Message No: 2

Issued 21:44 08 September 2023

Issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

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

NEMA has assessed the information with the assistance of scientific advisors. Based on current information, the initial assessment is that the earthquake is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will pose a threat to New Zealand.

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. NEMA, 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.

Only messages issued by the National Emergency Management Agency represent the official warning status for New Zealand. Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre messages do not represent the official warning status for New Zealand.

This will be the final message via the National Warning System for this event unless the event parameters change significantly. 

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 National Emergency Management Agency is monitoring the situation.

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