New Zealand’s summer holiday season has been overshadowed by deadly landslides, a succession of severe weather alerts and renewed warnings from authorities about the risks facing visitors in 2026.

As rescuers continue to search debris at a popular Bay of Plenty campground and saturated hillsides across the North Island remain unstable, officials are urging tourists to adjust their plans, stay informed and be prepared to move quickly if conditions deteriorate.

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Deadly Tauranga Landslides Put Summer Tourism on Edge

The most serious incident unfolded on January 22, 2026, when intense rain triggered a series of landslides around Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, a region heavily visited by domestic and international tourists. A pre-dawn slip in the suburb of Welcome Bay buried a house, killing two people and injuring at least one other. Hours later, another major slide barrelled into Beachside Holiday Park at Mount Maunganui, a busy coastal campground popular with families and backpackers, crushing caravans, motorhomes and amenities blocks beneath a torrent of mud and rock.

Police confirmed at least two deaths in the wider Tauranga event and reported more than six people missing beneath debris near the campground, including teenagers travelling with their families. Emergency teams, including Urban Search and Rescue specialists, have warned that unstable slopes and continuing rain are complicating efforts and could prolong the search for days. Local officials have described the mood in the community as one of shock and grief, with summer visitors suddenly finding themselves in a disaster zone.

The landslides followed days of heavy rain linked to a tropical system that has drenched much of the upper North Island. MetService, the national forecaster, had issued high-level warnings ahead of the storm, but the scale and speed of the ground failures around Tauranga have revived questions about risk mapping, hillside development and how hazards are communicated to short-term visitors unfamiliar with local terrain.

Red Weather Warnings and Saturated Hills Spur New Alerts

The Tauranga disaster comes as large parts of New Zealand endure one of the most volatile summer weather patterns since Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. In the week of January 20, 2026, MetService issued multiple red heavy rain warnings for Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and parts of Gisborne, the highest level of alert in its severe weather system. Forecasters warned of a threat to life from dangerous river conditions, widespread flooding, slips and hazardous travel, telling people in the worst-hit zones to avoid unnecessary movement and be prepared to self-evacuate if water levels rose quickly.

According to MetService and regional media, some locations in Northland had already recorded more than 300 millimetres of rain since Sunday, with another 100 millimetres or more expected. Coromandel, another major coastal holiday region, saw 150 to 200 millimetres fall in just 24 hours, with the prospect of an additional 200 to 250 millimetres on already saturated ground. In Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, forecasters warned that several hundred millimetres of rain could accumulate, sharply increasing the risk of landslides and road closures.

The National Emergency Management Agency has echoed those warnings, saying that soaked soils across many districts mean even moderate further rainfall can trigger landslips. The agency has asked people to keep up to date with watches and warnings, follow instructions from local Civil Defence groups and reconsider non-essential travel into areas under orange or red alerts. For visitors planning itineraries that depend on coastal highways and scenic back roads, these warnings carry practical implications that can upend tight schedules.

How New Zealand’s Weather Warning System Works for Visitors

Tourists arriving in New Zealand in 2026 are being urged to familiarise themselves with the country’s tiered severe weather system, which uses Outlooks, Watches and Warnings to flag escalating risk. Outlooks signal that bad weather is possible within the next three to six days, with details still uncertain. Travellers who see an Outlook for the region they plan to visit are encouraged to pay closer attention to forecasts and consider backup plans if conditions worsen.

Watches indicate that severe weather is possible but not yet certain or imminent. For visitors, this is the moment to start changing practical details: checking road conditions, talking to accommodation providers, considering flexible bookings and preparing for the possibility of being stuck in one location for longer than planned. Tour operators may start to cancel activities or reroute tours at this stage.

Warnings are issued when serious impacts are expected. Orange warnings mean conditions are likely to reach severe thresholds, with potential flooding, slips and disruption to travel, but impacts may still be localised. Red warnings are reserved for the most dangerous events and come with messages to act immediately to protect life and property. During red events, authorities advise people to avoid travel, keep clear of rivers and floodwaters, and be ready to leave at short notice if they are in a vulnerable location such as a low-lying campground, coastal settlement or hillside suburb.

Practical Guidance for Tourists Facing Heavy Rain and Landslide Risk

New Zealand’s Civil Defence guidance stresses that emergencies can unfold quickly during holidays and long weekends, particularly when people are camping, driving coastal highways or staying in unfamiliar rental properties. Visitors are advised to adopt the same precautions recommended to residents, starting with checking weather forecasts before every major drive and again on the morning of departure, especially in the North Island’s east and upper regions.

Authorities recommend that travellers keep a basic emergency kit in their vehicle, including drinking water, snacks, waterproof layers, warm clothing, a phone charger, essential medications, a torch and a small first aid kit. With congestion and weather-related closures common on key tourist routes, even a relatively minor slip or fallen tree can leave people stranded for hours. Having supplies reduces pressure on emergency services and allows visitors to wait safely for roads to reopen or detours to be announced.

