Emergency Management Southland

Emergency Management Southland Emergency Management Southland is the official Southland Civil Defence Group. Complaints about offensive material
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❄️ It’s looking to be a cold weekend ahead, so take extra care if you're out and about. Be careful on the roads, allow e...
24/07/2026

❄️ It’s looking to be a cold weekend ahead, so take extra care if you're out and about. Be careful on the roads, allow extra travel time, and keep an eye on changing weather conditions. ⚠️

There is also a chance of thunderstorms over the weekend. These can develop quickly and with little warning, bringing heavy rain, reduced visibility, hail, and strong winds that can make driving conditions hazardous.

Before you head out:
✅ Check the latest weather forecasts and warnings
✅ Allow extra time for your journey
✅ Drive to the conditions and increase following distances
✅ Make sure your phone is fully charged
✅ Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle, including warm clothing, water, and a torch

A little preparation goes a long way. Stay safe, stay warm, and keep an eye on the forecast this weekend. 🌩️

Check out the links below for some advice!
- https://getready.govt.nz/campaigns/winter
- https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/storms

The best protection against earthquakes and tsunamis is preparation. By understanding the risks, making a plan, knowing ...
20/07/2026

The best protection against earthquakes and tsunamis is preparation. By understanding the risks, making a plan, knowing safe evacuation areas, and having emergency supplies ready, people can respond quickly and safely when an event occurs.

“Preparedness isn’t panic — it’s looking after each other”

Talking about a bigger earthquake can feel uncomfortable — but being prepared isn’t about being scared. It’s about looking after ourselves and the people around us.

Southlanders are good at getting stuck in when things get tough. The more we do before an emergency, the easier it is to help each other during one.

Here are three things you can do this week:

Practise Drop, Cover and Hold.

Check your grab bag or emergency supplies.

Talk with someone nearby about how you’d support each other.

Little steps now can make a big difference later.

If you want to read more about the earthquake last week and further information on tsunami and aftershocks, visit the link below for a story by GeoNet: https://www.geonet.org.nz/response/4FfobjsssOGif2wm2Hek0Q

https://getready.govt.nz/prepared
https://www.cdsouthland.nz/get-home-ready

But the earthquake was on land – why was there a tsunami threat?" It's a question we often hear after a large earthquake...
20/07/2026

But the earthquake was on land – why was there a tsunami threat?"

It's a question we often hear after a large earthquake.

🌏 A tsunami threat isn't determined solely by whether an earthquake occurs on land or offshore. Scientists also consider the earthquake's size, depth, location, and the type of fault movement involved.

📍 In places like Fiordland, the situation can be even more complex. Fiordland's fiords are surrounded by extremely steep mountains and cliffs. A large earthquake can trigger landslides or rockfalls into the fiords, which can displace large volumes of water and create localised tsunami waves, even if the earthquake itself occurred on land.

🌊 This means that after a significant earthquake, scientists and emergency managers need to consider not only whether the seafloor moved, but also whether earthquake-triggered landslides could pose a risk to people on or near the water.

🔍 In the minutes following a large earthquake, decisions must be made quickly using the best information available at the time. If there is a possibility of a tsunami threat, warnings may be issued as a precaution while experts assess earthquake data, sea-level information, and other evidence.

⚠️ As more information becomes available, warnings may be upgraded, downgraded, or cancelled. That's not a mistake—it's the result of experts refining their assessment as the picture becomes clearer.

Remember: If you are near the coast and experience a long or strong earthquake, don't wait for an official warning. Long or Strong, Get Gone. Move immediately to higher ground or as far inland as possible.

https://getready.govt.nz/prepared
https://www.cdsouthland.nz/get-home-ready

Why Do Earthquake Magnitude and Depth Estimates Change?Following an earthquake, it's common to see the reported magnitud...
19/07/2026

Why Do Earthquake Magnitude and Depth Estimates Change?

Following an earthquake, it's common to see the reported magnitude, depth, and location change over the first few minutes or even hours. Many people wonder: "Why can't they tell us straight away?"

The answer is that determining an earthquake's size and depth isn't as simple as reading a number off a screen.

📍 Southland has fewer seismic monitoring stations than some other parts of New Zealand. When an earthquake occurs, scientists rely on data from a network of seismometers to pinpoint exactly where it happened and how large it was. If fewer stations detect the quake nearby, it can take longer to gather enough information to produce an accurate result.

