Otago Civil Defence and Emergency Management

23/07/2026

Good afternoon Otago👋 - During an emergency, it's important to know the different ways you can stay informed.

We encourage you to use multiple channels to stay up to date including:
🌧️Natural warning signs (trust your danger sense)
📻 Local radio and television broadcasts
🌦️ MetService forecasts and warnings
📱 Emergency Mobile Alerts
📍 Otago CDEM page and website
📲 Official social media accounts from emergency agencies, lifeline utilties and local authorities

Having more than one source of official information helps ensure you can access the latest advice and updates when you need them.

Learn more about ways to stay informed at: https://www.otagocdem.govt.nz/useful-stuff

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Otago Regional Council Clutha District Council Otago Rural Support Trust Stronger Waitaki
Taieri Network The Valley Project Upper Clutha Community Notices Southern Corridor Resilience Group South Dunedin Community Network Aurora Energy Network Waitaki East Otago Catchment Group NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi - Otago & Southland

Image description: Graphic shows three official sources of emergency information: a portable radio, a laptop displaying a Civil Defence website and a smartphone displaying a "Stay Safe" message. The Get Ready logo appears in the bottom right.

19/07/2026

🎉 Meet the winners of our Community Resilience Survey grab bags! Our five lucky winners have now received their prizes and we have the photos to prove it!

Congratulations go to:
Amy - Waitaki District
Sam- Clutha District
Simon - Queenstown Lakes District
Julie - Central Otago District
Monisha - Dunedin City

A huge thank you to everyone who completed the survey. Your feedback will help us better understand community preparedness and identify ways to strengthen resilience across Otago.

We’re currently reviewing the survey responses and will share the results in the near future.

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you for helping us build a safer, more prepared Otago. 💛🖤

If you're looking for ideas on what to include in your Grab Bag, head over to our website for some great preparedness information: https://www.otagocdem.govt.nz/get-your-home-ready

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Clutha District Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council

Images: Amy and family, Julie, Sam and Simon with their new Grab Bags!

16/07/2026

‼️11.28PM FINAL UPDATE FROM NZ CIVIL DEFENCE- NATIONAL ADVISORY: TSUNAMI ACTIVITY – CANCELLED ‼️

The National Advisory issued following the magnitude 5.9 earthquake near 40 km north of Te Anau at 2026-07-16 09:14 PM New Zealand Standard Time is cancelled.

The advisory has been cancelled because no tsunami signals have been detected by Earth Sciences NZ for approximately the past two hours following the event. This indicates that there is no ongoing tsunami activity affecting the area, and the threat has now passed.
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Hi folks, this will be our last post for tonight, hope everyone is feeling ok and can get some sleep! 😊

🌏 Remember everywhere in New Zealand is exposed to earthquake hazard and earthquakes can trigger other hazards such as tsunami, landslides, floods and fires.

🔦📋Make and practise your emergency plan, have a grab bag and emergency supplies.

⬇️Drop, Cover and Hold is the right action to take during 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.

🏃‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️It is important to recognise the natural warning signs of a tsunami and if an earthquake is Long or Strong, Get Gone.

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Clutha District Council Otago Regional Council Otago Rural Support Trust

16/07/2026

‼️TO CONFIRM - Tsunami Warning has been downgraded to an Advisory and there is no need to evacuate - expect strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore , more information below‼️

Issued 22:01 16 July 2026
This message is current and replaces all/any previous messages for this event.
UPDATE: This advisory represents a DOWNGRADE from WARNING. The reason for this downgrade is because the magnitude of the earthquake has been revised down to M5.9
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NATIONAL ADVISORY: TSUNAMI ACTIVITY – EXPECT STRONG AND UNUSUAL CURRENTS AND UNPREDICTABLE SURGES AT THE SHORE
We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore following a magnitude 5.9 earthquake near 40 km north of Te Anau at 2026-07-16 09:14 PM.

Strong currents and surges can injure and drown people. There is a danger to swimmers, surfers, people fishing, and anyone in or near the water close to shore.
People in or near the sea in the following areas should move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, marinas, rivers and estuaries.

AREAS UNDER THREAT:

The West Coast of the South Island from MILFORD SOUND to PUYSEGUR POINT.

ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN AREAS UNDER THREAT:
STAY OFF THE BEACHES AND SHORE AREAS
People on boats, live-aboards and at marinas should leave their boats/vessels and move onto shore. Do not return to boats unless instructed by officials.
There is no need to evacuate other areas unless directly advised by local civil defence authorities. Coastal inundation (flooding of land areas near the shore) is not expected as a result of this event. We are advising people to:
• Move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, marinas, rivers and estuaries.
• Do not go to the coast to watch the unusual wave activity as there may be dangerous and unpredictable surges.
• Listen to local civil defence authorities and follow any instructions.
• Share this information with family, neighbours and friends.
Queenstown Lakes District Council

16/07/2026

WARNING HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED, SEE NEW POST ABOVE

‼️IMMEDIATE EVACUATION REQUIRED‼️ - This is a Tsunami Warning for coastal areas following the magnitude 6.3 earthquake near 40 km north of Te Anau.

