Review of the Tsunami Evacuation 2017

4:24am
Email received by CDEM Duty Officer re “National Warning: NO CHANGE Tsunami – Threat to
Marine and Land Areas No 6” advising “MCDEM has issued a tsunami warning (marine and land
threat) from East Cape to Southland, including Wellington (which also includes the Cook Straight
area), Marlborough Sounds/Tasman Bay and the Chatham Islands, and a marine threat for all
other New Zealand coastal areas. See the map attached for affected areas. Areas under “Marine
and Land Threat’ can also expect a threat to coastal inundation to land areas near the shore.
Current assessments indicate that wave amplitudes of up to 3-5 meters along the coastlines
closest to the earthquake epicenter (estimated from Blenheim to Banks Peninsula, and also
including the Chatham Islands) can be expected in some areas (see attached map). People in
coastal areas should: stay out of the water, stay off beaches, do not go sightseeing, follow
instructions of local civil defence authorities, if a land threat is forecasted for your area, take
appropriate evasive action. Warning will remain in effect until a cancellation message is issued
by MCDEM. Local civil defence authorities will interpret this information for their areas and
advise public action. Local authorities will determine the implication of the expected wave
heights for their areas and will decide on appropriate response actions (e.g. evacuations). Listen
or check for this information from your local authority.”
National
Controller,
MCDEM issued
email
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Copy of email subject line:
“National Warning NO
CHANGE Tsunami – Threat
to Marine and Land Areas
No 6”
Map attached highlights Christchurch and Banks Peninsula as subject to a tsunami threat at a
level of 3-5m.
4:46am
5am
5am
“Mairehau High opened as an evacuation point for those needing a place to go. You may wish to
also go to family and friends located inland areas”
Issues around evacuation points not being open when public messages were posted and only
opened later.
Media release by CCC advising residents that 3 evacuation centres are open, Civil Defence has
released maps showing the city-wide evacuation zone with maps attached, sirens continue to
sound though they might be intermittent and providing explanation why there is a tsunami risk
Message posted on CDEM Facebook page advising “3 evacuation centres are open, Civil Defence
has released maps showing the city-wide evacuation zone with maps attached, sirens continue
to sound though they might be intermittent and providing explanation why there is a tsunami
risk”
PIM
PIM
PIM
CDEM Facebook page
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Copy of media release
subject line “5am
earthquake update”
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CDEM Facebook page
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