Wellington [New Zealand], January 25: Police on Saturday said they had recovered human remains from the scene of a landslide in New Zealand.
The landslide hit the Mount Maunganui campground on Thursday after the area received 274 millimetres of rain in 24 hours.
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said search teams had been working through the slip layer by layer, but it was now apparent that nobody would be found alive. "Every single person involved in this operation has been focused solely on saving the lives of the people under the slip," Anderson said.
"This is heartbreaking news for the families and the dozens of people who have been working day and night, hoping for a positive outcome." Anderson said six people were missing, including a 20-year-old from Sweden.
Responsibility for identifying the victims now passed to the Coroners Court. Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton said she was deeply saddened by the news of the deaths.
"I want to reassure families and friends that the people you love, who have died in this tragedy, will be cared for and treated with dignity and respect as we work through the necessary processes," Tutton said. She said identification of the remains could be a painstaking, complex process, especially when people were severely injured - and that process would take time. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune
