SYDNEY, January 27. /TASS/. New Zealand police no longer hope to find survivors in the January 22 landslide on the east coast of the country's North Island. This was announced by the head of the New Zealand government, Christopher Laxon.
“Police have confirmed that the six missing people are not expected to survive and the rescue operation will therefore continue as a recovery operation. This is a tragedy for families and the entire community in the Bay of Plenty,” Lacson said in a statement posted on the government website. The Prime Minister also noted that the police “are making every effort to find the bodies of the deceased to hand them over to their families to say goodbye.”
The head of government pointed out that the total number of deaths from landslides caused by heavy rains and floods in the North Island has reached eight people. Another person has died in floods in north Auckland and a man remains missing.
Previously, large-scale landslides were reported in New Zealand due to heavy rains that hit the country's North Island on January 18. Dozens of settlements are in flood zones and at least 9 thousand households are without electricity and communications. According to national grid operator Powerco, in some areas, repair work will only begin after the rain stops and water flooding the panels has subsided.
