Disaster Types

New Zealand lies on the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. Most earthquakes occur at faults, which are breaks extending deep within the earth, caused by movements of these plates. There are thousands of earthquakes in New Zealand every year, but most of them are not felt because they are either small, or very deep within the earth. Each year there are about 150 – 200 quakes that are big enough to be felt. A large, damaging earthquake could occur at any time, and can be followed by aftershocks that continue for days or weeks.

Most earthquake-related injuries and deaths result from falling debris, flying glass and collapsing structures such as buildings and bridges. Earthquakes can also trigger landslides, avalanches, flash floods, fires and tsunami.

BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE

Getting ready before an earthquake strikes will help reduce damage to your home and business and help you survive.

• Develop a Household Emergency Plan. Assemble and maintain your emergency survival Items for your home and workplace, as well as a portable getaway kit.
• Practice Drop, Cover and Hold.
• Identify safe places within your home, school or workplace. See the right-hand panel for more information about safe places.
• Check your household insurance policy for cover and amount.
• Seek qualified advice to make sure your house is secured to its foundations and ensure any renovations comply with the New Zealand Building Code.
• Secure heavy items of furniture to the floor or wall.
  Visit here to find out how to quake-safe your home.

DURING AN EARTHQUAKE

• If you are inside a building, move no more than a few steps, drop, cover and hold. Stay indoors till the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit. In most buildings in New Zealand you are safer if you stay where you are until the shaking stops.
• If you are in an elevator, drop, cover and hold. When the shaking stops, try and get out at the nearest floor if you can safely do so.
• If you are outdoors when the shaking starts, move no more than a few steps away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines, then Drop, Cover and Hold.
• If you are at the beach or near the coast, drop, cover and hold then move to higher ground immediately in case a tsunami follows the quake.
• If you are driving, pull over to a clear location, stop and stay there with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Once the shaking stops, proceed with caution and avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged.
• If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling debris or landslides.

AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE

• Listen to your local radio stations as emergency management officials will be broadcasting the most appropriate advice for your community and situation.
• Expect to feel aftershocks.
• Check yourself for injuries and get first aid if necessary. Help others if you can.
• Be aware that electricity supply could be cut, and fire alarms and sprinkler systems can go off in buildings during an earthquake even if there is no fire. Check for, and extinguish, small fires.
• If you are in a damaged building, try to get outside and find a safe, open place. Use the stairs, not the elevators.
• Watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines, and stay out of damaged areas.
• Only use the phone for short essential calls to keep the lines clear for emergency calls.
• If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window, get everyone out quickly and turn off the gas if you can. If you see sparks, broken wires or evidence of electrical system damage, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box if it is safe to do so.
• Keep your animals under your direct control as they can become disorientated. Take measures to protect your animals from hazards, and to protect other people from your animals.
• If your property is damaged, take notes and photographs for insurance purposes. If you rent your property, contact your landlord and your contents insurance company as soon as possible.

Floods are New Zealand’s number one hazard in terms of frequency, losses and declared civil defence emergencies. Floods can cause injury and loss of life, damage to property and infrastructure, loss of stock, and contamination of water and land.

Floods are usually caused by continuous heavy rain or thunderstorms but can also result from tsunami and coastal storm inundation. A flood becomes dangerous if:

• the water is very deep or travelling very fast
• the floods have risen very quickly
• the floodwater contains debris, such as trees and sheets of corrugated iron

Getting ready before a flood strikes will help reduce damage to your home and business and help you survive.

BEFORE A FLOOD

• Find out from your local council if your home or business is at risk from flooding. Ask about evacuation plans and local public alerting systems; how you can reduce the risk of future flooding to your home or business; and what to do with your pets and livestock if you have to evacuate.
• Know where the closest high ground is and how to get there.
• Develop a Household Emergency Plan. Assemble and maintain yourEmergency Survival Items for your home as well as a portable getaway kit.
• Check your insurance policy to ensure you have sufficient cover.

DURING A FLOOD OR IF A FLOOD IS IMMINENT

• Listen to your local radio stations as emergency management officials will be broadcasting the most appropriate advice for your community and situation.
• If you have a disability or need support, make contact with your support network.
• Put your household emergency plan into action and check your getaway kit. Be prepared to evacuate quickly if it becomes necessary.
• Where possible, move pets inside or to a safe place, and move stock to higher ground.
• Consider using sandbags to keep water away from your home.
• Lift valuable household items and chemicals as high above the floor as possible.
• Fill bathtubs, sinks and storage containers with clean water in case water becomes contaminated.
• Turn off utilities if told to do so by authorities as it can help prevent damage to your home or community. Unplug small appliances to avoid damage from power surges.
• Do not attempt to drive or walk through floodwaters unless it is absolutely essential.

