!!!!! Evacuation warning!!!!!
For the Bay of Plenty - if you are in a coastal area and/or a tsunami evacuation zone anywhere east of Matata (including Whakatane and Opotiki), you must move to higher ground immediately. National Warning: Tsunami Threat. Immediate evacuation required.
Friday 5 Mar - last updated 9:17 am
!!!!! Evacuation warning!!!!!
A tsunami warning for New Zealand coastal areas has triggered an evacuation following the magnitude 8.1 earthquake near the Kermadec Island region.
There is a land and marine tsuname threat in place.
"An Emergency Mobile Alert has been issued to the areas under land and marine tsunami threat. Listen to local civil defence authorities and follow any instructions regarding evacuation of your area," says NEMA.
"The first waves may reach New Zealand in the areas around Lottin Point at approximately 9:49am New Zealand Daylight Time.
"The severity of currents and surges will vary within a particular coastal area and over the period this warning is in effect.
"The first wave may not be the largest. Tsunami activity will continue for several hours and the threat must be regarded as real until this warning is cancelled."
AREAS UNDER LAND AND MARINE WARNING:
Coastal inundation (flooding of land areas) is expected in the following areas:
The West Coast of the North Island from CAPE REINGA to AHIPARA.
The East Coast of the North Island from CAPE REINGA to WHANGAREI, from MATATA to TOLAGA BAY including Whakatane and Opotiki.
And GREAT BARRIER ISLAND.
Strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges near the shore are expected in the following areas.
This means a threat to beach, harbour, estuary and small boat activities, says NEMA.
The West Coast of the North Island from AHIPARA to MAKARA including the West Coast of Auckland, Manukau Harbour, New Plymouth, Whanganui and the Kapiti Coast.
The East Coast of the North Island from WHANGAREI to MATATA including Whangarei, the East Coast of Auckland, Waiheke Island, Waitemata Harbour and Tauranga, from TOLAGA BAY to LAKE FERRY including Gisborne and Napier.
The West and South Coasts of the South Island from FAREWELL SPIT to PUYSEGUR POINT including Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika.
The top of the South Island from FAREWELL SPIT to PORT UNDERWOOD including Nelson, Picton and the Marlborough Sounds.
The East and South Coasts of the South Island from the WAIPARA RIVER to the RAKAIA RIVER including Christchurch and Banks Peninsula, from the TAIERI RIVER to PUYSEGUR POINT including Invercargill.
And STEWART ISLAND.
And the CHATHAM ISLANDS.
There is no tsunami threat in all other areas.
People in all New Zealand coastal areas should:
• Listen to the radio and/or TV for updates, or check www.civildefence.govt.nz
• Listen to local Civil Defence authorities and follow any instructions regarding evacuation of your area
• Stay out of the water (sea, rivers and estuaries, this includes boats)
• Stay off beaches and shore areas
• Do not go sightseeing
• Share this information with family, neighbours and friends
Evacuation advice overrides the current COVID-19 Alert Level requirements. Listen to local Civil Defence authorities and follow any instructions regarding evacuation of your area. If you are told to evacuate do not stay at home. Stay 2 metres away from others if you can and if it is safe to do so.
Only messages issued by the National Emergency Management Agency represent the official warning status for New Zealand. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) messages do not represent the official warning status for New Zealand.
This warning will remain in effect until a cancellation message is issued by the National Emergency Management Agency.
EARLIER 8.48AM:
A third earthquake off New Zealand's coast is being recorded and people are warned to avoid the beaches.
An magnitude 8 quake has hit in the Kermadec Island region, north-east of New Zealand.
NEMA is urging people near the coast to move to high ground immediately.
People in the East Coast of the North Island from the Bay of Islands to Whangarei, from Matata to Tolaga Bay including Whakatane and Opotiki, and Great Barrier Island.
"Do not stay at home.
"These areas are indicated in the map posted here. The earthquake may not have been felt in some of these areas, but evacuation should be immediate as a damaging tsunami is possible.
"People in all other areas who felt a long or strong earthquake that made it hard to stand up, or lasted longer than a minute, should MOVE IMMEDIATELY to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible.
"Evacuation advice overrides the current COVID-19 Alert Level requirements.
"Listen to local Civil Defence authorities and follow any instructions regarding evacuation of your area. If you are told to evacuate do not stay at home. Stay 2 metres away from others if you can and if it is safe to do so.
"Do not return until an official all-clear message is given by Civil Defence.
"Walk, run or cycle if at all possible to reduce the chances of getting stuck in traffic congestion.
"The first wave may not be the largest. Tsunami activity will continue for several hours and the threat is real until this warning is cancelled."
The National Emergency Management Agency and GNS Science will continue to assess the threat and provide an update within an hour.
An Emergency Mobile Alert will be issued to all capable phones in the areas under threat. People who are near the coast in the AREAS UNDER THREAT listed above or near the coast and felt the earthquake LONG OR STRONG, should MOVE NOW. DO NOT WAIT for an Emergency Mobile Alert to your mobile phone, or local warnings.
People in all New Zealand coastal areas should:
Listen to the radio and/or TV for updates, and NZCivilDefence Twitter
-Listen to local Civil Defence authorities
-Stay out of the water (sea, rivers and estuaries, this includes boats)
-Stay off beaches and shore areas
-Do not go sightseeing
-Share this information with family, neighbours and friends
Only messages issued by the National Emergency Management Agency represent the official warning status for New Zealand. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) messages do not represent the official warning status for New Zealand.
This warning will remain in effect until a cancellation message is issued by the National Emergency Management Agency.
This is the third major earthquake to trigger a tsunami warning in New Zealand.
Most of the country was woken by a 7.2M quakte that struck off the East Coast at 2.30am.
This was followed by a 7.4M earthquake in the Kermadec Island region around 7am.
Source: Sunlive
