Te Tainiwhaniwha Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of powerful ocean waves with strong currents. They are usually caused by underwater disturbances - such as earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions.

Tsunami waves have a lot of power and can damage or destroy buildings, powerlines, and carry vehicles, boats and debris which can cause further damage as they are moved by the wave. The largest wave may happen several hours after the first wave, and there can be more than one set of waves.

All New Zealand’s coastline, including Auckland, is at risk from tsunami due to our position in the Pacific Ring
of Fire. This is an area surrounding the Pacific Ocean marked by frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because of the collision and subduction of the earth’s tectonic plates. 

Knowing tsunami warning signs, evacuation zones, and how you could be impacted, will help protect you and your whānau.

New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) separates tsunami into three categories, depending on where they form, with each type creating unique challenges:

• Local source tsunami: generated very close to New Zealand, which could arrive in minutes.
• Regional source tsunami: generated from the southwest Pacific like Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu, which could take between one and three hours to arrive.
• Distant source tsunami: generated across the Pacific Ocean like in Chile, Alaska, or Japan, which could take 14 hours or more to arrive.

Before a tsunami

• Know your risk: Find out if your home, school, or workplace is in a tsunami evacuation zone via the hazard map below. Be aware of the closest high ground or inland safe areas.
• Make a plan: Plan your evacuation route and source the quickest way to get to higher ground. Make sure everyone in your household knows the route. Consider how you’ll stay in touch if you get separated and agree on a meeting place. Sign up for the annual Shake Out earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi to practice together.
• Have emergency supplies: Prepare a grab bag and pack essentials like food, water, a first aid kit, torch, as well as your important documents and any medication. Keep the kit somewhere you can grab quickly.

During a tsunami

• If you're in an evacuation zone: You need to act immediately if you experience any of the following:

- Feel a strong earthquake that makes it hard to stand up, or a weak rolling earthquake that lasts a minute or more.

- See a sudden rise or fall in water levels.

- Hear loud and unusual noises from the ocean.

There may be very little warning time for a tsunami depending on the source location, so don't wait for official alerts. Collect your grab bag if you're at home, and move to the nearest high ground or as far inland as you can, out of tsunami evacuation zones.

• If you're elsewhere: Protect yourself if there is an earthquake first, then act as soon as the shaking stops. Follow official advice by tuning in to the radio, listening to phone alerts, or other official sources for updates. Be prepared to evacuate if you're instructed to do so.
• Stay vigilant: Tsunami activity will continue for several hours and the first wave may not be the largest. Tsunami waves could continue to arrive for up to 24 hours and range in intervals from five minutes, to an hour apart. In low-lying areas these waves can travel many kilometers inland.

After a tsunami