1 March 2010
The Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is concerned some people ignored the tsunami warning and headed to Coromandel beaches yesterday.
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management cancelled the national advisory at 8am this morning but advises people to exercise caution in harbours and coastal areas because some wave activity is continuing.
Group controller Scott Fowlds said most people heeded the warnings over the weekend and he thanked boaties and other recreational beach goers for their cooperation.
“But some people chose to ignore how serious the situation was and continued with their plans to go into the water despite emergency services and harbour masters informing them of the potential danger and widespread media warnings,” he said.
Mr Fowlds said rapid changes in water level of up to 1.2 metres were recorded at Whitianga, while there were reports of surges in harbour areas elsewhere on the Coromandel.
“On this occasion we were lucky no one was hurt.”
Mr Fowlds said the Waikato group would be working with its counterparts around New Zealand to look at ways of managing people’s access to beaches during tsunami alerts in the future.
For more information visit www.waikatoregioncdemg.govt.nz.
The Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is concerned some people ignored the tsunami warning and headed to Coromandel beaches yesterday.
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management cancelled the national advisory at 8am this morning but advises people to exercise caution in harbours and coastal areas because some wave activity is continuing.
Group controller Scott Fowlds said most people heeded the warnings over the weekend and he thanked boaties and other recreational beach goers for their cooperation.
"But some people chose to ignore how serious the situation was and continued with their plans to go into the water despite emergency services and harbour masters informing them of the potential danger and widespread media warnings," he said.
Mr Fowlds said rapid changes in water level of up to 1.2 metres were recorded at Whitianga, while there were reports of surges in harbour areas elsewhere on the Coromandel.
"On this occasion we were lucky no one was hurt."
Mr Fowlds said the Waikato group would be working with its counterparts around New Zealand to look at ways of managing people’s access to beaches during tsunami alerts in the future.
For more information visit
www.waikatoregioncdemg.govt.nz.
Media contact:
Karen Bennett
Waikato CDEM Public Information Manager
021 791 995
Karen Bennett
Waikato CDEM Public Information Manager
021 791 995
This media item was current at its release date. The facts or figures it contains may have changed since its original publication.