Tauranga

Tauranga, a city in New Zealand's North Island, is currently newsworthy due to a recent landslide tragedy. A landslide struck a campground in Mount Maunganui, part of the Tauranga region, following heavy rainfall. As of January 2026, six people, including two teenagers, are missing and presumed buried. Rescue efforts have transitioned to a recovery operation after human remains were found. Separately, another landslide hit a house in the Welcome Bay community of Tauranga, resulting in two fatalities. These events highlight the increasing risk of landslides in New Zealand, a country already prone to them, and raise concerns about the impact of climate change, which is predicted to increase the frequency and intensity of storms that trigger such disasters. The incidents underscore the vulnerability of certain areas in New Zealand to natural hazards and the potential for further tragedies.