The “worst-case scenario” for a landslide hitting Piopiotahi/Milford Sound and causing a tsunami is among work underway on risks facing the tourist hot spot.

Research has already discovered the village could be struck in minutes by a tsunami in the area, with limited evacuation options.

The devastating Nepal disaster also came up during the discussion of an Emergency Management Southland report on Friday, which focused on landslides triggering a tsunami.

Large landslides had occurred in the past, and an Alpine Fault earthquake could trigger those in the future, the report said, “potentially creating tsunami that reach visitor and village areas within minutes”.

Southland mayor Rob Scott referenced the recent Nepal flooding — believed to have been caused by a glacial collapse.

“Given what’s just happened in Nepal I always look at these things and translate that similar risk. And I mean that is a very likely risk in Milford,” he said.

The report showed the next stage of work was already underway and involved modelling which would test different landslide scenarios and explore “typical” and “worst-case” events.

It also warned that recent research had highlighted “limited evacuation options and very short response times in certain scenarios”.

A range of outcomes were expected from the project including understanding the size of tsunami, how quickly waves could arrive, areas most likely to be inundated, and changes to impact based on the location and size of a landslide.

Emergency management group chair Phil Morrison said although some tsunami modelling was yet to be completed, the risk in the interim could not be ignored.

He requested that an update be brought back to the group on interim risk and management arrangements for Piopiotahi/Milford Sound, which was agreed on.

Tsunami threats are not new to the Milford Sound Community, with a separate report noting the July 16 earthquake had resulted in an evacuation alert.

The 5.9 magnitude earthquake happened at 9.14pm, 40km north of Te Anau, although the advisory for strong and unusual currents was later cancelled.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.