Tsunami warning issued for areas across the North Island
UPDATE
March 5
3:50pm
Civil Defence has announced that the National Advisory issued following the earthquakes near the Kermadec Islands region is cancelled.
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UPDATE
March 5
3:09pm
The tsunami threat to New Zealand has been further downgraded.
In a statement, Civil Defence announced that while there is no longer a tsunami threat to coastal areas, there are still areas under a beach and marine threat.
These include:
- The North Cape from Ahipara to the Bay of Islands
- Cape Runaway to Tolaga Bay
- Great Barrier Island
- The Chatham Islands
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UPDATE
March 5
1:38pm
The latest from Civil Defence:
"GNS Science has advised that the largest waves have now passed, and therefore the threat level is now downgraded to a Beach and Marine threat for all areas which were previously under Land and Marine threat.
All people who evacuated can now return.
The advice remains, for all areas under Beach and Marine threat, to stay off beach and shore areas."
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UPDATE
March 5
11:46am
Minister for Civil Defence Kiri Allan is giving an update to media at the Beehive. She is joined by Civil Defence Controller Roger Ball and GNS's scientist Bill Fry.
What you need to know:
- Allan thanked all people for following all the relevant advice from authorities.
- Those that have moved inland or to higher ground, must stay there until the official 'all clear' is given.
- The National Crisis Management Agency has been activated.
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UPDATE
March 5
10:49am
The Latest from Civil Defence:
Flooding of land areas is expected in the following areas:
The West Coast of the North Island from Cape Reinga to Ahipara.
The East Coast of the North Island from Cape Reinga to Whangarei, from Matata to Tolaga Bay including Whakatane and Opotiki.
And Great Barrier Island.
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UPDATE
March 5
09:52am
The Pacific Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre say the first waves could reach the top of the North Island by 10.20am.
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A magnitude 8.1 earthquake has struck off the coast of the Kermadec Islands.
What you need to know:
Civil Defence has issued a warning to all people near the coast in the following areas:
- The East Coast of the North Island from the Bay of Islands to Whangarei
- Matata to Tolaga Bay including Whakatane and Opotiki
- Great Barrier Island
Civil Defence says residents must move to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible.
The earthquake may not have been felt in some of these areas, but evacuation should be immediate as a damaging tsunami is possible.
Any direction given by Civil Defence officials overrides the current alert level rules and restrictions. Try to keep a physical distance of 2 metres from others.
To keep up to date with the latest, head to the Civil Defence Website.
Neighbourly will be updating this message as further information comes to hand
Photo credit: National Emergency Management Agency
What workplace change would you like to see most?
This coming Monday is Labour Day in New Zealand. This public holiday marks when the eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek became law in 1899. The idea started with Samuel Parnell, a carpenter in Wellington, who in 1840 refused to work more than eight hours a day. Since skilled workers were in short supply, his employer had to agree.
As more skilled workers arrived, employers tried to change working conditions, but Parnell and others kept pushing for better rights. In 1890, Parnell led a Labour Day parade of 1,500 people to promote the eight-hour day. He passed away shortly after, and nine years later, Labour Day became an official public holiday.
Do you feel that we have reached the ideal in working environments yet? What rights are you passionate about relating to employment? Share your thoughts!
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
Poll: Does grocery bagging affect where you shop?
There's only a few differences between our larger chain supermarkets here in New Zealand. Having someone bag your groceries is one of them.
Does having your groceries packed for you at the checkout influence where you do your grocery shop? If so, tell us why.
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24.1% Yes
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75.1% No
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0.7% Other - I'll share below