A summer holiday has turned into a nightmare in New Zealand as torrential storms triggered a massive landslide at a popular campsite, leaving an unknown number of people, including a child, buried under mud and debris.

The disaster struck the Mount Maunganui campground on the North Island early Thursday morning, catching sleeping tourists unaware. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell described the devastation on the east coast as resembling a "war zone," with entire communities cut off by floodwaters and roads obliterated by the earth's fury.

"We Heard Voices Under the Mud"

Rescuers are racing against time and the elements. Fire and Emergency NZ commander William Pike confirmed that initial crews heard faint calls for help from beneath the rubble, but the unstable ground has hampered recovery efforts. "It is a fluid and sensitive situation," Mitchell told reporters, confirming that a young girl is among the missing.

The catastrophe is part of a broader weather system that has hammered the region:

• Widespread Destruction: Local states of emergency have been declared in five regions.
• Rooftop Rescues: Military helicopters have been deployed to pluck families from the roofs of their submerged homes as rivers burst their banks.
• The Human Cost: Police Superintendent Tim Anderson stated that the number of missing persons is in the "single figures," but fears are mounting that the death toll could rise as the mud settles.

A Warning from Nature

The tragedy at Mount Maunganui serves as a grim reminder of the intensifying volatility of global weather patterns. For the families waiting for news of their loved ones, the agonizing wait continues as heavy rain continues to lash the rescue site.