NEW ZEALAND — Long or Strong, Get Gone. Near the coast, if an earthquake makes it hard to stand OR lasts more than one minute, protect yourself during shaking, then immediately move to higher ground or far inland out of tsunami evacuation zones. Do NOT wait for a phone alert, a siren or visible wave. If officials issue an evacuation warning, follow it at once.
12 things to do now — urgent tsunami survival checklist
- 1. Protect yourself from the earthquake first. Drop, Cover and Hold during shaking; protect your head and neck.
- 2. Recognise natural tsunami warnings. Strong shaking, shaking longer than a minute, unusual sea sounds, or sudden sea-level rise or fall require action near shore.
- 3. As soon as shaking stops, evacuate. Do not wait for an Emergency Mobile Alert, police visit or official radio announcement.
- 4. Get outside tsunami evacuation zones. Head to the nearest high ground or as far inland as you can using local signs or preplanned routes.
- 5. Walk, run or cycle if possible. Congested roads and damaged bridges can trap cars; preserve road space for people who cannot travel on foot.
- 6. Leave belongings behind. Take a grab bag only if immediately available and it will not slow evacuation.
- 7. Do not go to the beach to watch the sea. Stay clear of tidal rivers, estuaries, harbours and the waterfront.
- 8. Watch for earthquake damage en route. Avoid unstable buildings, rockfalls, damaged bridges and fallen power lines.
- 9. Help children and people needing assistance without delaying an unsafe departure. Move together where practical and request appropriate rescue support.
- 10. If advised to evacuate for a distant tsunami, obey the zone-specific instructions. The areas identified in an official alert may differ from a local-earthquake evacuation.
- 11. Once out of danger, check Civil Defence updates. Stay reachable and follow your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.
- 12. Do not return before the official all-clear. Tsunami activity can continue for hours, and later waves or strong currents may be dangerous.
If you are on the coast and felt long or strong shaking, go now. The detailed sections are for readers preparing before an event or already at a safe place.
New Zealand’s entire coastline has some tsunami exposure. A tsunami can follow a nearby offshore earthquake or one much farther away in the Pacific. The critical difference is warning time: a local tsunami may arrive in minutes, too fast for a phone message to reach everyone. That is why New Zealand’s official campaign teaches the memorable rule Long or Strong, Get Gone.
This guide follows the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its Get Ready guidance, including official advice about natural warning signs, moving to higher ground, evacuation zones and returning only after the all-clear.
Find the answer you need
Natural warning signs · Choosing a route · Official warnings · Evacuation zones · Families and accessibility · Common scenarios · After evacuation · FAQs · Sources
How to recognise the natural warning of a tsunami
A coastal earthquake does not have to be both long and strong. Either warning is important: strong enough to make standing difficult, or shaking that continues longer than a minute, even if it feels like a slower rolling movement. As soon as shaking stops, move to safety. NEMA also warns that the sea can suddenly rise or fall, or make an unusually loud sound, before a tsunami.
Do not use the absence of one sign to rule out danger. The sea does not always retreat before a tsunami arrives. The first arrival may be a surge rather than a dramatic breaking wave, and strong currents can threaten ports and waterways. If the natural warning has happened, stay away from exposed coastlines.
Earthquake safety comes first because trying to run during severe shaking exposes people to falling debris. Use Drop, Cover and Hold, or the accessible equivalent suitable for your mobility. Start coastal evacuation immediately once movement stops.
Where to go: high ground, inland and official routes
New Zealand’s Get Ready guidance says move to the nearest high ground or as far inland as you can to get outside tsunami evacuation zones. Local maps and signs are designed to help people make that decision before an earthquake. Follow the clearest usable route away from vulnerable shoreline and waterways rather than moving towards the coast to observe water.
Walk, run or cycle when possible. These methods reduce traffic congestion, especially after a quake that may have damaged roads. A car may be necessary for someone who cannot safely walk or cycle; neighbours should not block their route with unnecessary driving. If roads are closed or unsafe, use an alternative path that does not expose you to rockfalls, unstable bridges or downed electricity lines.
