Recovery work at the site of last week's devastating landslide at Mt Maunganui has been temporarily suspended due to concerns about land movement.
Police said technology installed to monitor any movement of the land was triggered just after 10.30am, suspending all work.
“The systems installed are designed to trigger any potential land movements and excess water within the scene," Detective Inspector Lew Warner said.
"All staff working at the scene have been withdrawn, pending further assessments.”
Geotechnical experts will now conduct a "thorough examination" of the area before workers are cleared to return.
Warner said the safety of all staff working at the scene was "at the front of mind".
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It comes after the cordon around the scene of the slip, which ploughed through Beachside Holiday Park near the Mount, was moved to allow businesses to open.
Yesterday, Bay of Plenty Civil Defence said the state of local emergency declared for Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty District councils would be extended.
The council areas encompassed the sites of the two deadly landslides in Pāpāmoa and at Mt Maunganui, with two so far confirmed dead and six unaccounted for.
The extension came into force immediately before the initial state of emergency was lifted and remained in effect for the next seven days.
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