How to stay safe from a tsunami
The best way to stay safe from a tsunami is to be informed and know what to do so you can quickly get to safety. Follow the actions below if you are in a tsunami zone or near the coast.
Know what to do - If an earthquake is LONG or STRONG, GET GONE!
If you feel an earthquake that is either LONG (more than one minute) or STRONG (enough to make it hard to stand up), after the shaking stops, leave immediately to move inland, uphill or to the fifth floor or higher.
Long Or Strong: Get Gone
This evacuation advice overrides any COVID-19 Alert Level requirements to stay at home. Stay 2 metres away from others if you can and if it is safe to do so. Wear a mask or face covering only if you can grab one quickly and it will not delay you leaving.
How to stay safe in a tsunami
Leave quickly - if you feel a LONG or STRONG earthquake, the first tsunami wave may arrive in as little as ten minutes. There is no time for an official warning; you must evacuate out of all tsunami zones as soon as the shaking stops. Every step towards a tsunami safe zone counts. Stay out of the tsunami evacuation zones until officials say you can go back in.
There are no tsunami sirens in the Wellington Region (read more about tsunami sirens on wremo.nz).
Evacuate tsunami zones by foot or bicycle, don't drive - this is because roads may be blocked by debris or a traffic jam. For those who can't walk or cycle, trying to drive out is their only option, and you could be preventing them from evacuating safely. If you need help evacuating or know someone that does, have a conversation with your neighbours about how everyone can get out safely.
Evacuating to a higher floor - we recommend evacuating out of all tsunami zones (red, orange and yellow) rather than staying in your building. However, we do understand that some people who are in a high rise building may decide it is safer to stay there. If you do stay, you need to be on the fifth floor or higher. This is called 'vertical evacuation'. There are several factors to consider, and this is something you and your household or workplace will need to discuss and decide. Read more about vertical evacuation (wremo.nz).
Official tsunami warnings - if a tsunami is generated by a distant earthquake, such as in South America, then Civil Defence will have time to send an official warning. If you receive an alert, follow the instructions and stay informed. Read more about emergency information and mobile phone alerts.
If you are told to evacuate, follow the evacuation advice. Evacuation advice overrides any COVID-19 Alert Level requirements to stay at home. Move immediately. Stay 2 metres away from others if you can and if it is safe to do so. Wear a mask or face covering only if you can grab one quickly and it will not delay you leaving.
Check if you are in a tsunami zone
Travelling across NZ this summer?
If you're travelling to your holiday spots over summer, make sure to check the tsunami zones for that area.
Tsunami Zone maps across New Zealand
Check tsunami zones in the Wellington Region
Check if the places you live, work, or play, are in a tsunami evacuation zone.
Enter your home and work address in the box in the top right corner of the map. Alternatively, view a PDF map for your area (wremo.nz).
NOTE: The above map uses ARCGIS online, a system which is not hosted on the same system as this website. If it is slow to load, then PDF maps are available on wremo.nz.
Open larger map [opens in new tab/window - zoom out and move around to see other areas].
Tsunami zone colours
The tsunami zones are red, orange and yellow. The yellow (outer) zone has been defined by modelling a nine magnitude earthquake - the worst-case scenario modelled for the Wellington Region.
- If you feel a LONG or STRONG earthquake, evacuate all of the tsunami zones (red, orange and yellow) as soon as the shaking stops.
- If there is an official warning, then only evacuate from the zones stated in the warning - either red or orange zones.
- If you are not in a tsunami zone, then you don't need to evacuate to higher ground. However, you must not enter a tsunami evacuation zone (even if it is your only route home) until the all-clear is given.
Read more about the different colour zones (wremo.nz)
Know and practise your routes to safety
Now you know your tsunami zones, you can work out your best and quickest routes to safety from home and work - either far enough inland or to higher ground.