What if you cannot get fully out of the zone?
NEMA says that if you cannot leave the evacuation zone, moving as far or as high as possible can still make a difference. Do not confuse this emergency fallback with a guarantee that any upper floor is safe. Use designated evacuation structures and locally approved vertical-evacuation guidance where available; a damaged or unsuitable building may be dangerous. For a planned route, leaving all affected zones remains preferable.
What about bridges, canals and rivers?
The danger is not limited to open beaches. Tidal rivers, estuaries and harbour entrances can carry dangerous water movements inland. Avoid routes following an exposed river mouth or crossing visibly damaged bridges merely because they shorten the trip. Follow local evacuation signs and responders when a normal path is blocked.
Official warning versus natural warning: what changes?
For a nearby earthquake, warning systems may not have enough time to issue an alert before water arrives. The natural signs are your instruction to go. For a tsunami generated farther away, NEMA and local Civil Defence authorities may issue warnings identifying affected areas and whether evacuation is required. Follow those instructions and keep checking updates after reaching safety.
Do not wait for a phone alert after feeling long or strong shaking. Conversely, if you are inland and outside a threatened evacuation zone, you may not need to evacuate: unnecessary movement can congest routes for those who do. Check your actual location against official evacuation-zone information.
An Emergency Mobile Alert is a method of warning some affected people, not proof that every phone will receive the same message. Radio, local authority pages and Civil Defence information provide other routes. Keep your device charged and do not share a screenshot without a date, location and official link.
Understanding red, orange and yellow zones
Tsunami evacuation-zone maps are provided by local Civil Defence or regional authorities, and colours can indicate different inundation scenarios. For a long or strong local earthquake, Get Ready guidance instructs people to evacuate all tsunami evacuation zones. Do not interpret an orange or yellow area as safe simply because it is farther from the water than red.
For a distant-source tsunami warning, follow the specific local or national evacuation notice, which may call for evacuation of particular areas. Check which map applies and whether you are inside a defined zone. Avoid treating an old tourism map or a social-media infographic as the authoritative current plan.
The most useful map is the one you have reviewed before a disaster. It should show your address, workplace, school, beach access point and possible ways to reach safety. If you are visiting, ask your accommodation or local information centre where its tsunami zone boundary is.
Children, older adults, tourists, pets and accessibility
For families, agree who gathers each young child and where to meet if people are separated. A parent who runs back to a beach house for a bag can lose the time needed to reach high ground. Children should know the phrase “Long or Strong, Get Gone” and the evacuation route in plain language, not just an abstract definition of a tsunami.
People using mobility aids, people with limited sight or hearing, or those dependent on powered medical equipment need a realistic route that does not assume everyone can use steep stairs or cycle. Arrange assistance ahead of time where possible. During an actual evacuation, alert others to specific needs and follow emergency guidance.
Take pets only when they are nearby and can be moved without delay. NEMA explicitly warns against returning home for animals when that would slow evacuation. For farms and coastal work sites, move people first, then livestock or equipment only if ample time and safe routes remain.
Five common situations and what to do
A long earthquake stops while you are on the beach
Do not stop to look for a wave or check whether the beach is still open. Leave immediately by the marked tsunami evacuation route, going inland or uphill. Keep away from streams and river mouths. Do not return until Civil Defence gives an official all-clear.
You are in a coastal hotel several blocks inland
Your distance from the beach alone does not determine whether you are outside the tsunami zone. Use the local zone map, follow hotel staff and move promptly if a long or strong quake is felt or an evacuation instruction is issued. Avoid lifts and unstable stairs after a damaging earthquake.
You are already high up when a tsunami alert arrives
Check whether the site is actually outside the local evacuation zone and what the warning instructs. If outside a threatened area, remain there and avoid driving onto evacuation roads. If within the zone, move to designated safety unless authorities advise a suitable alternative.
