Southland Civil Defence controller Ken Swinney said that there are no plans to evacuate any Southland communities at this stage, as the wave height is expected to be no more than 1 metre.
It is very important that the public keeps away from all beaches and shorelines.
"Anyone who is whitebaiting in the lower reaches of any Southland river is advised to move away from the coast," Mr Swinney said.
"We recommend that owners of small boats in shallow bays move to deeper water where practicable and that owners of moored boats check their moorings and be prepared to move if necessary.
Southland residents are advised to continue listening to their radios for any instructions from Civil Defence.
"We are working very closely with the police and fire service, who are deploying staff to coastal communities. We are also in contact with major industries around the coast," Mr Swinney said,
While the predicted wave height is not expected to cause damage, there is also likely to be a period of fluctuations in sea level and currents around the Southland coast from 10.30am. Strong currents and sudden changes in current direction may also occur.
The first sign of a tsunami may be a decrease in water level or the sea receding from the coast, rather than an incoming wave. The effects will be more noticeable in shallow water and the effects may last for several hours.
Mr Swinney said that people who live in coastal areas should continue listening to More FM, Classic Hits or Newstalk ZB radio stations for further instructions.