- Where do you need to go? Look at the map and identify places which are out of the tsunami zones. Tsunami activity can last for up to 24 hours, so think about where you could stay or take shelter if needed.
- What are your routes? Some routes might be faster, while some routes might be safer because they have fewer dangers (e.g. bridges, bottle-necks, falling debris). Consider these factors when planning your evacuation routes from your home and work.
- How long does it take? Time yourself and see how long it takes you to get to safety. You should factor in how long it takes you to leave your home and look at how you do this as quickly as possible.
- What do you need to take? Keep essential supplies near the door. Have an emergency grab bag, as well as some comfortable shoes and warm/waterproof clothes ready to take with you. This will help save time if you and others in your household need to leave quickly.
- Who else needs to know? Get your household, workplace and maybe some of your neighbours involved. Make sure everyone knows the routes and the meeting point, in case you can't communicate.
Download the Tsunami Ready App
A tsunami ready app has been designed in partnership with Alphero. The app is available on iOS and android for people within the Wellington region. On the app you can:
- Search addresses (e.g. your home, work, school, gym) to see if they are in a tsunami zone
- Find out how many minutes you are from the nearest safe zone
- Run a drill to practise your route to safety.
For more information go to tsunamiready.co.nz
Read more about tsunamis (wremo.nz)
Watch experts talk about the tsunami risk in the Wellington region and how to be prepared >
Te Hīkoi a Rūaumoko - Rūaumoko's Walk
Te Hīkoi a Rūamoko - Rūaumoko's Walk is a bilingual book based on Ngāti Kahungunu legends relating to local hazards. It was developed by representatives from the Hawke's Bay offices of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, Ministry of Education and Te Puni Kōkiri, Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, Te Ūranga Waka at the Eastern Institute of Technology and Kahungunu Kōhanga Reo Tari.
Watch the story book videos below or download Te Hikoi a Ruaamoko - Ruaumoko's Walk.
Te Reo Māori version:
English Version:
Download the PDF bilingual version (10MB PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
Tsunami Safety
Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning 'harbour wave'. Tsunami are large and powerful ocean waves that can grow in size as they reach the shore. These waves can move very quickly and for very long distances. Some tsunami have been known to travel for thousands of kilometres across the ocean and travel at speeds of up to 800 km per hour. The most common cause is a sea floor earthquake. Other triggers are under sea landslides, under sea volcanic eruptions, and meteorite impact. Sudden changes to the sea floor cause the ocean to flow away from the disturbance, creating waves. To find out more about tsunami see GNS Science - www.gns.cri.nz/Home/Our-Science/Natural-Hazards-and-Risks/Tsunami There are three ‘zones’ in the Wellington region; red, orange and yellow. The yellow (outer) zone has been defined by scientific modelling of the maximum possible tsunami run up height (the worse-case scenario for our region) from earthquakes on the subduction zone to the east of the North Island. The Red Zone is the beach and marine environment, and some very low-lying areas. This zone is the one we ask people to stay out of most often as a result of smaller tsunamis. The Orange Zone (including the red zone) is the area we may evacuate for a large earthquake in the Pacific, such as near South America, causing a tsunami wave of up to 5 metres at the Wellington coastline. Alerts and evacuation advice would be issued by Civil Defence and distributed to the public for this type of tsunami because we have more time. The Yellow Zone (including the orange and red zones) is the area that you must evacuate from if you feel a long or strong earthquake. This zone has been defined by scientific modelling of the maximum possible tsunami run up heights (the worse-case scenario for our region) from earthquakes on the subduction zone to the east of the North Island. In the case of a long or strong earthquake, everyone who is in the yellow zone (and orange and red), needs to evacuate immediately after the shaking stops. The Blue Lines mark the edge of the yellow zone in parts of our region. There is an online map above on this page where you can search your address. You can also view pdf maps and print and keep it as part of your emergency plan. We recommend knowing where your zones are for home, work, schools, sports grounds or other places where you may regularly be within the tsunami