A family member wants to return for a pet
Do not return to an exposed coast after evacuating. Tell local emergency teams about any urgent concern, but keep people at the safe location. A pet already beside you may be taken along if it does not delay the journey.
The first wave passes and the sea becomes quiet
Stay away. A tsunami consists of multiple waves and currents over an extended period; the first arrival need not be the largest. NEMA says coastal waterways may remain dangerous, so wait for formal clearance rather than judging by the water’s appearance.
What to do once you reach safety
Remain clear of tsunami zones, check on the people with you and listen to Civil Defence or official radio updates. Check for injuries and contact emergency services for serious harm or rescue needs. In New Zealand, 111 is the emergency number for police, fire or ambulance. Share the precise safe location and the incident details.
NEMA advises staying away from coastal water, tidal estuaries, rivers and streams for at least 24 hours after a tsunami or tsunami warning, because currents may remain hazardous. Continue to follow the latest official advice and do not re-enter any evacuation zone until the authorities issue an all-clear, even when a stated period has passed.
After officials permit access, look for undermined foundations, contaminated floodwater, damaged wiring and unstable buildings. Record losses from safe positions for insurance and any support claims. Never enter a damaged structure just to retrieve a document or photograph.
What to prepare before visiting or living near the coast
- Look up your home, workplace, accommodation and favourite beach on the local tsunami evacuation-zone map.
- Walk the route to high ground or inland safety rather than relying only on a navigation app.
- Identify a second route if a bridge, road or stairway fails during an earthquake.
- Agree who assists each child and anyone with mobility or medical needs.
- Keep a small grab bag with medicine, warm layers, water and essential documents accessible.
- Save the local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group’s official updates.
- Practise Drop, Cover and Hold followed by a prompt evacuation decision.
- Keep phones charged but know that mobile networks may be damaged or congested.
- Understand the difference between natural warning signs and distant-tsunami bulletins.
- Agree that no one returns to the coastline until the official all-clear.
Mistakes that can cost valuable time
- Waiting for a siren or phone alert after a long or strong coastal earthquake.
- Driving unnecessarily on evacuation roads needed by people who cannot walk or cycle.
- Stopping at the beach to photograph an unusual sea level.
- Assuming only the red zone matters after a long or strong local earthquake.
- Returning for belongings or pets when doing so slows evacuation.
- Using damaged roads, bridges or river-mouth paths without checking hazards.
- Assuming the first wave is the largest or that a quiet period means safety.
- Returning before an official all-clear.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shaking have to last before I evacuate?
Near the coast, shaking longer than one minute OR strong enough to make standing difficult is the natural warning. Evacuate as soon as shaking stops.
Should I wait for an Emergency Mobile Alert?
No. For a local tsunami, an alert may not arrive in time. Long or strong shaking itself is the warning.
What if I am outside the tsunami evacuation zone?
If authorities do not instruct you to move, remaining outside the threatened area can reduce traffic for evacuees. Check current local guidance.
Should I use my car?
Walk, run or cycle where possible. Cars may create congestion and should not block people who have no other feasible transport.
Is the first wave always the worst?
No. Later waves and strong currents can remain dangerous for hours. Do not return until Civil Defence gives the all-clear.
What is New Zealand’s emergency phone number?
Call 111 for police, fire or ambulance if someone is in immediate danger or needs emergency help.
Can I evacuate to a tall building?
Only where local guidance identifies a suitable safe high location or when an emergency fallback is needed. The preferred action is to leave the tsunami evacuation zones.
The shortest useful rule
Long or Strong, Get Gone: protect yourself during shaking, then leave coastal evacuation zones immediately. Do not wait for a warning, do not crowd the roads needlessly, and do not return before the official all-clear.
Official guidance, sources and next steps
Reviewed 4 November 2026 against official guidance. This is an independent public-information article, not a live emergency alert. Follow local emergency services and current government warnings in an actual incident.