What to Do When There Is a Tsunami | New Zealand Long or Strong Get Gone Safety Guide

If you are near the New Zealand coast and an earthquake is strong enough to make standing difficult, or lasts longer than one minute, protect yourself during shaking and evacuate immediately to the nearest high ground or as far inland as possible as soon as the shaking stops. The country’s official life-saving message is “Long or Strong, Get Gone.” Do not wait for a siren or an official tsunami warning.

A tsunami may reach the coastline within minutes when its source is nearby. Other natural warning signs include a sudden unusual rise or fall of sea level and loud, unusual noises from the sea. If these occur at the coast, move immediately away from the water. Walk, run or cycle when possible so you do not become trapped in vehicle congestion. Stay in a safe location until Civil Defence issues an official all-clear.

This practical New Zealand tsunami guide is for people who live, work, study or travel near the coast, including communities in Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson and elsewhere. It also addresses lake tsunamis, families, accessible evacuation, roads, schools, warnings and safe return. For real events, follow Get Ready’s official tsunami guidance, the National Emergency Management Agency and the relevant local Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group. This guide is not a live tsunami alert.

Quick answers: ten actions in order

Earthquake shaking now: Drop, Cover and Hold. Stay away from glass and items that may fall; protect your head and neck.
Strong or long shaking near the coast: after movement ends, immediately evacuate from the tsunami zone. Do not wait for a phone alert.
Sea suddenly rises or retreats, or makes an unusual roaring sound: leave the shore for higher ground or far inland.
Use the mapped tsunami evacuation route if known; where uncertain, keep moving safely away from the sea and out of low coastal ground.
Walk, run or cycle if possible. Cars may clog routes; do not delay to find keys, pack a suitcase or collect possessions.
Help people who need support, but do not return into the hazard area for belongings or animals if doing so delays evacuation.
Avoid river mouths, estuaries, harbours and coastal streams as tsunami currents can affect connected waterways.
Do not stop at the first nearby hill if it remains inside the evacuation zone when a safer route is accessible.
For a person seriously injured or in immediate danger call 111, and ask for Fire, Police or Ambulance as appropriate.
Do not return until Civil Defence gives the all-clear. Waves can continue, and damaged roads, utilities and buildings may remain dangerous.

The national Get Ready tsunami page gives these actions and also advises staying away from coastal waters and connected tidal waterways for at least 24 hours after any tsunami or tsunami warning, subject to official directions.

What does “Long or Strong, Get Gone” actually mean?

The phrase is deliberately easy to remember. Long means an earthquake lasts longer than a minute. Strong means the shaking makes it hard to stand up. At the coast, either sign is reason to leave the tsunami evacuation zone as soon as you can safely move.

The rule is not a requirement to measure an earthquake using a phone timer. You do not need an exact scientific magnitude, official location of the epicentre or an app notification before making the protective decision. The point is to recognise potentially dangerous local shaking and preserve the extremely short time that may be available.

First Drop, Cover and Hold while shaking. Then Get Gone. That order matters. Rushing through falling glass, unsecured cupboards or collapsing wall material during strong shaking can injure you before you can begin the coastal evacuation.

For a distant-source tsunami, officials may have more time to issue an alert. The natural-warning principle remains essential, but you should also follow evacuation notices even if you did not feel an earthquake yourself.

Your coastal address may be in a tsunami zone even if the water looks far away

Coastal risk depends on elevation, local shape of the land, rivers and the characteristics of possible tsunami waves. A street several blocks from the beach may still be low enough for dangerous inundation. A building immediately above a steep coastal terrace may have different exposure from one beside an estuary.

New Zealand’s national tsunami evacuation-zone map allows residents to look up their home, school or work location. Local CDEM groups and councils provide the underlying zone data and more specific route advice.

Study the map before a tsunami. Find your designated higher ground, a route you can actually walk and an alternative if the first route crosses a bridge or damaged street. An address search is useful for planning, not something to spend precious evacuation minutes doing after long or strong shaking.

The zone map does not display live tsunami warnings. For a current warning, use Civil Defence updates, radio, television and official mobile alerts. The map and the live warning system perform different jobs.

