14:30:10 Friday 22 August 2025

Body extricated from landslide

The body of a 17 year old male has been extricated from the scene of a landslide that inundated a house in the Bay of Plenty.

The storm that lashed the region earlier Saturday, caused a landslide at West End Road, Ohope. The young man, reported to be Hugh Biddle, was trapped in a crushed house. Rescuers worked for hours with a digger and chainsaws to free him.


17 year old Hugh Biddle is
believed to be the young man killed in Saturday's landslide.


A hearse leaves the property Saturday evening.

Rock, trees and mud crashed into the house. Police say the name of the deceased will be officially released on Sunday, at 5pm.

A digger works on the buried part of the house, down a right-of-way off West End Road.

Pictured above speaking with police is one of the occupants of the house, Rob Shaw. The former Taneatua school principal is understood to have lived in the damaged house with the young man.

Rob told SunLive earlier that when the slip hit it "sounded like thunder."

He saw trees and branches going past the window. He went to the downstairs room at the back occupied by Hugh. The door was blocked and there was no reply.

Fire, ambulance and rescue services at the scene were concerned because the mass of mud and trees at the rear of the house was still moving.

Neighbouring properties were evacuated as the rescue proceeded; amid concerns about the stability of the cliff faces.

Whakatane has experienced surface flooding from heavy rain this morning.

Numerous slips and water damage has been reported across the district.

Watch SunLive for updates. Tell us your story and send your photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz

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