Two people remain unaccounted for after a slip "extensively damaged" a house on Welcome Bay Rd in Pāpāmoa.
Bay of Plenty district commander Superintendent Tim Anderson confirmed continued efforts were being made to locate the two.
Police were told the slip had "extensively damaged a house" at around 4.15am. A number of houses in the area were evacuated.
Fire and Emergency NZ's specialist search and rescue team has been involved in the response.
Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler said the team had been carefully removing layers of debris and narrowing down an area of focus.
"This is a complex and high-risk environment, and our teams are working to achieve the best possible outcome while keeping everyone safe. The teams will be operating overnight until the search is complete," she said.
Hato Hone St John said it was notified at 4.10am, responding with three ambulances and an operations manager. Crews treated two patients in a moderate condition and assessed three people in a minor condition at the scene.
Anderson urged members of the public to avoid the area and give emergency services space to work safely.
A number of roads in the Bay of Plenty have been closed, with police advising the public to avoid all unnecessary travel.
He commended the bravery of staff involved in the response, as well as the response to a slip later in the morning at a Mount Maunganui campsite.
“We have already seen countless examples over the last 24 hours of police staff putting their lives at risk to protect members of the public through evacuations," he said.
“This community is a very tight-knit community, and now more than ever, we need to band together to support one another."
“Police are offering ongoing support to those impacted by the weather, and will continue to provide necessary support for the community.”
SHARE ME