "gallant acts" to save lives, and described the Mount as the community's "citadel".
He said he was "disappointed" that voices had "politicised" the event.
"New Zealand has always had extreme weather. We have always had slips," he said.
Events a 'bitter reminder of the fragility of life' – Greens co-leader Marama Davidson
James Wheeler
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said the events were a "bitter reminder of the fragility of life".
"They were husbands, mums, sons, friends, wives, nephews," Davidson said.
She extended the Greens' "deepest thanks" to first responders and to members of the community who supported them.
Davidson asked whether the Government was "planning to the best of our ability ... to prevent these occurrences" as they become more common, thanks to global warming.
Hipkins calls for full Govt powers for disaster inquiry
James Wheeler
Labour leader Chris Hipkins led tributes on behalf of Labour.
He paid tribute to people involved in the recovery effort.
He said families were facing "unimaginable loss".
Hipkins said it was important any review of the event was "transparent" and the public had confidence in it.
Hipkins said he would "encourage" the Government to give the inquiry, initiated by the council, "the full powers of a Government inquiry".
'The whole country is with you': PM leads tributes in Parliament
James Wheeler
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has led tributes to those killed in the weather events of the last week, saying the deceased were "just like us".
"Grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sons, sisters, and brothers. This is a tragedy for the families and for the communities of Mount Maunganui and the wider Bay of Plenty area," he said.
"Though I know it does not ease your pain or your sorrow, the families who have lost someone in this tragedy, I want you to know this: the whole country is with you, every New Zealander is grieving with you. We cannot take away your pain, but we can carry a little of its weight alongside you," he said.
Quake hits lower North Island
Vera Alves
Thousands of people have reported feeling a magnitude 4.5 earthquake near the capital this afternoon.
The light quake struck 45km northwest of Levin at 1.53pm, at a depth of 5km.
One Wellington office worker described it as being "a bit of a wiggle".
Another said on social media: "Not fun while in an office building OML [oh my Lord]."
"We just felt it, shook house in Marlborough Sounds," another said.
More than 4600 people have reported feeling the shake, as far north as Auckland and as far south as Christchurch.
'There is clearly a need for us to spend a lot more'
Vera Alves
On the $1.2 million contribution to the mayoral relief fund, Luxon said it was about "immediate money get straight out" to the impacted councils.
"This is an immediate top-up ... there is clearly a need for us to spend a lot more in investment alongside councils going forward," he said during the post-Cabinet press conference on the first day of official business in Parliament this year.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said there was hundreds of millions of dollars available for responding to the aftermath of this natural disaster if required.
Today's funding was from between-Budget contingency, Willis said.
Marae 'deserve tremendous credit' – PM
Vera Alves
On the marae funding, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the marae and its volunteers "deserve tremendous credit" and the funding would help replenish their resources.
"Iwi are very good on emergency management," Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said.
"The best response is whole of community," Mitchell said.
Government will allocate $1.2m to help affected communities
Vera Alves
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it has been a tough start to the year for those impacted by the weather events that claimed nine lives.
Luxon said the priority right now was housing people who had been displaced.
Getting supplies to communities that have been cut off is also a key priority for the Government right now.
The Government will allocate $1.2 million to help the affected communities and $1m to go towards reimbursing marae that had supported communities. Luxon said marae had been "exceptional" in the way they had help the local communities.
He said he had visited some of those marae in Northland and could "not speak highly enough" of their response.
Minister Chris Penk has been appointed in an assistant minister role supporting Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell.
The inquiry would answer questions including whether there was a missed opportunity to evacuate people sooner.
Luxon said there was also a strong case for an independent Government inquiry.
"There is learning here for the rest of New Zealand ... the families deserve answers ... we owe it to the families to ensure there is an independent [Government] inquiry they can have confidence in," he said.
Chiefs and Drua gather at Mount Maunganui Beach to pay their respects
Vera Alves
Members of the Chiefs and Fijian Drua Super Rugby Pacific teams gathered together at Mount Maunganui to pay their respects to the victims of the landslide at the camping ground this afternoon.
The teams are playing later this week but joined in a large circle on the beach with their arms around each other, as Chiefs halfback Tamiro Armstrong led a karakia on behalf of the team.
In response, the karakia was followed by an impromptu traditional song by the Fijian team.
Afterwards, Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson said that the teams wanted to gather together to acknowledge the tragedy and pay their respects to those who are still missing.
"We feel for you, we're right here for you," Jacobson said.
"We're not here to be a distraction or anything, but we're playing a game here, and part of that is getting around the community. We're just here to pay our respects."
