Archive · 22 Jan 2026
Heavy Rains Cause Evacuations, Missing Persons in New Zealand
There was really bad weather in New Zealand's North Island.
It rained a lot and there were strong winds, which caused rivers to overflow, landslides, and roads to close.
The government told people in low-lying areas to move to higher ground because it wasn't safe.
They were especially worried about the Northland region and the Bay of Plenty, where a campsite was evacuated and several people went missing.
A man went missing after his car was swept away by a river.
The weather service warned that there could be more flooding and landslides, and some roads were closed.
Thousands of people lost power, but the good news is that everyone responded quickly to the emergency.
Heavy rains and strong winds caused widespread damage in New Zealand's North Island, leading to evacuations, missing persons, and road closures.
A landslide near a campsite in Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, left several people missing, prompting emergency services to deploy helicopters for search and rescue.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell expressed concern about the situation, particularly in the Northland region and along the eastern seaboard.
The New Zealand Transport Authority reported multiple main road closures in Northland, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato, with some small communities cut off due to road damage.
MetService lifted all weather warnings in the North Island as the tropical low moved east, but some warnings remained in place for the South Island.
- Who
- Residents in flood-prone areas, emergency services, authorities, and tourists in the Bay of Plenty region
- What
- Severe weather causing evacuations, missing persons, landslides, and road closures
- When
- January 21-22
- Where
- North Island, New Zealand, particularly the Northland region, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato
- Why
- Heavy rain and strong winds triggered flooding, swollen rivers, and landslides
- Location
- North Island, New Zealand (Northland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato)
- Date
- January 21-22
- Affected Areas
- Northland region, including Oakura, Mount Maunganui, and other eastern seaboard areas
- Warnings Issued
- Dangerous river conditions, flooding, landslides (some warnings lifted by January 22)
- Missing Persons
- Several people, including a man swept away near Warkworth and others in a landslide near Mount Maunganui
- Road Closures
- Multiple main roads in Northland, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato
- Power Outages
- Thousands without power