Red, orange, yellow, blue and purple tsunami evacuation zones

The map uses different zone colours according to the scale of tsunami exposure. Red generally covers beach, shore and marine areas that could be affected even by a relatively small tsunami. Orange indicates areas potentially affected by a larger event, and yellow covers areas exposed under very large tsunami scenarios.

Some areas use blue as a single zone covering the potential tsunami exposure area; purple is used in Taranaki for an area that could be affected by a very large tsunami. These colours come from the official national map and have a meaning in their local context.

Do not treat a red, orange or yellow colour as an all-clear for other zones. The current official instruction may identify which areas need to evacuate. After a long or strong earthquake near the coast, move away immediately rather than trying to analyse which coloured polygon you are standing in.

The official zone explanation explicitly separates a preparedness map from live warnings. This is a vital distinction when a screenshot circulates during a real emergency.

The first seconds: Drop, Cover and Hold

If you feel the ground shaking, Drop to your hands and knees or another stable low position. Cover your head and neck, ideally beneath sturdy furniture within safe reach. Hold on until shaking stops or you can move without being thrown around.

If indoors, do not rush to a window to look outside. Avoid tall shelving, glass doors and unsecured items. If outdoors, protect your head and stay clear of building façades, poles, falling glass, power lines and unstable slopes when possible.

A person who uses a wheelchair should apply an adapted protective action, such as securing wheels where appropriate and covering head and neck. Everyone should practise the version that works for their mobility needs. The official ShakeOut instructions include adaptations.

After the shaking stops, the next decision is tsunami evacuation. A household that has practised both stages is less likely to lose time debating what to do.

Evacuate immediately even if the sea appears calm

Tsunami do not always resemble a cinematic breaking wave. A tsunami can arrive as a powerful surge, rapid water rise, repeated turbulent flows or strong currents. At some coastlines the sea may retreat unusually before a wave, but this is not universal.

Do not stand on a beach filming a receding shoreline or wait for confirmation from friends. A locally generated tsunami can arrive in minutes. By the time a wave is visible, a safe walking route may already be unavailable.

When natural warning signs occur, the safest default is to move promptly toward higher or safer inland ground. If an official emergency instruction is issued, follow its specific action, even if the water near you looks ordinary.

The principle applies to tourists, people in cafés, port staff and residents. A local source tsunami does not wait for a person to finish checking out of a hotel.

Why walking or cycling may be safer than driving

NEMA’s Get Ready guidance recommends walking, running or cycling when possible because roads can fill with vehicles. In a dense coastal neighbourhood, a traffic jam can turn a short uphill journey into a dangerous delay.

The advice is not a claim that every person can walk. Individuals with disabilities, serious health needs or mobility limitations may need a prearranged vehicle or other support. Plan those arrangements early with local services and trusted helpers.

Do not stop your car across a pedestrian evacuation route while retrieving luggage. Do not take an unmarked coastal shortcut because a navigation app says it is faster. After an earthquake, bridge and road damage may be invisible from the entrance.

A useful exercise is to time a safe tsunami hīkoi, or evacuation walk, in ordinary conditions. Know how far you and the slowest household member can realistically travel before a hazard might arrive.

Harbours, estuaries and rivers are not safe viewing points

Tsunami currents can enter harbours, estuaries and river mouths. Water may flow inland, reverse direction or move with greater force in confined channels. A riverbank may therefore be exposed even when it is not directly on an ocean-facing beach.

Do not stand on a bridge or at a marina watching the tide behave unusually. Avoid shore roads and low crossings. Fishing vessels and waterfront equipment may be moved violently, while the water can carry debris.

If already on a boat, follow official maritime advice for the vessel and location. Do not launch a small boat as an improvised escape from a coastal evacuation. The safest action for someone on land is generally to get inland or uphill, not go out onto the water.

An evacuation map should identify any streams, estuaries or bridges that complicate the route from your home to safety.

The lake tsunami danger in New Zealand

New Zealand’s Civil Defence guidance specifically notes that tsunamis can occur in lakes and other large bodies of water, not only oceans. Landslides, rockfalls, earthquakes, volcanic activity, dam failures or glacier-related events can displace water rapidly.

If you are beside a large lake and experience strong or long shaking, observe a sudden unusual water-level change, see a landslide or hear loud unexplained noise from the water or slopes, move away from the shore and toward higher ground immediately.

