I can only imagine what he and his wife and other families there are going through at the moment. Tracy Ngatoko at Mount Maunganui. An intense burst of rain swept through Mount Maunganui at 6pm, drenching roadworkers manning the cordon at The Mall. Photo / Michael CraigHowever, barely 15 minutes after the rain hit, blue skies could be seen appearing again above the Mount Maunganui volcano. Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 23, 2026 08:10 UTC