Councils around NZ warned of deadly landslides, tsunamis, floods, ‘loss of life’

Senior reporter·NZ Herald·15 Sep, 2026 05:00 PM16 mins to read‌Local Government Minister Simon Watts is seeking assurances from councils around New Zealand that known risks to life are being managed properly. "The lessons from Tauranga should be noted across New Zealand" he told them. After January’s deadly Mount Maunganui landslide, it emerged that Tauranga City Council had received multiple warnings of the hazard over a period of years. So what other dangers are hiding in plain sight in council reports elsewhere? The Herald has reviewed hundreds of documents to investigate the natural hazards councils