Threat of tsunami poses few problems

NZPA

Thursday 7th July 2011 1 Comment

Auckland, July 7 NZPA - A tsunami failed to materialise after a huge earthquake north of New Zealand today but it caused a flurry of civil defence activity around the country.

The national and regional civil defence centres for most of the east coast of the North Island were activated but stood down after about two hours.

The alarm was first raised after a magnitude 7.6 quake in the Kermadec Islands, about 1000km north of New Zealand just after 7am.

National Civil Defence headquarters issued a tsunami advisory around 7.40am, upgraded to a warning 25 minutes later.

Later authorities advised they had downgraded the warning to a marine threat only and a predicted wave of between 60cm and a metre high, was unlikely to come ashore.

The warning was cancelled about 9am but authorities warned people to stay off beaches and coastal waterways for most of the day. They should also not go to sea in small boats.

In Auckland and other parts of the east coast of the North Island, authorities said there was an increased swell in coastal areas but little to cause concern.

On the east coast of Northland there were significant swells about 10am.

Dive Tutukaka, which is based in the Tutukaka Harbour just north of Whangarei, cancelled three or four dive charters out to the Poor Knights Islands today because of the swells and a gale warning for later today and tomorrow.

Dive Tutukaka's Kate Malcolm said the water was calm and flat but there was a rise and fall of about half a metre in the harbour and they were expecting that to continue for possibly six hours.

"We were expecting a short, sharp increase (in surges) and that is what we are seeing at the moment."

She said the current in and out of the harbour was about six knots. On most days there was little or no current.

"We have got some whirlpool action and it is draining really quickly."

"We are seeing a lot of stir-up on the bottom. It is churning and it is very muddy," said Ms Malcolm.

In Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast there was stronger than usual currents and unusual tidal action and people were advised to stay away from the coast.

Boaties were also urged to check their moorings, boat ramps in Napier’s inner harbour were closed and commercial shipping was asked to leave the port.

However, several hours after the earthquake and the tsunami warning, no significant waves had been reported in New Zealand.

Comments from our readers

On 7 July 2011 at 1:15 pm marie said:

flurry of activity?????? i live in whitianga and did not get any useful information whatsoever... i was alerted to the threat via a phone call from a family member elsewhere in nz, council and civil defence didnt make a peep here!