zone. Many areas across the Wellington region have a blue line painted across roads and footpaths. The blue lines show the safe places to evacuate to if there is a long or strong earthquake. That is, an earthquake that lasts longer than a minute or one that is too strong to easily stand-up in. The blue lines show the maximum possible run-up heights (worst case scenario) and are based on scientific modelling by GNS Science and Greater Wellington Regional Council. The Tsunami Blue Lines are not in all parts of the region. This evacuation advice overrides any COVID-19 Alert Level requirements to stay at home. Stay 2 metres away from others if you can and if it is safe to do so. Wear a mask or face covering only if you can grab one quickly and it will not delay you leaving. Long means an earthquake that lasts for more than one minute. Strong means an earthquake that is hard to stand up in. An earthquake does not have to be both to produce a tsunami, it could be either. If you feel a LONG or STRONG earthquake: Drop, Cover and Hold during the shaking. As soon as the shaking stops, move immediately to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as you can. This evacuation advice overrides any COVID-19 Alert Level requirements to stay at home. Stay 2 metres away from others if you can and if it is safe to do so. Wear a mask or face covering only if you can grab one quickly and it will not delay you leaving. And: If you are told to evacuate by officials, follow the evacuation advice. Evacuation advice overrides any COVID-19 Alert Level requirements to stay at home. Move immediately. Stay 2 metres away from others if you can and if it is safe to do so. Wear a mask or face covering only if you can grab one quickly and it will not delay you leaving. After a long or strong earthquake a tsunami may reach Wellington in as little as 10 minutes. When the shaking stops, and if you live or work in a tsunami zone, you will have to make a quick decision on whether to stay or go. We recommend evacuating out of all tsunami zones (red, orange and yellow) rather than staying in your building. There are currently no building standards for tsunami in New Zealand, so it cannot be determined if a building is tsunami safe and can be used for vertical evacuation. You should only consider vertical evacuation if there is no other option. If you do decide to stay, you need to be on the fifth floor or higher. You will need to be prepared to stay for up to 7 days without official support. There are several factors to consider, and this is something you and your household or workplace will need to discuss and decide. Whatever you decide works for you, we strongly recommend you spend some time putting together a grab bag and practising the route you would take if you do leave the building. For further information see WREMO’s statement about Vertical Evacuation: here A long or strong earthquake is the natural warning for a tsunami - If you feel an earthquake that is either Longer than one minute OR Strong enough to make it hard to stand up, then get to the nearest high ground, or as far inland as possible, out of all tsunami zones, as soon as the shaking stops. Do not wait for an official warning. The earthquake is your natural warning. = Long OR Strong, Get Gone! If an earthquake occurs in the Pacific Islands or further away, we may not feel the earthquake. In this case, because the earthquake has occurred farther away and there is no damage to our infrastructure, there is the possibility for official warnings. If there is a tsunami threat to New Zealand, a national warning will be issued and WREMO will provide alerts and information on areas, if any, that need to be evacuated. This will be done through a range of channels like radio, T.V broadcasts, social media (WREMO Facebook and Twitter), WREMO and local council websites, and Emergency Mobile Alerts. If you FEEL an earthquake that is either longer than a minute OR strong enough that it’s hard to stand up, this could be big enough to cause a tsunami that reaches Wellington region shores within 10 minutes. In a big earthquake like this it is likely that communications and infrastructure will be damaged and will not work. People need to know that a long or strong earthquake is your natural warning that there could be a tsunami generated and evacuate immediately without being told. If an earthquake occurs in the Pacific Islands or further away, and we do not feel the earthquake, communications will be working and there is more time before it’s arrival (1-3 hours in the Pacific islands and up to 12 hours from South America) to issue warnings. There are many ways we have to warn people in this case for example, radio and T.V broadcasting, Social Media and Emergency Mobile Alerts. Walk, run or cycle, if