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    Our Top 5 Hazards

    Drop, Cover and Hold is the right action to take in an earthquake.

    It stops you being knocked over, makes you a smaller target for falling and flying objects, and protects your head, neck and vital organs.

    DROP down on your hands and knees. This protects you from falling but lets you move if you need to.

    COVER your head and neck (or your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk (if it is within a few steps of you). If there is no shelter nearby, drop and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.

    HOLD on to your shelter (or your position to protect your head and neck) until the shaking stops. If the shaking shifts your shelter around, move with it. If there is no shelter near you, crawl to an inside corner of the room and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. Do not run outside or stand in a doorway. Many people are injured while trying to move DURING the shaking. It is safer to Drop, Cover, and Hold until the shaking is over.

    If you are indoors, move no more than a few steps, Drop, Cover and Hold. Stay indoors until 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 outdoors, move no more than a few steps away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines, then Drop, Cover and Hold.

    If you are in bed, stay there, Cover your head with a pillow and Hold on. You are less likely to be injured if you stay in bed.

    If you are at the beach or near the coast, Drop, Cover and Hold until the shaking stops, then move to higher ground immediately in case a tsunami follows the quake. Long or Strong, Get Gone.

    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 elderly or have limited mobility, remain where you are, bracing yourself in place against the shaking. If you cannot drop, then Cover your head and Hold.

    If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling debris or landslides. Drop, Cover and Hold.

    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.


    For more information:

    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, communities to become isolated, 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 flood waters have risen very quickly.
    • the floodwater contains debris, such as trees and sheets of corrugated iron.

    River flooding generally happens during heavy rain, when rivers overflow their banks into the floodplain. A floodplain is the flat section next to a river, and these can flood quite regularly. Normal rainfall soaks into the soil, is taken up by trees and plants, and runs off the land to form our streams and rivers. Floods happen when there is too much water and the run-off is too much to be carried by the rivers.

    If you live in a flood-prone area, the best thing you can do is prepare yourself, your whare/home and your whānau/family. Floods can cause major disruption to whānau/family life – you might have to leave your whare/home and you could lose some or all of your possessions - and the emotional impact can be profound. But there are things you can do to reduce the risk and ensure you are prepared.

    The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your whānau is get ready. Make and practise your emergency plan, make a grab bag and have emergency supplies in case you need to evacuate.

    Put safety first. Don’t take any chances. Act quickly if you see rising water.

    Never try to walk, swim, drive through or play in flood water.


    For more information:

    • Horizons Flood management, webcams and river alert systems here: Horizons Regional Council
    • Pay attention to the latest weather information, including watches and warnings: Metservice

    Where do tsunami come from?

    Tsunami can come from different sources.

    A distant source tsunami, like one generated from Chile, could take 14 hours or more to arrive. A regional source tsunami, like one generated from the Southwest Pacific, could take between one and three hours to arrive. In these cases we will have time to issue official warning messages.

    A local source tsunami generated from an earthquake close to New Zealand, can arrive at New Zealand coastal areas within minutes.

    In this case, official warnings are unlikely to be issued before damaging waves arrive, so people in coastal areas need to take immediate action – if you feel an earthquake that makes it hard to stand, or lasts more than a minute – move immediately to higher ground or as far inland as possible.

    Remember: LONG OR STRONG, GET GONE.

    If you are near the coast

    If you are near the coast and feel an earthquake that is LONG or STRONG: GET GONE.

    A tsunami is a series of waves caused by large earthquakes. All of New Zealand’s coast line is at risk of tsunami. A tsunami wave can grow to become a fast moving wall of water.

    If you are at the coast and experience any of the following:

    • Feel a strong earthquake that makes it hard to stand up, or a weak rolling earthquake that lasts a minute or more
    • See a sudden rise or fall in sea level
    • Hear loud and unusual noises from the sea

    Move immediately to the nearest high ground, or as far inland as you can. Walk or bike if possible.

    Do not wait for official 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.

    Remember, LONG or STRONG: GET GONE.

    Tsunami Evacuation Poster - Himatangi (PDF file, 2.2 MB)

    Tsunami Evacuation Poster - Tangimoana (PDF file, 1.7 MB)

    For more information:

    For more information visit the Ministry of Health

    Every year, there are periods of dry weather that can have a disruptive impact on farms and local farming communities.

    The Ministry for Primary Industries works with local stakeholders to determine how a drought should be classified, based on its impact on the rural sector.

    Help is available to farmers, growers, and their families during drought and in the recovery period. Learn more about dealing with drought conditions here: Dealing with drought conditions | NZ Government

    For more information visit the NIWA Drought Monitor