The Hurunui's Tsunami Advice

Environment Canterbury (ECan) recently commissioned GNS Science to do new multi-scenario tsunami modelling for some parts of Canterbury - between the Waimakariri River and Taylor’s Mistake.

While the results of this research do not include the Hurunui, the council will continue working closely with ECan and neighbouring council’s to stay up to date with any emerging research for this area.

Environment Canterbury is commissioning more work for the rest of the Canterbury coastline over the coming years, with the Hurunui expected to have access to more research mid-next year. The council will address tsunami preparations and evacuation zones if there are any changes in response to this.

The tsunami and earthquake messaging for this district remains the same and our current evacuation zones apply – these can be viewed on the Canterbury Maps viewer here: https://ecan.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Minimalist/index.html?appid=591062afb6b542abb247cc8d15a64855

Emergency Management is ready to respond to the threat of a tsunami but encourages residents to have their own preparations in place.

Tsunami Safety for the Hurunui:

• Long or strong, get gone – if you feel a rolling-motion earthquake for longer than a minute or a strong earthquake that makes it hard to stand up, you need to leave. When the shaking stops, head immediately to the nearest high ground or as far inland as you can without waiting for an official warning.
• Stay Informed – keep checking official Civil Defence channels for up-to-date information. These include the Hurunui District Council website and Facebook page, and radio stations such Compass 104.9 FM and Radio NZ.
• Be prepared – emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. Check out getready.govt.nz for tips to make sure you’re prepared.
• Have a plan – have an evacuation plan and possible route for your household, including pets. Think about where you would go and, if possible, make a plan with family or friends who live outside the tsunami zone to stay with them if you need to evacuate. Share any official warnings you hear with family and friends near the coast.

The Hurunui’s Emergency Management Officer, Dean Eades said “we will have comprehensive research specific to our area before making any changes. This allows us to make decisions based on the best science available”.

“The largest tsunami risk to the Hurunui is understood to come from a very large earthquake off the coast of South America. It would take approximately 12 to 15 hours to reach Canterbury and is considered quite rare, with occurrences estimated at least 500 years apart” he said.

“Smaller tsunamis that could flood low-lying coastal land, or create strong currents in the sea and river mouths, are more likely but still uncommon. They include tsunamis from across the Pacific Ocean as well as those created close to our shores”.

Hurunui residents who work in Christchurch should familiarise themselves with the revised tsunami evacuation zones produced for the city as a result of the modelling. These can be viewed here: www.ccc.govt.nz/tsunami

For further information:

Dean Eades
Emergency Management Officer
📩 dean.eades@hurunui.govt.nz