Do not treat the lake’s smaller size as proof that a fast wave cannot form. A steep shoreline and nearby slope may create highly localised hazards with little official warning time.

Tourists, kayakers, campers and lakeside accommodation providers should learn which shore sections and routes are exposed. A safe response may require leaving a dock, beach or low campground rather than staying to photograph waves.

Local, regional and distant-source tsunamis

Local tsunamis are generated close enough that waves may reach New Zealand within minutes. Natural warning signs are therefore crucial; there may be no time for official notification before evacuation must begin.

Regional tsunamis generally travel from sources within a few hours. Authorities may be able to issue warnings and identify affected zones, but people must still follow natural warning signs when present.

Distant-source tsunamis travel across the ocean and may allow longer lead time for official bulletins. Even with more time, local currents and shoreline hazards require care; a warning may target beach and marine areas rather than all residential zones.

These categories help explain why some events require immediate self-evacuation while others have a more detailed official warning window. They do not change the instruction to follow a valid Civil Defence warning.

Who issues tsunami warnings in New Zealand?

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and New Zealand’s Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups communicate official warnings and protective advice, using national and local channels as appropriate. Emergency Mobile Alert, radio, television, sirens, loud hailers or other local systems may be used.

Do not assume every coastal community uses the same siren system or that all phones will receive an alert. A siren is not guaranteed, and communication infrastructure may be affected by the earthquake itself.

The official tsunami guidance states that natural warnings take priority when a local tsunami may arrive before an official message. Evacuate first if natural warning signs apply, then check information from safety.

If an official warning applies to your community without an earthquake you can feel, act on the warning. A distant earthquake can create a real tsunami threat without local shaking.

How to interpret a real Civil Defence message

When an official message is issued, identify the affected coast or zone, the event, the required action, the time and the source of the next update. A warning for marine and beach areas is not necessarily identical to a warning for land inundation, but both require respecting their stated restrictions.

Do not forward an old screenshot without its issue time or location. A message from another region may not apply to your address, and a cancellation from a previous event does not cancel a new warning.

A practical family update is short: “Civil Defence has directed our zone to evacuate; we have reached the named safe point; everyone is together; we will update when permitted.”

Emergency Mobile Alerts are important but not infallible. If strong or long coastal shaking occurs, do not wait for the phone to confirm what you already need to do.

Families: an evacuation plan that works on foot

Choose a primary and secondary safe destination outside the mapped tsunami zone. Walk both routes during ordinary conditions and note any stairs, steep streets, gates or bridges. Confirm whether a small child, older adult or wheelchair user can complete them.

Agree on roles. One adult is responsible for the children; another may help a dependent family member; everyone knows the same safe meeting point. Establish an out-of-area contact for messages after reaching safety.

Keep suitable shoes, medication and a charged phone ready, but do not delay for a full emergency bag when a natural tsunami warning occurs. The most valuable resource is the time you have to leave the inundation area.

Practise a tsunami hīkoi and repeat the rule with children: “Drop, Cover and Hold. Then Long or Strong, Get Gone.”

An emergency bag for coastal households

Essential medication, prescriptions, glasses and medical-device information.
Identification and important contact details in a waterproof sleeve.
Drinking water and practical ready-to-eat food for initial displacement.
Phone, charger, power bank, torch and batteries if available.
Sturdy shoes, warm or waterproof clothing and basic hygiene items.
Infant supplies, necessary disability equipment and essential feeding items.
A written safe meeting point and family contact outside the hazard zone.
Some cash and keys if they are immediately accessible.
Pet lead or carrier if available without delaying departure.
A saved image or printed map of your local tsunami evacuation route.

Do not go back for this bag after strong coastal shaking if it would delay evacuation. A prepared bag supports movement; it does not replace it.

Schools, universities and childcare

Schools near tsunami zones should plan and practise their evacuation hīkoi, including who supervises children, which route is safest and where families will be reunited. A large group may need to move quickly without using cars that block the route.

Parents should know the school’s designated safe area and the procedure for collecting children after an event. Do not drive toward a coastal school through an evacuation zone when staff have already moved students to higher ground.

Children should remain with teachers and authorised caregivers until reunited through a controlled process. A child should not independently walk home across a damaged bridge just because the normal school day has ended.