Whangārei state of emergency to lift, Hikurangi-Coastal Ward one extended
Vera Alves
A state of emergency for the Whangārei District is being lifted at 4pm, although a localised one covering the Hikurangi-Coastal Ward will remain in place for at least the next seven days.
Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper said the decision to extend the state of emergency in a localised area was made because of the ongoing challenges in Whangaruru, where difficulties with roading access and supporting the needs of affected communities continue.
"While the wider Whangārei District is returning to business as usual, we remain firmly in the response phase of our Civil Defence activation in the Whangaruru area," he said.
Currently, 90 people are displaced from their homes and staying in emergency accommodation across five local marae in the district.
Roading crews have been able to reopen 62 previously impacted routes, and managed access remains in place on Kaiikanui Rd, the main detour around the Helena Bay slip, which is estimated to take 12 weeks to clear.
The council is also deploying skip bins and waste services to marae and impacted communities to support clean-up efforts.
A community hui will be held tomorrow at Mōkau Marae to provide residents with updates and enable communities to directly communicate with officials about their needs.
"This will be followed by six drop‑in sessions at local marae, bringing together support agencies, insurance companies and health professionals to effectively offer a 'one‑stop shop' for assistance so people don’t need to travel or contact multiple agencies by phone to get support," Couper said.
East Coast families still in Civil Defence centres
Vera Alves
Tairāwhiti Emergency Management says about 17 families are still staying in Civil Defence centres on the East Coast.
However, 66 households evacuated in Onepoto, Hicks Bay, due to the risk of landslides at the weekend have returned home following assessments by geotechnical engineers.
Gisborne District Council's Jade Lister-Baty said four properties have been yellow stickered, and would require remedial work before people can return, while three red stickered homes would have to be abandoned.
"They cannot be accessed at all given safety concerns that will remain.
"On Sunday, families evacuated in Te Araroa were given the all clear to return to their properties, she said.
"[Three] houses have yellow caveats around them advising to evacuate when there is a heavy rain forecast."
Internet company Chorus was on track with restoring the connection to the East Cape, Lister-Baty said, while power was reinstated to everyone on Monday afternoon.
Anyone still experiencing power issues, was advised to contact Firstlight, she said.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said State Highway 35 remained closed between Pōtaka and the Taurangakoau Bridge, about 3km south of Te Araroa, with a timeframe for reopening the road yet to be known.
It would have a better idea of when access would be restored later this week, a spokesperson said.
Escorted convoys into Te Araroa for residents and essential supplies were taking place three times a day.
NZTA said engineers were onsite today at a large slip cutting off access between Hicks Bay and Te Araroa.
The debris on and over the road was estimated to be 6500 truckloads of soil.
NZTA said the full extent of the damage wouldn't be known until further assessments were completed.
It said crews were continuing to clear a one-lane track between Pōtaka and Hicks Bay.
"This work will continue during the coming days. A team of geotechnical engineers was in this area yesterday [Monday] assessing sites but access is very challenging.
"We will have a better idea later this week when access may be available."
"It is changed forever': Local business owners worried about impact on the community
Vera Alves
The owner of a Mount Maunganui cafe forced to shut due to the ongoing search for six people buried in a landslide says she's more worried about the impact on the community than the money she's losing, RNZ reports.
Michelle Craig owns the Beach Hut cafe which sits within the cordon.
She says the community is fearful for their future access to Mauao – which will have a ripple effect on nearby businesses.
"I just hope that everyone can have those fears allayed and just understand that it is changed forever. Koro [grandfather] will come back ... but he's not going to be the same."
Craig fully supports the cordon and rāhui [temporary ritual prohibition] until the missing people are recovered.
– RNZ
Firefighters' strike called off due to ongoing operations in storm-devastated areas
Vera Alves
Forecasters keep a close eye on fresh tropical lows developing this week
Vera Alves
Forecasters are keeping a close eye on two tropical lows and potential cyclones developing north of New Zealand this week.
Vera Alves
Mourners pay their respects at the Mount Maunganui landslide memorial.
Parliament to pay tribute to those missing in Mount Maunganui disaster
Vera Alves
Politicians have today returned to Wellington for the first official day of parliamentary business of the year, with the Mount Maunganui tragedy casting a shadow over proceedings.
The Prime Minister is this afternoon expected to hold a press conference to discuss Government support for affected communities. An item on the weather events was being taken to Cabinet this morning.
The House will then resume sitting for the first time this year at 2pm, where it's expected the main political leaders will make statements about the recent weather events.
