If you hear a continuous siren sounding a Tsunami warning at 10am on Sunday 7 April, remain calm, it’s only a test.
There have been a few Tsunami warnings in the Eastern Bay recently. On 26 May 1960, three days after a tsunami from an earthquake in Chile caused damage along the New Zealand coast, a radio message warned that a tsunami from a major aftershock of that earthquake was about to hit the coast. These cars are jamming Hillcrest Road on the hillside above Whakatāne, after the evacuation.
Fire sirens located in coastal Eastern Bay of Plenty communities have recently been converted to provide a tsunami warning system, which will be put into action for the first time to coincide with the end of daylight saving. Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki District Councils are jointly managing the siren test, which follows on from the release of the Eastern Bay Tsunami Evacuation Information booklet earlier this year.
Eastern Bay of Plenty Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Tetlow says the fixed fire sirens in Matatā, Whakatāne, Ōhope, Ōpōtiki, and Waihau Bay will be sounding the continuous rise warning in an effort to inform and educate communities on what to expect if and when the real thing happens.
“In an actual tsunami warning, these sirens will emit a 10 minute constant rise tone, which is the signal for people to tune in to Radio 1XX (90.5/92.9FM or 1246AM) to receive information about any potential threat,” he says. “We’re fortunate to have a locally-owned and operated radio station in the Eastern Bay, so we’re working closely with them on the day of the test.
“The sirens themselves are not a call to evacuate, but the signal to tell people that they need to listen to the radio to get the latest information from Civil Defence on any threat,” Mr Tetlow says. “The reason the sirens will not be used as an evacuation signal is that they cannot tell people which areas need to evacuate and which don’t.
“We will also be deploying our mobile ‘stinger’ sirens in Coastlands, Ōhope and Ōpōtiki,” he says. “These are attached to the top of a vehicle and can also broadcast public announcements.”
Mr Tetlow says he wants as many people as possible to take note of the siren testing so they can provide feedback. “We will have a quick survey available on the two council websites following the test, and we’d really like to know who could hear it, what they think the siren sound indicates, and perhaps who didn’t hear anything at all.”
Both councils will be advertising the test in community papers and on Radio 1XX leading up to the event. However, residents are encouraged to tell family and friends in relevant areas about what to expect at 10am on Sunday 7 April.
The tsunami evacuation information booklets are available from both council offices, their websites and other council facilities such as libraries.
c/o Whakatane District Council.