A school’s building may survive an earthquake while the route around it remains unsafe. Reopening decisions need more than inspecting classrooms.

Older adults and people with disabilities

Not everyone can walk uphill rapidly or use a staircase. A household must plan accessible evacuation before an earthquake, identifying help, an appropriate route and any necessary transport. A generic instruction to “run uphill” is not enough.

For a person using a wheelchair, the tsunami plan may require an accessible slope rather than a footbridge staircase. Check whether gates, kerbs and road crossings along the route can be navigated in the expected conditions.

If a person is trapped or needs urgent rescue assistance, call 111 and give location, number of people and specific medical or mobility needs. Arrange reliable support through family, community or local emergency planners before an event.

Help should not create an additional danger by sending untrained people into moving water. Good accessibility planning is an essential part of tsunami preparedness, not an optional extra.

If you are a tourist in Wellington, Napier or Gisborne

Visitors may be unfamiliar with local geography. At a waterfront hotel, campsite or short-term rental, identify the evacuation zone and nearest high-ground route before going to bed. Ask staff or hosts where the safe meeting point is.

If an earthquake is long or strong, protect yourself then leave the tsunami zone immediately. Do not wait for the hotel to confirm the epicentre or finish a formal check-out. Take a phone, medicine and shoes only if they are at hand.

Tour operators should brief visitors about coastal hazards and safe routes. A harbour-side restaurant should have a clear way to direct customers out rather than letting everyone gather at the entrance to watch the water.

A travel itinerary, ferry booking or hotel bill is never a reason to remain in a threatened coastal zone.

Campgrounds, beaches and surf activities

A person sleeping at a beach campsite may have less shelter from earthquake debris but be very close to the sea. The primary preparation is to know the route from the site to high ground. At night, have suitable shoes and a torch reachable.

If a long or strong earthquake occurs, evacuate as soon as shaking stops. Do not pack the tent, fold chairs or collect surfboards. If sea level changes suddenly or unusual roaring sounds are heard, leave immediately.

Surfers and swimmers should head away from the water when natural warning signs occur. Do not remain at the shoreline to watch the wave or retrieve equipment.

If a campground has staff, follow the posted emergency route and any current Civil Defence instructions; a general park gate may not be the safest exit.

If you are driving on a coastal road

An earthquake can damage bridges, tunnels, cliffs and road surfaces. After a long or strong earthquake on a low coastal road, find a safe place to stop and evacuate inland or uphill without blocking emergency access, according to local route conditions.

Do not automatically follow an app route through a low estuary crossing. If vehicles are congested, walking or cycling may provide a faster route for those physically able to do so.

If your only safe evacuation method involves a vehicle because of disability, plan the route and assistance in advance. The objective is not banning all vehicles but reducing delays and hazardous traffic.

Obey road closures and keep clear of fallen electrical lines or unstable slopes. Do not assume a bridge is safe because one vehicle crossed it earlier.

What if the mapped route is blocked by earthquake damage?

A damaged retaining wall, fallen power pole or collapsed building may block the route to high ground. Do not climb unstable rubble or touch electrical cables to stay on the original line.

Seek a suitable alternative that continues moving away from the inundation zone. If you cannot get completely outside the zone, go as far or as high as you can; Get Ready emphasises that every metre of additional distance or elevation can matter.

Avoid improvised crossings over water or damaged bridges. If there is time to request guidance from responders without delaying immediate protective movement, do so.

The hazard has two parts: a potentially dangerous tsunami and earthquake damage along the escape route. Your safest decision reduces exposure to both.

If the tsunami is already arriving

This is a life-threatening emergency. Do not try to swim through moving tsunami water or drive across a road covered by it. Seek the highest reachable safer location away from currents and debris, following local instructions where available.

A tsunami can move vehicles, shipping containers, large logs and building materials. Water may flow rapidly in both directions. A position that looks dry can become exposed without much warning.

If you are trapped, call 111 if possible and state your exact location, number of people, floor or elevation and urgent medical needs. Follow rescue instructions and signal your position when safe.

No last-second manoeuvre reliably replaces immediate evacuation after natural warning signs. The safest strategy is to avoid being caught in the inundation area in the first place.

What should happen at the safe meeting point?