2degrees delays 3G shutdown due to state of emergency
Vera Alves
2degrees has halted its ongoing 3G shutdown for a week, citing several states of emergency due to weather.
The telco switched off its 3G in Rotorua and Palmerston North on January 15 and planned to pull the mobile service from multiple other sites starting from tomorrow.
Chief executive Mark Callander says the telco made the decision in an abundance of caution while communities in Northland, Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki, Bay of Plenty, and Tairāwhiti continue to recover from the impacts of recent weather events.
“Currently, there are official states of emergency across the North Island and the risks of further slips and road closures. While we think that the impact of the 3G shutdown is unlikely to cause any issues, we are taking a safety-first customer-focused approach," Callander says.
All three telcos are shutting down their older 3G mobile networks to concentrate on 4G and 5G - meaning some older phones won't work, including for emergency calls and some security and health alarms won't work.
One NZ shut down its 3G service in Rotorua on January 20 and is set to shutter 3G at several unnamed rural cell sites tomorrow. The telco has been asked for comment.
Spark's shutdown won't begin until March 31.
"We’re now just 2% of all devices on our network still relying on 3G," a Spark spokeswoman said this morning.
That equates to around 50,000 devices, from phones to gadgets and alarms that rely on cellular connectivity.
Police Commissioner arrives at the scene
Vera Alves
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has just arrived at the scene of the Mount camping ground tragedy. Chambers has just driven through the cordon on the Pilot Bay side.
The media team at Police National Headquarters has advised there are no plans for a press conference with police leaders today unless there is a "significant development" in the recovery efforts.
Steady stream of mourners as diggers continue working on the campground
Vera Alves
It's still and quiet at the Mount. All you can hear is the steady drone of excavation diggers working on the camping ground, punctuated by the roar of the odd chainsaw.
A cordon of orange road cones stops anyone but official workers, such as police, and the families of the missing from getting too close.
But there is a steady stream of well-wishers who come to pay their respects at the cordon on the Pilot Bay side.
Some leave bunches of flowers, others write notes of support or sign their names on a cardboard sign. Some just stand silently, others pray; many walk away in tears.
The urgency of the initial rescue efforts has been replaced by the grind of the recovery of those waiting to be returned to their loved ones: Susan Knowles, 71, Jacqualine Wheeler, 71, Lisa Maclennan, 50, Max Furse-Kee, 15, Sharon Maccanico, 15, Måns Loke Bernhardsson, 20.
Tauranga officials told not to allow buildings in potential landslide zones more than 20 years ago, documents show
Vera Alves
Geotechnical engineers told Tauranga City Council two decades ago that buildings should not be allowed in the “runout” zones of potential landslides unless they have specially constructed protection like a retaining wall.
'Really disrespectful': People circumventing cordons to walk up Mount Maunganui
Vera Alves
People have reportedly been circumventing the cordons to walk up Mount Maunganui, something which Senior Constable Barry Shepherd says is "disrespectful" to the families impacted by the slip tragedy.
Shepherd told Ryan Bridge Today on Herald NOW that access to Mauao remains "out of bounds" until further notice.
"The local iwi has a rāhui on Mount Maunganui at the moment and it is closed. And I imagine it will be closed for quite some time," Shepherd said.
"To those people that might think it's clever to sneak through the cordons or the boundaries, please don't. It's just really disrespectful and we don't need that ... there's a lot of families hurting over this."
Recovery teams are using specialist equipment to ensure no further slips
Vera Alves
Mount Maunganui recovery will take days if not weeks
Vera Alves
Was Tauranga Council warned about slip in hours before fatal landslide?
Vera Alves
'A lot of geotech experts out there on Facebook': Mayor slams those spreading misinformation
Vera Alves
Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale has criticised the spread of misinformation on social media surrounding the build-up to last Thursday's events, saying such rhetoric is "not helpful" while first responders remain on the scene and in the recovery phase.
Drysdale confirmed to Ryan Bridge Today on Herald NOW that a person called 111 in the early hours of January 22 to report a slip near the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park. Fire and Emergency New Zealand then alerted the council as the landowner responsible.
Still, important questions around the landslide, including the decision-making of officials, could not be answered until all the facts had been verified.
"Look, we need to stand this up, we need to get the facts out there, we need to know exactly what we knew when and we will do that," Drysdale said.
"It is very important for the community, for the families and for us to know exactly whether we acted appropriately and that will be done. But let's wait until we actually have all the facts in front of us, and stop drawing conclusions ... from having little bits of information and trying to state your opinion that you know best.
"There's a lot of geotech experts out there on Facebook, I can tell you that."