🌏 Location matters. Earthquakes offshore, deep underground, or in remote areas can be more challenging to analyse because the seismic waves take longer to reach monitoring stations and there may be fewer sensors close to the source.

📊 The first estimate is just that - an estimate. Initial automated calculations are generated within minutes using available data. As more information arrives and seismologists review the data, the earthquake's magnitude, depth, and location may be refined.

🔍 Accuracy is more important than speed. Scientists work quickly to provide information, but they also want to ensure the details are as accurate as possible before issuing final assessments.

So if you notice earthquake details changing after an event, that's actually a sign the system is doing exactly what it's designed to do - continuously improving the information as more data becomes available.

Understanding what's happening beneath our feet can take a little time, especially in a region as geographically unique as Southland.

While we can't predict when the next earthquake will happen, we can be prepared for it. Taking simple steps now—such as knowing what to do during an earthquake, securing heavy items, and having emergency supplies ready—can make a real difference when seconds count. The more prepared we are, the better placed we are to look after ourselves, our whānau, and our communities.

https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/earthquakes
https://www.cdsouthland.nz/get-home-ready

Why Didn't You Send an Emergency Mobile Alert? It's a question we often hear after an emergency: "Why didn't you send an...
19/07/2026

Why Didn't You Send an Emergency Mobile Alert?

It's a question we often hear after an emergency: "Why didn't you send an Emergency Mobile Alert?"

Emergency Mobile Alerts (EMAs) are an important tool, but they are just one of several ways emergency information is shared. An alert is only sent when the situation meets strict criteria, such as posing a serious threat to life, health, or property, and when immediate action is needed from people in the affected area.

If a particular area is at immediate risk, we can send targeted EMAs, as we did last week for the Milford Sound area. You may have heard that an alert was issued and wondered why you didn’t receive it.

EMAs are broadcast through selected cellphone towers, allowing us to target alerts to the specific area at risk. Because mobile phones connect to nearby towers, some people just outside the affected area may also receive the alert. However, this targeted approach helps ensure that people who may be affected are notified without unnecessarily alerting the whole of Southland when the risk is confined to a much smaller area.

Sending too many alerts can also lead to people ignoring them in the future, so it's important they are reserved for the most serious situations.

Not every emergency will trigger an EMA. Sometimes:

📻 Other communication channels may be more effective.
⏱️ There may be sufficient time to use other warning methods.
🚨 The situation may not meet the threshold for an Emergency Mobile Alert.

That's why we encourage everyone to stay informed through multiple sources, including:
✅ Official council and emergency management channels
✅ New Zealand Police, Fire and Emergency NZ, and MetService updates
✅ Local radio stations
✅ Social media and trusted news sources
✅ Signing up to the Antenno app

Emergency Mobile Alerts are a powerful warning tool, but they are not the only source of information during an emergency. Having multiple ways to receive updates helps ensure you get the information you need, when you need it.

Emergency Mobile Alerts are also not automated messages—they are issued by real people, in real time, using the best information available at the time. Emergency management staff are members of the community too, and like everyone else, they may be asleep when an event begins overnight. When conditions change, teams are mobilised quickly to assess the situation, gather information, and make decisions about whether an alert is needed, who should receive it, and what information should be included. These decisions are made carefully and often under significant time pressure, with the safety of the community at the forefront.

Be prepared. Stay informed. Don't rely on a single source of emergency information.

https://getready.govt.nz/prepared/ema
https://www.cdsouthland.nz/get-home-ready

“How do I make a plan?” Question: Where do I even start with getting prepared? Start with a conversation. Talk with the ...
18/07/2026

“How do I make a plan?”

Question: Where do I even start with getting prepared?

Start with a conversation.
Talk with the people you live with, work with, care for, or rely on.

Ask:
✅ Where will we meet if we can’t get home?
✅ How will we contact each other if phones are overloaded?
✅ Who might need extra help?
✅ Who nearby could we check on?
✅What would we do if we had no power, water or internet?
✅ If we’re near the coast, where can we go that is safe?

You don’t need to solve everything at once. A good plan is one that everyone understands and has practised.

This week’s challenge: pick one question from the list and talk it through over dinner, smoko, school pick-up or coffee.

“What should coastal communities know?”