Once your group reaches safety, account for everyone and check for injuries. Contact a trusted person outside the area with a concise update. Do not make repeated unnecessary calls that may add to communication congestion.

Follow Civil Defence announcements regarding further relocation, health services, safe drinking water and the expected all-clear. A public meeting point may not be a fully equipped overnight shelter.

Do not send people down to the water to look for missing individuals. Report the last known position and time to professional responders.

Keep children supervised and assist people with medical or mobility needs without re-entering the evacuation zone.

How long should you stay away from coastal water?

Remain outside affected tsunami evacuation areas until Civil Defence gives the all-clear. Tsunami hazards can persist because of multiple waves, strong currents and debris. The first wave may not be the largest.

New Zealand’s official guidance also advises staying away from coastal waters, tidal estuaries, rivers and streams for at least 24 hours after any tsunami or tsunami warning. More specific restrictions may last longer, and authorities must determine when access is safe.

Do not treat a quiet beach or a social-media message saying “the wave has passed” as permission to return. A harbour can retain powerful currents even when waves appear modest from the shore.

The public warning ending and a damaged property becoming safe to occupy are separate decisions.

After a tsunami: roads and buildings may still be dangerous

An earthquake-generated tsunami may leave broken roads, bridges, fallen power lines and structural damage. Saltwater and debris can affect electrical systems and contaminate buildings. Avoid walking on unstable ground or entering a visibly damaged structure.

Do not switch on flood-affected electrical appliances or distribution boards before professional assessment. If you suspect a gas leak, move away and avoid flames and switches in the danger area.

Photograph property losses only from a safe position after the relevant authority has permitted access. The desire to document insurance claims is never a reason to return early.

Property recovery should proceed in order: official access permission, human safety, clean water, safe utilities, structural assessment, then repairs.

Drinking water, food and sanitation

Tsunami water may carry salt, sewage, fuel, chemicals and other contaminants. Do not treat it as drinking water or use it to wash food. Follow public-health and water-supplier instructions for which sources are safe.

Boiling can help with some microbial contamination when recommended, but it does not remove many chemical contaminants. If chemical contamination is suspected, use an alternative verified supply.

Food that has been touched by floodwater may be unsafe. Keep children away from sludge and debris, wear suitable protective equipment for authorised cleanup and seek medical help for concerning wounds, diarrhoea or respiratory symptoms.

A home cannot be considered operationally safe solely because its floor is dry if the water system and sanitation remain affected.

What New Zealand’s 111 emergency number is for

Call 111 when there is a threat to life or property that needs an urgent response from Police, Fire and Emergency, or Ambulance. The New Zealand Police explanation confirms that 111 calls are free and are for urgent assistance.

A tsunami emergency report should identify the exact location, nearest street or landmark, number of people affected, whether anyone is injured or trapped and which routes are blocked.

105 is a non-emergency Police service and is not a substitute for 111 during an active life-safety crisis.

If mobile service is disrupted, send an urgent message through an alternative verified channel if available, without moving into dangerous water merely to find signal.

Tsunami myths that create dangerous delay

The idea that every tsunami arrives as an enormous breaking wave is false. Currents and sudden inundation can be devastating even without a dramatic wall of water. A visible drawdown is not guaranteed.

A strong earthquake can be a natural warning even when the news has not yet reported a magnitude. A small earthquake at a mountain lake can trigger another process that rapidly displaces water, so lake users must also recognise unusual conditions.

A public evacuation map is not an active warning display. The colour zones show potential exposure, while real-time decisions come from natural signs and Civil Defence communications.

A coastal destination being popular with tourists or having seawalls does not remove risk. Prepare locally and respond immediately to the warning that matters.

Scenario 1: a Tairāwhiti household feels long shaking

Imagine a family in a low coastal neighbourhood near Gisborne. An earthquake continues for over a minute. They Drop, Cover and Hold, and as soon as shaking stops they put on shoes and follow their previously practised tsunami route to higher ground.

One person wants to stop for a parked car. The family keeps moving on foot rather than risk traffic delay. They send a short status message once they reach the safe location.

This is a fictional teaching scenario, not a report of a current emergency. It illustrates natural warning action without waiting for official confirmation.