AFTER A FLOOD

• It may not be safe to return home even when the floodwaters have receded. Continue to listen to your local radio station for civil defence instructions.
• Help others if you can, especially people who may require special assistance.
• Throw away food including canned goods and water that has been contaminated by floodwater.
• Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are certain it is not contaminated. If in doubt, check with your local council or public health authority.
• Look for and report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.
• If your property is damaged, take notes and photographs for insurance purposes. If you rent your property, contact your landlord and your contents insurance company as soon as possible.

Major storms affect wide areas and can be accompanied by strong winds, heavy rain or snowfall, thunder, lightning, tornadoes and rough seas. They can cause damage to property and infrastructure, affect crops and livestock, disrupt essential services, and cause coastal inundation.

Severe Weather Watches and Warnings are issued by the MetService and available through the broadcast media, by email alerts, and at Metservice.

BEFORE A STORM

• Develop a Household Emergency Plan. Assemble and maintain yourEmergency Survival Items for your home as well as a portable getaway kit.
• Prepare your property for high winds. Secure large heavy objects or remove any item which can become a deadly or damaging missile. Get your roof checked regularly to make sure it is secure. List items that may need to be secured or moved indoors when strong winds are forecast.
• Keep materials at hand for repairing windows, such as tarpaulins, boards and duct tape.
• If you are renovating or building, make sure all work complies with the New Zealand building code which has specific standards to minimise storm damage.
• If farming, know which paddocks are safe to move livestock away from floodwaters, landslides and power lines.

WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED AND DURING A STORM

• Stay informed on weather updates. Listen to your local radio stations as civil defence authorities will be broadcasting the most appropriate advice for your community and situation.
• Put your household emergency plan into action and check your getaway kit in case you have to leave in a hurry.
• Secure, or move indoors, all items that could get blown about and cause harm in strong winds.
• Close windows, external and internal doors. Pull curtains and drapes over unprotected glass areas to prevent injury from shattered or flying glass.
• If the wind becomes destructive, stay away from doors and windows and shelter further inside the house.
• Water supplies can be affected so it is a good idea to store drinking water in containers and fill bathtubs and sinks with water.
• Don't walk around outside and avoid driving unless absolutely necessary.
• Power cuts are possible in severe weather. Unplug small appliances which may be affected by electrical power surges. If power is lost unplug major appliances to reduce the power surge and possible damage when power is restored.
• Bring pets inside. Move stock to shelter. If you have to evacuate, take your pets with you.

SNOWSTORMS

In a snowstorm, the primary concerns are the potential loss of heat, power and telephone service, and a shortage of supplies if storm conditions continue for more than a day. It is important for people living in areas at risk from snowstorms to consider the need for alternative forms of heating and power generation.

• Avoid leaving home unless absolutely necessary when a snow warning is issued.
• If you have to travel make sure you are well prepared with snow chains, sleeping bags, warm clothing and essential emergency items.
• At home, check fuel supplies for woodburners, gas heaters, barbeques and generators.
• Bring pets inside. Move domestic animals and stock to shelter.
• If you are caught in your car or truck in a snowstorm, stay in your vehicle. Run the engine every ten minutes to keep warm. Drink fluids to avoid dehydration. Open the window a little to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Make yourself visible to rescuers by tying a bright-coloured cloth to your radio aerial or door and keeping the inside light on.

TORNADOES

Tornadoes sometimes occur during thunderstorms in some parts of New Zealand. A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air extending downwards to the ground from the base of a thunderstorm. Warning signs include a long, continuous roar or rumble or a fast approaching cloud of debris which can sometimes be funnel shaped.

• Alert others if you can.
• Take shelter immediately. A basement offers the greatest safety. If underground shelter is not available, move to an interior room without windows on the lowest floor. Get under sturdy furniture and cover yourself with a mattress or blanket.
• If caught outside, get away from trees if you can. Lie down flat in a nearby gully, ditch or low spot and protect your head.
• If in a car, get out immediately and look for a safe place to shelter. Do not try to outrun a tornado or get under the vehicle for shelter.

AFTER A STORM

• Listen to your local radio stations as emergency management officials will be broadcasting the most appropriate advice for your community and situation.
• Check for injuries and help others if you can, especially people who require special assistance.
• Look for and report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.
• Contact your local council if your house or building has been severely damaged.
• If your property or contents are damaged take notes and photographs and contact your insurance company. Inform your landlord if there is damage to the rental property.
• Ask your council for advice on how to clean up debris safely.