you can. Vehicles should only be used by emergency services and those with mobility impairments, including wheelchair users. Evacuate tsunami zones by foot or bicycle, don't drive - this is because roads may be blocked by debris or traffic jam. For those who can't walk or cycle, trying to drive out is their only option, and you could be preventing them from evacuating safely. For example, people with mobility impairments. If you need help evacuating or know someone that does, have a conversation with your neighbours about how everyone can get out safely. A local-source tsunami is one that has been generated by an earthquake near New Zealand. In this case, we feel the earthquake. If this earthquake is either long or strong, it is our natural warning that a tsunami could have been generated and you must evacuate immediately after the shaking stops if you are in a tsunami zone. This type of tsunami could arrive in as little as 10 minutes so you need to evacuate immediately after the shaking stops. A distant-source tsunami is one that has been generated from an earthquake that has occurred away from New Zealand like the Pacific Islands, or off the coast of South America. If the earthquake occurs near the Pacific Islands, the travel time to New Zealand is between 1-3 hours. If the earthquake occurs off the coast of South America, the travel time to New Zealand is up to 12 hours. Evacuate to the nearest high ground or as far inland as possible outside the zones, past the tsunami blue lines if you have them. Identify your quickest route to get outside the zone by looking at the tsunami zone maps and practise your evacuation so you know where to go. See the tsunami zone maps on this website above The reason we don't use tsunami sirens in the Wellington region is in keeping with international best practice - that tsunami sirens are inappropriate as a warning system in regions subject to local sourced tsunami. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), GNS Science and New Zealand’s Tsunami Working Group all agree with this international best practice. This is because: So, the best and most reliable warning system for local source tsunami in New Zealand is the natural warning itself. In a distant source tsunami we have more time (between 1-12 hours) to warn people through other means such as radio and T.V broadcasts, Emergency Mobile Alerts (phone messages) and social media. Therefore sirens are not required for these events. For further information see WREMO’s position on sirens at www.wremo/sirens Often the sirens you may hear every now and then is the Volunteer Fire Stations to alert volunteers that there is a fire to respond to. Lower Hutt has flood sirens which were installed in the 1970’s for flood warnings, not tsunamis. The sirens are in flood areas not in tsunami risk areas – for example there are sirens in Manor Park and Wainuiomata, which are not in any tsunami evacuation zone. These won't be used for tsunami in the future. Listen to the news and radio and follow WREMO on Facebook and Twitter. Updates will also go on the WREMO and local council websites. WREMO Facebook: @WREMOnz WREMO Twitter: @WREMOinfo WREMO Website: wremo.nz Emergency Mobile Alerts are messages about emergencies sent by authorised emergency agencies to capable mobile phones. The alerts are designed to keep people safe and are broadcast to all capable phones from targeted cell towers. The alerts can be targeted to areas affected by serious hazards and will only be sent when there is a serious threat to life, health or property, and, in some cases, for test purposes. To find out more see here: Emergency Mobile Alert — Get Ready — Emergency preparedness in New Zealand The Get Ready website has a list of phones capable of receiving Emergency Mobile Alert. If your phone is on the list, ensure the phone is updated to the latest available operating system. Find out more here: Emergency Mobile Alert — Get Ready — Emergency preparedness in New Zealand
Tsunami Ready App
The app is designed as an education tool to raise awareness of people who live, work or play in a tsunami zone and to help people understand and plan how they would evacuate the tsunami zone.
The tsunami app is a preparedness and education planning tool:
- to use before an event occurs
- to find out how many minutes they are from the nearest safe zone, and
- to help people practice walking their evacuation routes.
The Tsunami Ready App was created by Alphero in partnership with WREMO.
The App shows you if you are currently in a tsunami zone and allows you to search an address to find out whether it is in the tsunami zone. It then gives you an estimate of how long it will take you to get out of the zone to safety from your current location and will suggest a route to take.