Scenario 2: a visitor sees the sea suddenly retreat

A tourist at a beach notices the sea draw back unusually far, exposing seabed they have never seen before. Other visitors move toward the water to take photographs.

The tourist instead leaves immediately for higher ground and alerts nearby people while moving, without going back toward the beach. They follow Civil Defence updates from safety.

The lesson is an unusual sea-level change is a reason to get away, not a sightseeing opportunity.

Scenario 3: a school practises a tsunami hīkoi

A coastal school practises moving pupils along its mapped tsunami route. The teachers discover that one gate is frequently locked and a pupil using a wheelchair cannot access the shortest stairway.

Staff revise the plan, arrange an accessible alternative and clarify family reunification arrangements. During a real event, the group does not lose time discovering these problems.

The lesson is that practising a route reveals practical barriers that a printed plan may hide.

Scenario 4: an official warning arrives without an earthquake

A resident in a coastal town receives a Civil Defence warning about a distant tsunami. They felt no shaking and are unsure whether it could be relevant.

They read the current affected-zone instruction and evacuate the specified area if directed. They do not insist on feeling an earthquake first.

The lesson is that natural warning signs and official technical warnings are separate valid triggers for action.

Scenario 5: a lakeside campsite experiences a landslide

At a mountain lake, a group hears a rumble and sees rock and soil entering the water, followed by an unusual surge near the shore.

The group moves away from the shoreline toward safer elevated ground rather than remaining at the water to film the waves. They contact emergency services if needed and follow local instructions.

This fictional example shows why lake tsunami preparedness belongs in New Zealand’s wider hazard planning.

Common tsunami mistakes in New Zealand

Waiting for an official warning after long or strong coastal shaking. A local tsunami can arrive within minutes.
Watching the sea for a wave. A tsunami may be a surge and may have no obvious preceding retreat.
Driving automatically through urban evacuation routes. Traffic can delay everyone; walk, run or cycle when possible.
Using the zone map as a live tsunami bulletin. It is a planning map.
Assuming only red areas can be dangerous. Different scenarios and official directions may involve other zones.
Returning after the first wave. Later surges and currents may be stronger.
Treating large lakes as tsunami-free. Displacement waves can occur in lakes.
Crossing an estuary or low bridge because it seems inland. Connected waterways can be hazardous.
Going back for animals or luggage after natural warning signs. Delay can remove the escape window.
Assuming no mobile alert means there is no danger. Natural signs may be enough.
Leaving a school to collect children by driving through an evacuation zone. Follow the school’s reunification plan.
Ignoring accessible transport or route needs before a disaster. A route must work for the household that uses it.
Using 105 for a life-threatening emergency. Call 111.
Assuming a calm harbour is safe after a tsunami. Strong currents may persist.

Frequently asked questions

What does “Long or Strong, Get Gone” mean?

If an earthquake lasts more than one minute or is strong enough that standing is difficult, leave the coastal tsunami area immediately after shaking stops. Do not wait for an official warning.

Should I Drop, Cover and Hold or run to the hill?

Drop, Cover and Hold during shaking; then evacuate to higher ground or far inland as soon as you can safely move. These are consecutive actions.

Does New Zealand have a tsunami evacuation map?

Yes. Use Get Ready’s national zone map for planning. It does not show live warnings.

Should I drive during a tsunami evacuation?

Walking, running or cycling is recommended when possible because cars can clog routes. People with mobility or medical needs should use their prearranged accessible plan.

Can tsunami happen in New Zealand lakes?

Yes. Landslides, rockfalls, earthquakes and other events can displace lake water and cause dangerous waves near the shore.

What is New Zealand’s emergency number?

111 for urgent Police, Fire or Ambulance assistance. Give precise location and describe the immediate danger.

How long should I stay away?

Remain out of the affected evacuation area until Civil Defence gives an official all-clear. New Zealand also advises avoiding coastal waters and tidal waterways for at least 24 hours after a tsunami or warning, with any additional restrictions taking priority.

Can I return if my beach looks normal?

No. Do not return until official clearance, and consider earthquake damage, roads, utilities and contamination separately before entering a property.

Official New Zealand tsunami resources and related eduKate guides

Editorial review: 6 November 2026. This page provides general emergency education, not a live Civil Defence warning or a guarantee that any individual route is safe. Follow natural signs and official local action instructions.