AREAS UNDER THREAT: Land inundation is likely in the following areas. People near the coast in the following areas must MOVE IMMEDIATELY to the nearest high ground, out of tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible:

‼️The West Coast of the South Island from MILFORD SOUND to PUYSEGUR POINT.‼️

Listen to local Civil Defence authorities and follow any instructions regarding evacuation of your area. If you are told to evacuate do not stay at home.

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

Do not return until an official all-clear message is given by Civil Defence.

Walk, run or cycle if at all possible to reduce the chances of getting stuck in traffic congestion.

The first wave may not be the largest. Tsunami activity will continue for several hours and the threat is real until this warning is cancelled.

PEOPLE IN ALL OTHER AREAS who felt a LONG or STRONG earthquake that made it hard to stand up, or lasted longer than a minute, should MOVE IMMEDIATELY to the nearest high ground, out of tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible. DO NOT STAY AT HOME.

The National Emergency Management Agency and GNS Science will continue to assess the threat and provide an update within an hour.

An Emergency Mobile Alert will be issued to the areas under land threat. People who are near the coast and felt the earthquake LONG OR STRONG, or are near the coast in the AREAS UNDER LAND THREAT listed above, should MOVE NOW. DO NOT WAIT.

People in all New Zealand coastal areas should:
1. Listen to the radio and/or TV for updates, and NZCivilDefence Twitter
2. Listen to local Civil Defence authorities
3. Stay out of the water (sea, rivers and estuaries, this includes boats)
4. Stay off beaches and shore areas
5. Do not go sightseeing
6. Share this information with family, neighbours and friends
Queenstown Lakes District Council Otago Rural Support Trust Central Otago District Council Otago Rural Support Trust

16/07/2026

Did you feel that? A preliminary 6.3 earthquake, 40kms north of Te Anau at a depth of 53km has been widely felt across the South Island.

We hope everyone is ok, check on friends and neighbours to see how they are and remember Drop, Cover and Hold is the correct action to take in an earthquake.

Waitaki District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Central Otago District Council Dunedin City Council Clutha District Council Otago Regional Council Otago - Fire and Emergency Otago Rural Support Trust

06/07/2026

MetService have issued a Severe Weather Watch for Coastal Otago.

A brief period of heavy rain returns to eastern Otago and with many areas already experiencing saturated ground from recent rainfall, even moderate amounts of additional rain could lead to surface flooding, rising streams and rivers, slips and hazardous driving conditions.

Stay up to date with the latest forecasts and be prepared to adjust your plans if conditions change.

🟡Heavy Rain Watch 🟡

Area: Coastal Otago north of the Clutha River
Period: 12 hours from 3:00am Wed 8 Jul to 3:00pm Wed 8 Jul
Forecast: A period of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.

Keep an eye on the latest forecasts here: https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home

Stay safe everyone 💙

Waitaki District Council Dunedin City Council Clutha District Council
Otago Regional Council Otago - Fire and Emergency

Image description: Map of the South Island highlighting yellow , orange and red areas under watches or warnings.

06/07/2026

📢UPDATE:

While most of the rainfall has passed, various crews are still working tonight and the days ahead, especially in affected areas – clearing debris and drains, checking infrastructure and attending callouts from people. 🤝

Waitaki will remain in a State of Emergency overnight and have people monitoring the situation and supporting the community.

We’ll be keeping eyes on the situation throughout Otago. 🔎

Remember to:

🏠 Stay home in affected areas, unless travel is absolutely necessary (drive to the conditions).

🚗 Never drive through floodwater.

⚠️ Watch for slips, debris and damaged road surfaces.

☣️ Treat floodwater as contaminated — floodwater and things that touched it, including sandbags, should be handled carefully (wear gloves).

🚧 Check the NZTA website for state highway closures: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/otago

🛣️ For local road closures, check your local council websites for info.

🌧️Keep up to date with all weather forecasts: https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home -south

📞If there in an immediate risk to life or property, please call 111.

Stay safe, keep warm and look after your neighbours. ❤️

Pictured below:
An orange flooding sign on a road with traffic in the background.

Dunedin City Council Waitaki District Council Clutha District Council Central Otago District Council Queenstown Lakes District Council

06/07/2026

💪🙌

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