Tourists are also urged to pay attention to local advice from accommodation hosts, campground managers and tour operators. Many lodgings are familiar with the specific risks in their areas, including historically unstable slopes, flood-prone roads and tsunami evacuation zones. If staff suggest moving vehicles away from cliffs or banks, shifting tents or considering an early departure ahead of incoming rain, officials say visitors should take that advice seriously.

In areas with steep terrain, such as the Coromandel Peninsula and parts of Bay of Plenty, signs like fresh cracks in the ground, new tilting of trees or fences, or unusual sounds from hillsides can indicate a potential landslide. Anyone who notices these warning signs near where they are staying is encouraged to move to a safer location and alert authorities or property owners without delay.

Adventure Tourism Under Scrutiny After Deadly Incidents

While the latest emergency has involved a campground and residential area, New Zealand’s broader tourism safety record remains under scrutiny after several high-profile tragedies involving visitors in recent years. In late 2025 two climbers, including a United States citizen and a respected mountain guide, died in a fall near the summit of Aoraki Mount Cook, the country’s highest peak. Searchers described performing recovery operations in extremely challenging alpine conditions, highlighting again how quickly weather and snow stability can change in the Southern Alps.

The deaths added to a long list of fatalities on Aoraki and in nearby national park terrain, where crevasses, avalanche danger and sudden storms have claimed more than 240 lives since the early twentieth century. Police and guiding organisations remind visitors that experience in other mountain ranges does not always translate easily to New Zealand’s combination of maritime weather and glaciated routes. Climbers and hikers are strongly advised to check conditions with local authorities, use qualified guides for technical routes and carry appropriate communication devices.

Adventure tourism regulations have already been tightened following the 2019 eruption on Whakaari White Island, which killed 22 people, many of them cruise passengers. A subsequent court case has clarified aspects of liability for landowners and operators, but officials say the core message for visitors remains unchanged: any activity advertised as high-adrenaline, backcountry or weather-dependent carries inherent risk, and tourists should take the time to understand safety briefings and cancellation policies, even when conditions appear calm.

Guidance for International Travelers When Disasters Strike

New Zealand’s official travel advisory service encourages citizens travelling abroad to register their plans so they can be contacted during emergencies, and similar principles apply for inbound visitors who may be caught in a cyclone, flood or earthquake while in the country. After a disaster, authorities say the first priority is to get to safety, following local evacuation orders or guidance from emergency services. If a formal evacuation is issued for an area, remaining behind can not only increase personal risk but may also affect travel insurance coverage.

Tourists considering whether to leave a disaster-affected region are urged to act early if they decide to move. Experience from recent storms suggests that seats on flights, buses and ferries out of affected zones can sell out quickly, and road departures may be curtailed if further weather or damage closes key routes. Waiting to see how conditions develop can leave travellers stranded for days or weeks in areas with disrupted services and limited accommodation.

Visitors who cannot leave, or who choose to stay in place until conditions improve, are advised to prepare for sheltering in their accommodation. That means stocking up on bottled water, non-perishable food, basic medical supplies and items such as torches and batteries in case of extended power cuts. Hotels and larger resorts are expected to have their own emergency plans, but guests are encouraged to ask staff what procedures are in place and where safe gathering points are located.

Balancing New Zealand’s Natural Beauty With a New Risk Reality

For many tourists, New Zealand’s appeal lies precisely in its wild landscapes, coastal campgrounds and easy access to beaches, forests and mountains. Officials stress that the country remains open to visitors in 2026 and that most trips proceed without incident. However, a warming climate and a run of severe storms have exposed how vulnerable certain communities and holiday hotspots are to heavy rain, flooding, landslides and coastal hazards.

The National Emergency Management Agency has launched seasonal campaigns urging people to get summer ready, emphasising that preparation is as important for visitors as it is for locals. The advice is to own your zone by understanding whether you are in a floodplain, landslide-prone hillside or tsunami evacuation area, and to know how you would leave quickly if the situation deteriorated. Checking routes in advance, carrying basic supplies and building flexibility into itineraries can make the difference between a disrupted plan and a dangerous emergency.

With red and orange weather warnings now a regular feature of New Zealand summers, travellers are being told to see forecast checks as routine as packing sunscreen or booking a rental car. If extreme heat, heavy rain or wind warnings are issued for your destination, the safest option can be to postpone travel, reroute to less affected regions or spend an extra day or two in a safer location. Tourism operators say more guests are now asking about cancellation terms and contingency plans, a sign that awareness of climate-linked risks is slowly catching up with the new reality.

The scenes from Tauranga’s landslides, and the stories of families caught off guard during what should have been a carefree holiday, have underlined how quickly a blue-sky trip can turn into a crisis. For those planning to visit New Zealand in the months ahead, authorities hope the message is clear: the country’s natural beauty is still there to be enjoyed, but in 2026 it demands a sharper eye on the forecast, a readiness to change course and a willingness to put safety ahead of rigid schedules.