Landslides are a serious geological hazard throughout much of New Zealand. A landslide is the movement of rock, soil and vegetation down a slope. Landslides can range in size from a single boulder in a rock fall to a very large avalanche of debris with huge quantities of rock and soil that can be spread across many kilometres.

Heavy rainfall or earthquakes can cause a landslide. Human activity, such as removal of trees and vegetation, steep roadside cuttings or leaking water pipes can also cause landslides. Most landslides occur without public warning and it’s important to recognise the warning signs and act quickly.

BEFORE A LANDSLIDE

Getting ready before a landslide will help reduce damage to your home and business and help you survive.

• Find out from your council if there have been landslides in your area before and where they might occur again
• Check for signs that the ground may be moving.
  See the right-hand panel for a list of warning signs
• Be alert when driving especially where there are embankments along roadsides. Watch the road for collapsed pavements, mud and fallen rocks.

IF YOU THINK A LANDSLIDE IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN

Act quickly. Getting out of the path of a landslide is your best protection.

• Evacuate and take your Getaway Kit with you. Take your pets with you and move livestock to safe paddocks if you can safely do so.
• Warn neighbours who might be affected and help those who may need assistance to evacuate.
• Contact emergency services and your local council to inform them of the hazard.

AFTER A LANDSLIDE

• Keep in mind that further landslides may occur. Stay away from affected sites until it has been properly inspected and authorities give the all-clear.
• Look for and report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.
• If your property or contents are damaged take notes and photographs when it is safe to do so. Contact your insurance company and inform your landlord if there is damage to the rental property.

Fires can be extremely destructive and dangerous to human and animal life. They can also move very quickly. Do not take risk that may start fire even a lawn mower hitting a stone can cause on.

Obey Fire restrictions and permit guidelines.

Property can be threatened by wildfires but also people may be affected as well.

If you are near to fire you may become affected by fumes or smoke. If you have respiratory concerns you may need to evacuate. If fire threatens property, authorities will advise on evacuation anyway. You should have an emergency getaway kit for this reason.

For fire readiness and response see: https://www.fireandemergency.nz/home-fire-safety/in-the-event-of-a-fire/

New Zealand’s entire coast is at risk of tsunami. A tsunami can violently flood coastlines, causing devastating property damage, injuries and loss of life.

A tsunami is a natural phenomenon consisting of a series of waves generated when a large volume of water in the sea, or in a lake, is rapidly displaced. A tsunami can be caused by large submarine or coastal earthquakes; underwater landslides which may be triggered by an earthquake or volcanic activity; large coastal cliff or lakeside landslides; or volcanic eruptions beneath or near the sea.

THE THREE TYPES OF TSUNAMI

There are three distinct types of tsunami. The type you encounter depends on the distance you are from the place where it is generated.

• 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 for New Zealand.
• Regional tsunami are generated between one and three hours travel time away from their destination. An eruption from an underwater volcano in the Kermadec Trench to the north of New Zealand, could generate a regional tsunami.
• 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.

TSUNAMI WARNINGS

Warning messages and signals about a possible tsunami can come from several sources – natural, official or unofficial.

Natural warnings

For a local source tsunami which could arrive in minutes, there won’t be time for an official warning. It is important to recognise the natural warning signs and act quickly.
See the right-hand panel for more information

Official warnings

Official warnings are only possible for distant and regional source tsunami. Official warnings are disseminated by the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management to the national media, local authorities and other key response agencies. Your local council may also issue warnings through local media, siren and other local arrangements.

Unofficial or informal warnings

You may receive warnings from friends, other members of the public, international media and from the internet. Verify the warning only if you can do so quickly. If official warnings are available, trust their message over informal warnings.

BEFORE A TSUNAMI

Getting ready before a tsunami strikes will help reduce damage to your home and business and help you survive.

• If you live in a coastal area, ask your council about your tsunami risk and local warning arrangements.
• If you have a disability or special requirements, arrange with your support network to alert you of any warnings and emergency broadcasts.
• Develop a Household Emergency Plan and have a Getaway Kit ready.
• Know where the nearest high ground is and how you will reach it. Plan to get as high up or as far inland as you can. Plan your escape route for when you are at home, as well as for when you may be working or holidaying near the coast.

DURING A TSUNAMI

• Take your getaway kit with you if possible. Do not travel into the areas at risk to get your kit or belongings.
• Take your pets with you if you can do so safely.
• Move immediately to the nearest higher ground, or as far inland as you can. If evacuation maps are present, follow the routes shown.
• Walk or bike if possible and drive only if essential. If driving, keep going once you are well outside the evacuation zone to allow room for others behind you.
• Boats are usually safer in water deeper than 20 metres than if they are on the shore. Move boats out to sea only if there is time and it is safe to do so.
• Never go to the shore to watch for a tsunami. Stay away from at-risk areas until the official all-clear is given.
• Listen to your local radio stations as emergency management officials will be broadcasting the most appropriate advice for your community and situation.

