Ambulances have been seen coming and going from the site of a major search operation at the base of Mount Maunganui. 

Multiple people remain unaccounted for after yesterday morning's landslide, with crews working through the night to shift a massive amount of dirt and debris. 

A source has told the Herald as many as nine people are potentially trapped. 

Herald Senior Investigative Reporter Michael Morrah is on the scene and told John McDonald there's a huge amount of activity. 

He says the disaster identification team, search and rescue team, and sniffer dogs are working through the debris. 

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