National Advisory: Earthquake

No: 01

Issued 0020 hours 14 November 2016.

The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM) has issued an earthquake advisory. An earthquake has occurred with these parameters:

NZ time: 0002 hours 14 November 2016
Location: 20 km south-east of Hamner Springs
Co-ordinates: -42.63, 172.99
Depth (Focal Depth): 16 km
Magnitude: 6.6

The above magnitude is provisional and may be increased or decreased as more seismic data becomes available.

The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM) is assessing information with the assistance of scientific advisors and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups.

People in the affected area should:

1. Expect aftershocks and remember to drop, cover and hold.

2. Look after yourself and get first aid if necessary. Help others if you can.

3. Assess your home or workplace for damage. If the building appears unsafe get everyone out. Use the stairs, not an elevator and when outside, watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines. Stay out of damaged areas.

4. Look for and extinguish small fires if it is safe to do so. Fire is a significant hazard following earthquakes.

5. Listen to the radio for updated emergency information and instructions.

6. Do not overload phone lines with non-emergency calls.

7. Help people who require special assistance – infants, elderly people, those without transportation, families who may need additional help, people with disabilities and the people who care for them.

Detailed safety advice will come from local authorities and emergency services in the area. People should act on it promptly. MCDEM, local civil defence authorities and scientific advisors are closely monitoring the situation.

This advisory has been issued to all local civil defence authorities, emergency services, other agencies and media.

Information for emergency managers

Local and regional/Group Civil Defence Emergency Management must:

1. Activate appropriate response coordination arrangements and communication processes.

2. Establish contact with the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) once they have activated and inform NCMC of actions taken (CDEM Groups only).

3. Local CDEM must act in coordination with regional/Group CDEM.

4. Local emergency services must establish and maintain active response coordination with respective local and regional/Group CDEM.

The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management is monitoring the situation

Further updates

This will be the only message issued via the national warning system. Further updates will be issued as information becomes available and will be communicated using normal means, including media releases.

Useful websites

http://www.civildefence.govt.nz

http://www.getthru.govt.nz

Issued by:
Message authorised by the National Controller, Civil Defence Emergency Management.

End of Message

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