Kiribati man, Tauranga grandma and child among those missing or dead after NZ storms

Families across the North Island are anxiously awaiting news as rescue crews continue searching through debris after severe storms caused widespread flooding, landslides, and power outages.

Authorities warn conditions remain hazardous in several areas.

Search efforts are ongoing for a man swept away with his vehicle at the Mahurangi River on Wednesday.

RNZ reports the man is a fisherman from Kiribati. He was driving to work when his car was swept off Falls Road and has not yet been located. His wife remains hopeful, saying he knows how to swim and dive.

Carl Fowlie, a senior sergeant at Waitematā North Police, says multiple agencies are involved.

“Police Search and Rescue is deployed into the area, carrying out ground-based searches around the riverbanks, supported by Land Search and Rescue members and a water rescue crew from Fire and Emergency. A Police drone is also carrying out aerial searches,” Fowlie says in a statement.

Mt Maunganui campground after the landslide on Thursday morning. Photo/Facebook/Jonathan Collins

Victoria Short, Auckland Councillor for the Albany Ward, says her thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones, and praised the efforts of emergency responders and volunteers.

“Our community is deeply concerned, and local agencies continue to work closely together to support them in every way possible. At this stage, we have no further updates to share, but our priority remains ensuring the family receives the care and support they need.”

Short, a former local board member for the Hibiscus Coast, is of Kiribati heritage.

Watch Mark Mitchell's full interview below.

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell expressed his condolences to the Kiribati community in Warkworth.

“My loving thoughts go out to the community because they’re a big and important part of the community up in Warkworth, and this is just a tragedy all round,” he tells William Terite on Pacific Mornings.

“Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to recover him yet because they need to wait for the floodwaters to recede to the point that it’s safe to go in.”

Mt Maunganui and Pāpāmoa

Further south, communities are mourning after two people were confirmed dead following a landslide near a campsite in Mt Maunganui on Thursday.

In a social media post, Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiaolong confirmed one victim was a Chinese citizen with several others still unaccounted for.

Meanwhile in Pāpāmoa, two bodies were recovered after a landslide hit a house, reportedly a grandmother and a grandchild.

Mitchell says specialist rescue teams have been working through the night, carefully removing layers of earth and rubble under hazardous conditions.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) warned of a high risk of further landslides and urged caution.

Kehukehu Butler, a kāumatua and iwi representative, told the New Zealand HeraldMt Maunganui should be closed for six months to a year to allow geologists to assess safety after multiple slips during the storm.

Leaders from across the Pacific have expressed solidarity. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown highlighted the close ties between Aotearoa and Pacific communities.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones, with those still waiting anxiously for news, and with all who have been displaced, injured, or had their livelihoods swept away,” Brown says in a social media post.

“When Aotearoa grieves, we grieve alongside you. No community should face such hardship alone, and you do not stand alone.

“We stand with you in grief, in hope, and in solidarity. From our islands to yours, we send our aro‘a and our prayers for safety, strength, and comfort in the days ahead.”

Recovery and support

As the weather clears, attention is turning to recovery efforts and support for impacted communities.

Government financial assistance is expected, with officials working alongside local councils and communities to assess needs.

A landslide covers the coastal road near the Coromandel town of Kuaotuna. Photo/Facebook/Paeroa Towing Services

Mitchell acknowledged the efforts of Civil Defence teams, first responders, iwi, and community groups.

“The best response to these events is a whole of society, whole of community approach. There’ll definitely be support, but we need a very clear understanding of where that support is required,” he says.

Authorities continue to urge residents to stay vigilant. The storms have left a trail of devastation across the North Island, and recovery is expected to take weeks.

Meanwhile, families wait anxiously for news of loved ones and communities begin the slow process of rebuilding.