Mauao Landslide (22 January 2026) In the 24 hours to 9am on January 22nd, an extreme weather event saw Tauranga hit with 274mm of rain, or the equivalent to two and a half months’ worth of rain. At 4.15am a landslide hit a house on…

At 4.15am a landslide hit a house on Welcome Bay Road in the Pāpāmoa Hills, resulting in the deaths of two people. At 9.29am a massive landslip from Mauao hit the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park campground and Mount Hot Pools, resulting in the deaths of six people. #mauaolandslide

While we wait to learn the human cost of the Mauao landslide, the Western Bay Wildlife Trust will be thinking about when it will be safe enough to count the cost to our Mauao wildlife - especially the Ōi (grey-faced petrel) and Kororā (little blue penguin) #mauaolandslide

An aerial view of an area affected by the Mauao landslide. Photograph: Amy Till/Reuters. #wehavehope #mauao #mountmaunganui #landslides #StateOfEmergency #tauranga #mauaolandslide

Just have to share this photo of 'Kora' - Tauranga Land Search and Rescue (LANDSAR) Dog - who is working hard at the Mauao site along with her owner and handler, volunteer Nick Petry (KORA NZ LandSAR Search & Rescue Dog). #landslides #StateOfEmergency #mauaolandslide #OperationSunbrae #korarescuedog