Southland has coastal communities where a strong or long earthquake could also mean tsunami risk. 🌊🌊

If you live, work, visit, fish, surf, camp or holiday near the coast, make sure you know:

➡️ Whether you are in a tsunami hazard zone
➡️ Where your nearest safe place is
➡️ The quickest walking route to get there
➡️ What you would take if you had to leave quickly
➡️ Who you need to help or check on

If the earthquake is long or strong, don’t wait. Move immediately to higher ground or as far inland as you can once the shaking stops.

Then stay there until official advice says it is safe to return. There could be multiple waves, and the first wave may not be the largest.

https://www.cdsouthland.nz/get-home-ready
https://getready.govt.nz/prepared

“What should I do during the shaking?” 😵‍💫Question: If a bigger earthquake strikes, should I run outside? In most situat...
18/07/2026

“What should I do during the shaking?” 😵‍💫

Question: If a bigger earthquake strikes, should I run outside?

In most situations, no. Moving during strong shaking can put you at greater risk of falling or being hit by things breaking or falling around you.

The safest first action is:

➡️ Drop — get low so you’re less likely to be knocked over.

➡️ Cover — protect your head and neck under sturdy furniture if you can.

➡️ Hold — hold on until the shaking stops.

Ask any little people you know, they can show you how to do 'the Turtle' 🐢

If you can’t get under a table, cover your head and neck with your arms and hands. If you use a wheelchair or walker, lock, cover and hold. If you’re in bed, stay there and cover your head and neck with a pillow.

Practise it now, so it’s automatic when the ground starts moving.


“What should be in my grab bag?”

If a bigger earthquake strikes, you may need to leave quickly 🏃‍♂️‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️— or you may need to stay home 🏠 without power, water or easy access to shops for a while.

A grab bag doesn’t have to be fancy. Start with what you already have.

Useful things to include:

✅ Water and snacks
✅ Medication and glasses
✅ Phone charger or power bank
✅ Torch and batteries
✅ First aid items
✅ Warm clothing and sturdy shoes
✅ Important documents or copies
✅ Supplies for babies, pets, older people or anyone with specific needs

Keep it somewhere easy to grab — and make sure everyone in your household knows where it is.

Preparedness is easier when we do it one step at a time. What’s one thing you could add to your grab bag today?

https://www.cdsouthland.nz/get-home-ready
https://getready.govt.nz/prepared

17/07/2026

Last night’s earthquake was a timely reminder that earthquakes happen without warning and that Southland is no stranger to natural hazards. It got many of you asking the same questions, so over the coming days we'll be answering some of the most common questions we received about earthquakes, tsunami warnings, emergency alerts and how to get your household ready. A few simple steps taken now can make a big difference when it matters most.

Will there be an official warning before we need to act?
No — not always.
For some emergencies, including a local source tsunami, experts need time to assess the risk and issue official advice. There may not be enough time for an official alert before the first wave arrives. For local earthquakes, there may only be minutes.

That’s why natural warning signs matter.
If you are near the coast and feel an earthquake that is long or strong — shaking that lasts longer than a minute, or is strong enough that it’s hard to stand — get gone.

That means:
• Drop, Cover and Hold while the shaking is happening
• As soon as the shaking stops, move immediately to higher ground or as far inland as you can
• Don’t wait for an official warning
• Stay there until you’re told it’s safe to return

Official warnings are important — but in a local source tsunami, the earthquake may be your first and only warning.

You don’t need to wait for us, NEMA, a post, or an alert. Protect yourself from the shaking first, then move to safety if you are in a potential tsunami hazard area.

https://getready.govt.nz/emergency
https://cdsouthland.nz/get-home-ready

16/07/2026

Further UPDATE 11:29pm

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.

This means we do NOT expect strong and unusual current and unpredictable surges at the shore.

16/07/2026

Hey Murihiku Southland. We experienced a pretty decent shake this evening and there was a bit of mixed information around the magnitude and what people should be doing.

It was initially assessed at 6.3 Magnitude, but after the experts completed their assessments, it was downgraded to 5.9, which is below the threshold to generate a tsunami.

We’re still expecting some strong and unusual currents from Milford Sound to Puysegur Point for some time. Boaties, those on live-aboards and in marinas should leave their boats and move onto shore.

This is a great reminder that if you feel a strong earthquake that last longer than 1 minute and live in a coastal area, you should move to higher ground. Don’t wait for official warnings.

Please note NZ Civil Defence website is down. 11:07pm

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