If you open the app inside a tsunami zone you then have the option of practising a drill using the map and route indicated to get out of the zone.
The App is an education tool only, to use before an event occurs.
The app is currently being piloted in Greater Wellington region. Alphero are hoping to include other regions in New Zealand in the future. You can search addresses in the Wellington region to see if they are safe and share those with friends and whānau. But you cannot run a drill or search addresses outside of the Wellington region.
Firstly, you will need to “Check your current location” via the running person icon. The Tsunami Ready drill experience is only possible if your current location is in a tsunami zone danger area within Greater Wellington. Try checking your current location when you are in a tsunami zone.
The app uses Google and Apple map technology that adheres to pedestrian road rules. It will take you on the quickest, safest, route it knows. Google and Apple maps don’t know every zigzag and hidden pathway, so learn where your safe zone is so you can determine if there is a faster short-cut.
Every step away from the water is a step towards safety. Do the drill, find ways to make it quicker (run, ride a bike). And remember the first wave isn’t always the biggest.
There are currently no building standards for tsunami in New Zealand, so it cannot be determined if a building is tsunami safe and can be used for vertical evacuation. You should only consider vertical evacuation (head to the fifth floor or higher) if there is no other option, and you will need to be prepared to stay for up to 7 days without official support.
The safe zones on the app are based on the tsunami zones data from WREMO/GNS.
The app is designed as an education tool to raise awareness of people who live, work or play in a tsunami zone and to help people understand and plan how they would evacuate the tsunami zone.
The tsunami app is a preparedness and education planning tool:
- to use before an event occurs
- to find out how many minutes they are from the nearest safe zone, and
- to help people practice walking their evacuation routes.
The Tsunami Ready App was created by Alphero in partnership with WREMO.
The App shows you if you are currently in a tsunami zone and allows you to search an address to find out whether it is in the tsunami zone. It then gives you an estimate of how long it will take you to get out of the zone to safety from your current location and will suggest a route to take.
If you open the app inside a tsunami zone you then have the option of practising a drill using the map and route indicated to get out of the zone.
The App is an education tool only, to use before an event occurs.
The app is currently being piloted in Greater Wellington region. Alphero are hoping to include other regions in New Zealand in the future. You can search addresses in the Wellington region to see if they are safe and share those with friends and whānau. But you cannot run a drill or search addresses outside of the Wellington region.
Firstly, you will need to “Check your current location” via the running person icon. The Tsunami Ready drill experience is only possible if your current location is in a tsunami zone danger area within Greater Wellington. Try checking your current location when you are in a tsunami zone.
The app uses Google and Apple map technology that adheres to pedestrian road rules. It will take you on the quickest, safest, route it knows. Google and Apple maps don’t know every zigzag and hidden pathway, so learn where your safe zone is so you can determine if there is a faster short-cut.
Every step away from the water is a step towards safety. Do the drill, find ways to make it quicker (run, ride a bike). And remember the first wave isn’t always the biggest.
There are currently no building standards for tsunami in New Zealand, so it cannot be determined if a building is tsunami safe and can be used for vertical evacuation. You should only consider vertical evacuation (head to the fifth floor or higher) if there is no other option, and you will need to be prepared to stay for up to 7 days without official support.
The safe zones on the app are based on the tsunami zones data from WREMO/GNS.
In an emergency, such as an earthquake, having some basic plans in place will keep you safer, let you connect with your loved ones faster and protect some of your most important assets.
Doing a few easy steps will give you much greater peace of mind and ensure that your life is less disrupted.
Go to Step 4 to find out what to include in an emergency plan for your household
Find out more at a Household Earthquake Planning session
Attend a free one-hour session to get tips on how you, your household and whānau can stay safe and get through.
The session covers:
- What could happen to your area in an earthquake
- How to stay safe
- Key points for your emergency plan
- Essential emergency supplies
- How neighbours can help each other