A tsunami is a series of ocean waves with very long wavelengths caused by large scale disturbances of the ocean. Most tsunamis are caused by large magnitude, shallow earthquakes that rupture the sea floor. Tsunami can be locally sourced and rapidly arrive onshore with little warning time. Others can occur from distant sources with the tsunami wave travelling across oceans before arriving onshore allowing for much longer warning times.
Tsunami can cause serious coastal flooding and deposition of debris to coastal areas. The impacts of large tsunami can extend many kilometres in land. Tsunami can cause considerable damage to buildings, infrastructure and land. They also can also result in injury or loss of life. Low-lying areas by the coast are the most exposed to a tsunami hazard.
The Council does not specifically address tsunami hazard through planning controls in the Tasman Resource Management Plan (TRMP) given the very low probability of occurrence of a significant tsunami event impacting the district. There are other provisions in the TRMP addressing coastal hazards and sea level rise that limit development on low-lying coastal land. These provisions indirectly limit the exposure of people and property to smaller tsunami (less than 1m). The Council focuses on avoiding injury and loss of life from tsunami by providing education and information for evacuation through our civil defence functions.
View the Nelson Tasman Emergency Management’s Tsunami Evacuation Maps.(external link)
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