AFTER A TSUNAMI

• Continue to listen to the radio for civil defence advice and do not return to the evacuation zones until authorities have given the all-clear.
• Be aware that there may be more than one wave and it may not be safe for up to 24 hours, or longer. The waves that follow the first one may also be bigger.
• Check yourself for injuries and get first aid if needed. Help others if you can.
• Do not go sightseeing.
• When re-entering homes or buildings, use extreme caution as floodwaters may have damaged buildings. Look for, and report, broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.
• If your property is damaged, take notes and photographs for insurance purposes. If you rent your property, contact your landlord and your contents insurance company as soon as possible.

New Zealand is situated on the "Ring of Fire", a geographic belt encircling the Pacific Ocean and containing about 90% of the earth’s volcanoes. Volcanoes usually have short active periods, separated by longer dormant periods. The three main types of volcanoes found in New Zealand are cone volcanoes such as Mounts Ruapehu and Taranaki; volcanic fields such as the ones found in the Auckland area; and calderas such as Lake Taupo.

Volcanoes produce a wide variety of hazards that can kill people and destroy property nearby as well as hundreds of kilometres away. Hazards include widespread ashfall, very fast moving mixtures of hot gases and volcanic rock, and massive lahars.
GNS Science is responsible for monitoring volcanic activity and setting alert levels. If a life-threatening eruption is likely to occur, a civil defence emergency will be declared and the areas at risk will be evacuated.

BEFORE A VOLCANIC ERUPTION

• Find out about the volcanic risk in your community. Ask your local council about emergency plans and how they will warn you of a volcanic eruption.
• Practice your evacuation plan with members of the household.
• Develop a Household Emergency Plan. Assemble and maintain yourEmergency Survival Items for your home as well as a portable getaway kit.
• Include your pets and livestock in your emergency plan.

WHEN A VOLCANIC ERUPTION THREATENS

• Listen to your local radio stations as emergency management officials will be broadcasting the most appropriate advice for your community and situation.
• Put your emergency plan into action.
• If you have a disability or need assistance, make contact with your support network and keep informed of civil defence advice.
• Put all machinery inside a garage or shed, or cover with large tarpaulins to protect them from volcanic ash.
• Bring animals and livestock into closed shelters to protect them from volcanic ash.
• Protect sensitive electronics and do not uncover until the environment is totally ash-free.
• Check on friends and neighbours who may require special assistance.

DURING A VOLCANIC ERUPTION

• Listen to the radio for civil defence advice and follow instructions.
• If outside at the time of eruption, seek shelter in a car or a building. If caught in volcanic ashfalls, wear a dust mask or use a handkerchief or cloth over your nose and mouth.
• Stay indoors as volcanic ash is a health hazard, especially if you have respiratory difficulties such as asthma or bronchitis.
• When indoors, close all windows and doors to limit the entry of volcanic ash. Place damp towels at thresholds.
• Do not tie up phone lines with non-emergency calls.
• If you have to go outside use protective gear such as masks and goggles and keep as much of your skin covered as possible. Wear eyeglasses, not contact lenses as these can cause corneal abrasions.
• Disconnect drainpipes/downspouts from gutters to stop drains clogging. If you use a rainwater collection system for your water supply, disconnect the tank.
• Stay out of designated restricted zones.

AFTER A VOLCANIC ERUPTION

• Listen to your local radio stations for civil defence advice and follow instructions.
• Stay indoors and away from volcanic ashfall areas as much as possible.
• When it is safe to go outside, keep your gutters and roof clear of ash as heavy ash deposits can collapse your roof.
• If there is a lot of ash in the water supply, do not use your dishwasher or washing machine.
• Avoid driving in heavy ashfall as it stirs up ash that can clog engines and cause serious abrasion damage to your vehicle.
• Keep animals indoors where possible, wash away ash on their paws or skin to keep them from ingesting the ash, and provide clean drinking water.
• Use a mask or a damp cloth and eye protection when cleaning up. Moisten the ash with a sprinkler before cleaning.
• Look for and report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.
• If your property is damaged, take notes and photographs for insurance purposes. If you rent your property, contact your landlord and your contents insurance company as soon as possible.

Other helpful information:

Keeping safe from volcanic ash

Be prepared: Volcanic ash fall

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