Cabinet to meet this morning to discuss funding for recovery, roading damage in the 'hundreds of millions' – Luxon
Vera Alves
Fixing major roading damage from the storms of the past week will likely run into the $100s of millions, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says, with added funding needed for local issues such as small coastal communities that have been cut off.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking, Luxon said Cabinet would meet this morning to discuss what funding was needed in the short term, based on the assessments of the mayors of hard-hit areas.
Along with the operation at Mount Maunganui, he highlighted challenges including State Highway 35, issues getting in and out of Gisborne, and the roading network in the Thames-Coromandel District.
"It will be a continually evolving piece ... where there will need to be more and more money supporting it," he said.
"We will spend what we need to spend and we'll work with the councils to do that."
Cabinet would also look at whether targeted support should be offered to affected businesses.
"It's not like a mass Covid period where it's everybody and it's for a long period of time. It's very localised."
Asked whether it was time to talk about the long-term future of some areas, Luxon said a national flood plan due to be generated by the end of the year would make it very clear about which places were most at risk in the future.
"You’re right – we've got a country the size of Great Britain, Japan. We've got five million people on it, we've got lots of isolated communities, and it's certainly challenging digesting the investment we need in the roading network."
Police looking at options for adjusting cordon
Vera Alves
Police are looking at options for adjusting the cordon around the Mount Maunganui landslide.
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson told RNZ's Morning Report: "Obviously, whilst our priority and our focus is on bringing those loved ones out, there's other phases within the operation that looks to the business owners that are around there."
Police had met with the council yesterday and will do so again today to discuss what they can do and how far the cordon can be opened up, he said.
Anderson said the recovery team has never worked on a landslide the size and scale of this one.
He said emergency services have a "fair idea" of where the six unaccounted for were when the slip came down, and that they were all staying at the campground.
The process to identify the remains which were removed from the slip has begun, Anderson said.
Police unsure how many bodies have been recovered
Vera Alves
Senior Constable Barry Shepherd told Ryan Bridge Today on Herald NOW that police aren't yet able to say how many bodies they've recovered from the Mount Maunganui slip site.
"As you would understand, this has been a huge landslide. There has been a lot of destruction," Shepherd said.
"Some of these people were in and around a building. There's thousands and thousands of tonnes of dirt that has absolutely smashed that building and people have been spread throughout that pile of dirt. It's tricky.
"New geotech monitoring equipment had been brought in to help monitor ground conditions and assess risk while they move through the site.
"This site is not safe and it never has been safe," he said.
"We are just using all our skills and knowledge and all the technology to try and make it safe to work there."
A deadly morning on the mount: Who knew what and when?
Vera Alves
Questions are being asked about why campers weren’t evacuated from Mount Maunganui’s popular campground at the foot of the mountain before a deadly slip, despite a series of smaller slips that were reported to authorities. Six people were buried and inquiries have been launched. Michael Morrah and Alanah Eriksen detail who knew what and when.
Council staff drove past three Mount Maunganui slips hours before deadly landslide: Camper
Vera Alves
The woman, who was woken by one of the victims, Lisa Maclennan, early that morning, has spoken to RNZ about efforts to raise emergency services earlier that morning, including her own call to police three hours before the landslide.
Update on East Coast roads
Vera Alves
A convoy is set to begin today at 8am with vehicles being escorted on roads previously blocked by slips and flood debris.
'Heavy heart': Tauranga MP returns to Wellington from start of parliamentary year
Vera Alves
Public urged to be aware of AI images circulating of last week's weather event
Vera Alves
A lecturer is warning people to be wary of images circulating online claiming to capture the fallout from last week's weather, including the Mount Maunganui slip.
One image shows a scene of destruction with mud and wreckage not actually visible at the slip site.
Victoria University senior lecturer in artificial intelligence (AI), Andrew Lensen, says he's not surprised, because such images are easy to create.
He says people should refer to authoritative sources, such as council websites and traditional media.
The National Emergency Management Agency says it's important the public has accurate information, and its primary channel for sharing that is the media.
– RNZ
Whangārei District Council to discuss lifting State of Emergency
Vera Alves
Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper says the council will meet to discuss lifting the State of Emergency in the district.
Nearly twice the typical rainfall for the month of January fell on north eastern parts Northland over two hours last weekend.
Flooding and slips cut off communities and forced locals and stranded travellers to seek shelter in local marae and community centres.
Couper said the council would hear advice from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, police, Civil Defence and health care representatives.
