We're helping Kāpiti get Tsunami ready - Door-knocking in Waikanae and Peka Peka this Sunday

A reminder for Waikanae and Peka Peka residents who live in the tsunami evacuation zones. This Sunday the Kāpiti Coast District Council will be door-knocking with help from Red Cross, Volunteer Kāpiti, WREMO and MCDEM to help Kāpiti get tsunami ready. Once we’ve finished door-knocking these communities, our door-knockers will take a break over Queen’s Birthday before moving on to Raumati. 

The November 2016 Kaikoura earthquake raised concerns about tsunami awareness and preparedness in Kāpiti and nationally.

Group Manager Corporate Services Wayne Maxwell says that it’s important to work together as a community to protect ourselves and be prepared.

“In Kāpiti there are over 8000 properties sitting in tsunami evacuation zones, and over 20,000 people living in those zones. We know from tsunami overseas that it’s important not to get complacent and that planning can save lives, so we want to help people get better prepared,” says Mr Maxwell.

“Research we carried out in February 2017 shows that around 20% of people in a zone don’t know they are. So if you’re in a tsunami evacuation zone you can expect a knock on the door during the weekend in the coming months. It’ll be our Council reps and volunteers dropping by to hand over some detailed information about tsunami – the warning signs, and what to do and where to go if one hits the Coast. We’ll start in Waikanae then work our way around Kāpiti to spread the word about what you can do to prepare your household. And if you’re not there we’ll pop the info in your letterbox,” says Mr Maxwell.

The Council will also host drop-in info sessions in each community to answer any questions and have a community conversation about warning systems in Kāpiti. These will kick off in Waikanae on 7 June.

“We know that there was confusion after the November earthquake within our community around whether or not people living in evacuation zones should evacuate, and that some were concerned about the absence of tsunami warning sirens,” says Mr Maxwell. 

“These sessions are a chance for the community to come and talk to us about what’s in place, and the pros and cons of different options we could consider in the future.”