My Account
The Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee has adopted new tsunami evacuation zone maps.
Auckland Council’s previous tsunami evacuation zone maps included three zones – red, orange and yellow. Red represented the highest risk areas while yellow represented the worst-case scenario.
New modelling showed there was little difference between the orange and yellow evacuation zones.
Principal science advisor Angela Doherty said council had invested in new tsunami inundation modelling that gave council a clearer picture on the impacts a tsunami could have.
“The new modelling takes into account more detail about how waves actually behave within our harbours and as they approach our shore,” Doherty said.
“We have transformed those models into evacuation maps which show a greatly reduced area of inundation and tsunami flood risk across the region.
“Having just two zones cuts down the confusion as to whether people are in or outside of a tsunami evacuation zone.”
The new maps are expected to be implemented by the end of this year and Doherty said it would be followed by a communication plan to keep the public informed.
