Wainui & Makorori Beach Tsunami Plans

NOTE: In the event of a local tsunami event Wainui and Makorori residents should avoid driving if at all possible. With only 20-30 minutes to get to high ground the highway will become jammed if all households try to drive to Makorori Hill or Winifred Street. Take pets if possible but don’t waste time trying to gather precious items. Saving lives is the priority!

The 1947 local tsunami event was caused by an earthquake that went on for over a minute but the shaking was hardly noticed at the beach. Prolonged shaking earthquakes are potentially the most dangerous for generating big waves.

Evacuation Plan for Wainui from Murphy Road to Wainui Surf Club
Evacuation Plan for Okitu from Wainui Surf Club to Sirrah Street
Makorori: There is no plan. Automatic evacuation of all houses.

LOCAL TSUNAMI (The Worst Case)

• A local tsunami may be caused by a major earthquake (similar to December 2008) or one that goes on for longer than a minute.
• Local tsunami are generated very close to New Zealand. This type of tsunami is very dangerous because we may only have a few minutes warning and damage could be quite significant in specific areas. A landslide in the Hikurangi Trench or a large earthquake from an offshore fault could cause a local tsunami
• THERE WILL BE NO TIME FOR AN OFFICIAL WARNING!
•  If a Tsunami is generated it will probably arrive 20-30 minutes after the earthquake.
•  If you observe the sea recede suddenly you have about 3-5 minutes to get to higher ground. 
• EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD HAVE IT’S OWN EVACUATION PLAN AND PRE-PLANNED ROUTE TO HIGHER GROUND
•  You need a pre-planned escape route. Preferably one that does not require a vehicle. Include elderly neighbours in your plan.
•  You need to know exactly how to walk quickly from your house to the nearest hill you can easily climb.
•  Once you are high enough to view the ocean and the incoming wave you are probably safe and will have time to climb higher as necessary. At night you will hear the wave.
•  If you live longer that 3 minutes walk away from the nearest hill, if you have young children or you are elderly you may need to plan to take your car to where you can easily climb a hill.
•  When the first wave comes ashore it will have slowed to walking speed on steep slopes. A second wave may move faster and potentially go further inland on top of the first.
•  Prepare an emergency “getaway kit” with things you need if you have to leave the house in a hurry. Have a torch and a battery radio.
•  Before returning you should wait for an official all clear, but generally one hour after the earthquake is considered “all clear”.
•  Wainui School has it’s own evacuation plan during school hours
•  Keep listening to the radio for updates (Classic Hits 90.9 or More FM 98.9).
• There will be no official warnings given for a localised tsunami. It is your responsibility to get yourself and family to safety.

DISTANT TSUNAMIS

• Distant tsunami are generated from a long way away, such as from across the Pacific in Chile. In this case, we will have more than three hours warning time (in most cases up to 11 hours) for New Zealand.
• THERE WILL BE WARNINGS FOR THESE EVENTS!
•  If a Tsunami is generated from a distant Pacific location there is usually many hours (about 11 hours in most cases) to prepare for the event.
•  There will be a declared Civil Defence Emergency if evacuations are necessary.
•  Only the most low lying areas of Wainui will need to be evacuated.
•  You can check where these areas are on the GDC website Civil Defence pages at (www.gdc.govt.nz). If unsure you can ring the District Council.
•  Makorori Beach will be totally evacuated Р so there is no map.
• POLICE, FIRE AND CIVIL DEFENCE PERSONAL WILL INITIATE THE EVACUATION BY DOOR KNOCKING. THERE WILL BE NO NEED TO PANIC.
•  You should plan to go to stay with friends or family outside of the evacuation areas. There will be an official evacuation HQ at Te Poho O Rawiri marae.
•  You may have to stay away from your home for up to 24 hours.
•  Listen to the local radio stations (Classic Hits 90.9 or More FM 98.9) for information. If information on the radio conflicts with that given directly to you by Police or Civil Defence, obey the latter.
• Make a plan with your family, and include elderly neighbours, before such an emergency. Make sure that everyone knows where they go if the call comes to evacuate.

GDC CIVIL DEFENCE 867 2049 EXT 8435 Tsunami Contingency Plan