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Police say six people remain unaccounted for, including two teenagers, following yesterday’s landslide at Mount Maunganui.
Bay of Plenty District Commander Tim Anderson said the youngest of those missing is 15 years old.
Police are also working to establish the whereabouts of three additional individuals, though there is currently no indication they were involved in the slip.
“While we do not currently believe they were involved in the landslide, further enquiries are required to rule it out,” Anderson said.
Those three people are believed to be tourists, and Police believe it is likely they have since left the area.
Police are asking anyone with video footage of the landslide at Mount Maunganui to upload it via the Police online portal. Anyone who may have information that could assist enquiries into the three people whose whereabouts remain unclear is also urged to contact Police via the 105 service, referencing Operation Sunbrae.
Police say support is being provided to the families of those whose loved ones remain unaccounted for.
Anderson also acknowledged the wider community response, including support shown to families affected by the Welcome Bay landslide, where lives were lost.
“I can confirm one of those parties was a Chinese national, and we continue to liaise with overseas officials regarding this matter,” he said.
Thousands of people across the region remain affected by the severe weather event, with Police continuing to work alongside other agencies to support impacted communities.
In Welcome Bay, where evacuations were carried out earlier, Police have increased patrols around vacant properties until residents are able to return.
Police say their priority remains the ongoing operation at Mount Maunganui, while resources continue to be deployed across the wider Bay of Plenty region where they are most needed.