– RNZ
Pāpāmoa mother, children have nowhere to live after home red-stickered
Vera Alves
Becks Smith and her children Meihana Orupe, 16, and Aaliyah Orupe, 13, were evacuated from their rental property on Thursday after a large slip hit neighbouring homes on Welcome Bay Rd, narrowly missing Smith’s bedroom.
Vera Alves
Early morning light at the Mount Maunganui memorial.
Giant Helena Bay hill slip creates 20,000 truckload challenge
Vera Alves
About 100,000 to 200,000 tonnes of heavy wet silt and debris have collapsed in the slip.
Hundreds gathered in Auckland Domain to mourn Sharon Maccanico
David Williams
Roughly 100 people, including teenagers, gathered at the Auckland Domain to remember Sharon Maccanico.
The 15-year-old Pakūranga College student remains one of six people unaccounted for after a fatal landslide struck a Mount Maunganui campground on Thursday.
In the days before the disaster, Sharon was on summer holiday with family and her friend, Max Furse-Kee, also 15 and a Pakūranga College student, who is also among those missing. A final photo of the pair together was shared just four days ago.
The "open, peaceful gathering" welcomed anyone who wanted to "stand in unity, to grieve, to remember, and to pay their respects and honour Sharon, who touched so many hearts".
Givealittle page set up for family of Max Furse-Kee
David Williams
A Givealittle page has been set up to support the family of Pakūranga College student Max Furse-Kee.
It was set up by a close family friend to support Max’s mum Hannah and the rest of his family while they navigate the "unimaginable loss".
Joshua White-Holliday said he had known the family for 23 years and had the privilege to watch Max grow into a bright, kind and much-loved person.
"My heart too is broken, mourning my own memories of Max, especially in those early years. He was always in tow at dinners and coffee catch-ups, always excited to be there, and he brought so much light to those moments just by being himself.
The Givealittle page can be found here.
New footage reveals extent of destruction in Pāpāmoa landslide that killed two on Welcome Bay Rd
David Williams
New footage has revealed the extent of the destruction from a Pāpāmoa landslide that killed a grandmother and her grandson.
Police have lifted the cordon on Welcome Bay Rd, now scattered with red stickered homes, after one of many large slips along the Pāpāmoa hills hit three properties at about 4am on Thursday.
Confirmation of the deaths came from a surviving family member on Friday, who said: "It’s our house and our family lost."
Read the full article and view the footage here.
Givealittle set up for family of victim Lisa Maclennan
David Williams
A Givealittle page has been set up to support the family of Lisa Maclennan, the Morrinsville school teacher who tried to warn others of the slip moments before it happened.
"We are fundraising on behalf of Travis and his family to help them through this difficult time. We cannot put a value on the loss of a loved one but any donations will make a difference and help this whanau through this extremely difficult time."
The Givealittle page can be found here.
Police release name of man swept away in Mahurangi River near Warkworth
David Williams
Police have named the man who was found dead in the Mahurangi River near Warkworth on January 24.
He was Tekanimaeu Arobati, 47, from Kiribati.
Arobati was swept away in his vehicle at a Mahurangi River crossing on Falls Rd, near the intersection with Woodcocks Rd last Wednesday.
While a passenger managed to escape the vehicle and alert authorities, Arobati disappeared in the river.
"Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time, and we are offering support to the family," police said in a statement.
The death has been referred to the coroner.
The man’s wife earlier said her husband was a fisherman back home in Kiribati. They had moved to New Zealand in 2023 with their four children, RNZ reported on Thursday.
Search continues to recover six missing at Mount Maunganui slip site
David Williams
Recovery teams are continuing their search for the six people missing in the Mount Maunganui landslide with police warning the process could take weeks.
But they are cautiously optimistic new equipment monitoring the site of the Mount Maunganui slip paired with improved weather will mean no further postponement to their efforts.
"We're hoping now with that [technology], combined with some better weather, we won't have to stop working again, fingers crossed," Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said.
"That’s not to say we won’t do that because whilst we’re stabilised now, it doesn’t mean it’s safe."
Strong rain fell in patches yesterday, turning the soil into a heavy, clay-like substance which inhibited progress. Anderson noted this week’s forecast predicted much improved weather conditions.
Since the slip occurred on Thursday, he had declined to elaborate on the progress of the search, except to say it had moved from a rescue mission to a recovery.
Anderson stood by this position when asked, saying more details would be released when appropriate.
Asked if it would be days and not weeks, he said “I don't want to be committed to a time frame now, other than to say, obviously we're working through a methodical process.
"Obviously we're working on behalf of the coroner, there's still at least many days of work ahead of us, I can say that, and that could extend to weeks, but we're on day four now, so it's a bit early to make that call."
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