Tsunami warning issued for areas across the North Island

Neighbourly.co.nz

UPDATE
March 5
3:50pm

Civil Defence has announced that the National Advisory issued following the earthquakes near the Kermadec Islands region is cancelled.
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UPDATE
March 5
3:09pm

The tsunami threat to New Zealand has been further downgraded.

In a statement, Civil Defence announced that while there is no longer a tsunami threat to coastal areas, there are still areas under a beach and marine threat.

These include:
- The North Cape from Ahipara to the Bay of Islands
- Cape Runaway to Tolaga Bay
- Great Barrier Island
- The Chatham Islands
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UPDATE
March 5
1:38pm

The latest from Civil Defence:

"GNS Science has advised that the largest waves have now passed, and therefore the threat level is now downgraded to a Beach and Marine threat for all areas which were previously under Land and Marine threat.

All people who evacuated can now return.

The advice remains, for all areas under Beach and Marine threat, to stay off beach and shore areas."
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UPDATE
March 5
11:46am

Minister for Civil Defence Kiri Allan is giving an update to media at the Beehive. She is joined by Civil Defence Controller Roger Ball and GNS's scientist Bill Fry.

What you need to know:
- Allan thanked all people for following all the relevant advice from authorities.
- Those that have moved inland or to higher ground, must stay there until the official 'all clear' is given.
- The National Crisis Management Agency has been activated.
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UPDATE
March 5
10:49am

The Latest from Civil Defence:

Flooding of land areas is expected in the following areas:

The West Coast of the North Island from Cape Reinga to Ahipara.

The East Coast of the North Island from Cape Reinga to Whangarei, from Matata to Tolaga Bay including Whakatane and Opotiki.

And Great Barrier Island.
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UPDATE
March 5
09:52am

The Pacific Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre say the first waves could reach the top of the North Island by 10.20am.
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A magnitude 8.1 earthquake has struck off the coast of the Kermadec Islands.

What you need to know:
Civil Defence has issued a warning to all people near the coast in the following areas:
- The East Coast of the North Island from the Bay of Islands to Whangarei
- Matata to Tolaga Bay including Whakatane and Opotiki
- Great Barrier Island

Civil Defence says residents must move to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible.

The earthquake may not have been felt in some of these areas, but evacuation should be immediate as a damaging tsunami is possible.

Any direction given by Civil Defence officials overrides the current alert level rules and restrictions. Try to keep a physical distance of 2 metres from others.

To keep up to date with the latest, head to the Civil Defence Website.

Neighbourly will be updating this message as further information comes to hand

Photo credit: National Emergency Management Agency