High resolution bathymetric data has allowed submarine landslides triggered by the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake in New Zealand to be mapped (Gnesko et al. 2026). In total 853 slope failures were identified. I rarely feature submarine landslides in this blog – they are beyond my area of expertise – but I came across a really cool […]
New Zealand
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Reactivation of the Mauao landslide in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
A significant reactivation occurred over the weekend of the 22 January 2026 Mauao landslide in Tauranga. Loyal readers will remember my posts on the Mauao landslide in Mount Maunganui in New Zealand on 22 January 2026, which killed six people. Over the weekend, heavy rainfall caused the landslide to reactivate. Fortunately, in this case there […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Landslides are New Zealand’s most expensive natural hazard, and the costs are rising quickly
New evidence from the Natural Hazards Commission – Toka Tū Ake (NHC) shows that landslides are now New Zealand’s most costly natural hazard. New Zealand is a country that is prone to a range of natural hazards. Located on a series of major fault systems, earthquakes cause high levels of loss. The country is also […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Landslides on Mauao in New Zealand following the 22 January 2026 rainfall event
To date, 42 landslides have been identified on Mauao (Mount Manganui) in New Zealand following the 22 January 2026 rainfall event. The extreme rainfall event that affected parts of the North Island of New Zealand triggered two fatal landslides, of which the major failure at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park on the flanks of […]
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Our Ocean’s “Natural Antacids” Act Faster Than We Thought
New evidence from New Zealand suggests that calcium carbonate dissolution occurs not just over millennial timescales, but over annual and decadal ones too.
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Early news about the 22 January 2026 landslide at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand
Eight people have been killed or are missing in two landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in New Zealand Substantial parts of New Zeealand have been suffering extreme rainfall – yet again – causing floods and landslides. The most serious event to date occurred at a camp site at Mount Maunganui on the Bay of Plenty in […]
Posted inNews
“Passion Project” Reveals Auckland’s Hidden Urban Faults
An innovative analysis has identified 10 likely and 25 possible faults in the region.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Why the Southern Alps Turned Red During the Summer of 2019-2020
Snow on the Southern Alps turned from white to red in 2019-2020. New geochemical evidence points to the color change resulting from red Australian desert dust carried across the Tasman Sea.
Posted inNews
First Global Comparison of Glacier Mass Change: They’re All Melting, and Fast
By systematically assessing data gathered by different methods, researchers refined estimates of global glacier melt and its contribution to sea level rise.