General Information

Tsunami

Long or Strong, Get Gone

If you feel a long (more than a minute) or strong (it’s hard to stand up) earthquake move inland or to higher ground as soon as the shaking stops so that you are out of the blue tsunami evacuation zone.

Do not wait for an official warning, an emergency mobile alert on your phone, or sirens. A tsunami could arrive within minutes. Be mindful of landslides or rockfalls in hilly areas. Stay out of the zones until you are told it is safe to return.

Are you in the tsunami evacuation zone?

You can see if you are in the tsunami evacuation zone at https://www.cdemcanterbury.govt.nz/hazards/tsunamis.

Not in the tsunami evacuation zone?

If you are outside the blue tsunami evacuation zone you do not need to evacuate. Areas outside the evacuation zone are not expected to be flooded, even in a ‘worst case’ tsunami. Consider opening your home to friends and family who are evacuating.

No tsunami sirens in Kaikōura

The sirens in Kaikōura township are fire sirens, not tsunami sirens. Tsunami sirens are generally not recommended, because people tend to wait for the sirens to sound before evacuating, instead of evacuating immediately on feeling a long or strong earthquake, which puts them in danger.

Where to go in a tsunami evacuation

There are no evacuation centres in Kaikōura. We recommend going immediately inland or to high ground out of the tsunami evacuation zone, to friends or family if you can. Listen to the radio to find out when it is safe to return, or where to go for help.

What if a tsunami is coming from further away?

If a tsunami is coming from across the Pacific Ocean you will not feel the earthquake but there will be time for an official warning from Civil Defence Emergency Management, which will tell you the area you need to evacuate.

Does this information go on a LIM?

The areas that could be flooded by tsunamis, which the tsunami evacuation zones are based on, is required by law to be included on LIMs. We also include whether the property is within the tsunami evacuation zone because it is important for people to be aware of the zones and what they mean.

The tsunami evacuation zones do not restrict what you are able to do on your land under the District Plan. They are based on much larger tsunamis than are generally used for land use planning.

What about my insurance?

The tsunami evacuation zones are intended to guide evacuation actions and cannot be used as an assessment of tsunami risk for an individual property. People should refer to Environment Canterbury’s tsunami modelling results webapp that provides more detailed information about the tsunami hazard, which generally reduces with distance from the coast.

We recommend you discuss any concerns directly with your insurer.

For more information

For more information on how to get ready for a tsunami, including what to have in a grab bag, visit https://www.cdemcanterbury.govt.nz/hazards/tsunamis or the GetReady website. https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/tsunami

Key things to remember

1. If you are inside drop, cover and hold.
2. If you are outside move away from buildings, trees, streetlights and power lines, then drop, cover and hold. Stay there until the shaking stops.
3. If you feel an earthquake that is either longer than a minute, or strong enough that it is hard to stand up then get to high ground as soon as the shaking stops. The earthquake could be the only warning sign of a tsunami.
4. There are NO TSUNAMI SIRENS IN KAIKŌURA SO DO NOT WAIT FOR ONE TO SOUND

Most flooding happens when water from intense/persistent rain, and sometimes from melting snow, enters rivers, streams and lakes, causing them to overflow or become blocked. High sea levels at river mouths can also increase flood levels.

Floods can be dangerous when the water is deep, is travelling fast, has risen quickly, or if it contains debris like tree branches or sheet iron.

What to do during a flood

1. Do not try to walk or drive through floodwater
2. Move valuable or dangerous items as high as you can off the floor
3. Listen to the radio and follow the instructions.

Where to get information?

During a storm we will advise you to keep an eye on forecasts and weather warnings. The only site we recommend is the MetService website. Metservice has the resources to always be available in a severe weather event to provide you with accurate information. MetService works closely with National Emergency Management (NEMA), councils, and other agencies to deliver reliable updates during emergencies.

Storms can happen year round and affect wide areas. Storms and severe weather include:

• Strong winds
• Heavy rain
• Heavy snow
• Thunder
• Lightening
• Tornadoes
• Rough seas

Landslides can range from a single boulder or rock, to a very large avalanche of earth and rock that can spread for kilometres. They are caused by heavy rain, earthquakes and, in some cases human activity. Landslides often happen without warning.

What to do during a landslide

1. Get out of the path of the landslide quickly
2. Warn neighbours and help others if you can
3. Contact emergency services and Council