Kāpiti Coast District Council - earthquakes felt in Kāpiti today

UPDATE AT 8.35am

We’re continuing to look into reports of murky water in Waikanae and in several other locations in the district.

It is likely the movement of the ground has disturbed material sitting in the bottom of the pipes. Our team is checking to make sure it is not something more serious.

In the meantime it is advised flushing the taps in your house should help, but it may make some time to clear.

The procedure for flushing your house is to:
· Start at an outside tap at the front of the house and run it fully open for 10 minutes

· Then flush the COLD taps starting from the bathroom and then the laundry and last the kitchen until they run clear.

If still doesn’t clear and you remain concerned you may want to boil your drinking water.

All of the Council’s Water and Wastewater Plants are undamaged and are running as normal.

Please stay clear of the Civic Theatre in Ōtaki because it’s an earthquake-prone building and is yet to be checked.

If there are any questions please contact our customer services team on 0800 486 486.

ends

Earlier:

UPDATE AT 6.58am The Kāpiti Emergency Operations Centre has been activated. We're continuing to monitor the situation and have staff out checking community facilities and infrastructure. There is no reports of significant damage in Kāpiti, but we are expecting to get a clearer idea at day break.

There is an official warning in place to stay away from beaches due to a tsunami threat – in Kāpiti the red zone for tsunami is the beaches.

You can stay in your own homes, but please stay off the beach and away from tidal estuaries. If you feel a long and strong earthquake at any stage that you are worried about please self-evacuate – there are no tsunami sirens in Kāpiti.

All council buildings are closed until further notice – this includes libraries, pools, council service centres and all council halls. Our building team is carrying our inspections on major public buildings and we will provided updates as and when we can.

Our council call centre will be operating as normally, so you can contact us 0800 486 486 if you require assistance.

If people are at all concerned about their safety inside their homes please relocate to family and friends, and contact your insurer to report damage.

For people wanting to know about power outages Electra will be best in the first instance, but when we become aware of outages we will make information available on our website.

For those wanting to travel to Wellington it’s strongly advised not to travel into the CBD today. It appears there are damages around the city, especially in high rise buildings.

Some buildings have suffered internal damages and need to be checked by building inspectors. If you have concerns speak to your building manager. Check with your employer for any specific guidance related to your work place.

The situation could change for us in Kāpiti, but we will let you know if this happens via our Facebook page and website www.kapiticoast.govt.nz

What to do after an earthquake ...

Expect aftershocks and remember to drop, cover and hold.

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

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.

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

Listen to the radio for updated emergency information and instructions.

Do not overload phone lines with non-emergency calls.

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.

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