Shocking News

our photo from September

NZ Herald's photo of the slip

Landslides, or 'slips' as they're called in New Zealand, are a very real danger, particularly in the Wanganui-Manawatu region, and we've been shocked by a local tragedy which appeared on the New Zealand Herald's website this morning. You may remember my post in September about our walk along the Pohangina river. We parked in the Totara Reserve car park just a few metres from where we took the first photo, and from the description of the incident, we think this particular cliff is the one that collapsed.

Brother and sister among three children killed by landslip

Three young children died last night in a horrifying tragedy at a Manawatu holiday camp.

The trio - a girl aged eight and two 13-year-old boys - were killed when a 50m cliff collapsed and buried them as they played in the middle of the Pohangina River.

Senior Constable Mark Glentworth of Ashhurst police said today that one of the 13-year-old boys and his eight-year-old sister were from Palmerston North while a second 13-year-old boy and his 10-year-old brother, who escaped with minor injuries, were from Feilding.

The children, close family friends, along with the parents and grandmother of the 13-year-old and his sister had been picnicking at the reserve, Mr Glentworth said.

The 10-year-old boy who survived was flown by helicopter to hospital suffering from shock and a suspected broken ankle. His mother flew with him.

A spokeswoman for Palmerston North Hospital said the boy was being assessed in the emergency department.

The tragedy happened about 6pm. The parents of the children were at the scene and watched as the cliff fell. Mr Glentworth said they were devastated.

The children were holidaying with their families at a camp at Totara Reserve, about 32km from Palmerston North.

Kelly Williams, the camp caretaker, said she tried calling 111 but could not get through. She then called the rescue helicopter.

"It's just devastating. Why do these things happen? They were just swimming and enjoying themselves.

Palmerston North's Square Trust rescue helicopter arrived just after 7pm to find the bodies of two of the children, both boys, lying on the opposite bank of the river to the collapsed cliff.

Another boy was sitting in a car in deep shock and with an ankle injury.

The body of the girl was not found immediately, which caused rescuers to hope briefly she might have survived.

The helicopter crew took off for Palmerston North Hospital but doubled back after the body of the girl was found under water 150m to 200m downstream.

The pilot, who did not want to give his name understood the four were playing in the river when the cliff collapsed on them.

St Johns Ambulance Central Region regional operations manager Grant Pennycook, who is based in Palmerston North, said: "It's horrific just before Christmas. It's shocking."

Wellington Police Inspector Tom Ireland said Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council had closed the park and the cliff collapse would be part of a coroner's investigation.

The reserve, on Old Coach Rd, is a short scrambly drop down from the road 12km north of the Raumai Bridge.

Kelly Williams' father, Russell, who lives nearby, said the children had been at the camp last year and had enjoyed it so much they had returned.

Mr Williams said they had been talking about the visit of their grandmother from South Africa for Christmas.

Helen