Christchurch’s coastal tsunami warning sirens will be re-tested in July after the last planned test in April failed to go off.
Forty-five sirens between Brooklands and Taylors Mistake will sound for up to three minutes at 11am on Sunday, July 13.
Christchurch City Council civil defence and emergency management manager, Brenden Winder, said residents will hear a tone followed by a message: "This is a test of the tsunami warning sirens. Do not be alarmed. This is only a test."
The new testing date has been set after the sirens failed to go off on April 6 due to human error.
The scheduled testing of the 45 sirens between Brooklands and Taylors Mistake failed when the sole operator of the technology, based in Auckland, was dealing with a car accident outside their house at the time the sirens were scheduled to go off.
There are now concerns the siren network is unfit for purpose as a primary emergency mechanism due to its age and outdated technology.
The current multi-modal warning system incorporates emergency mobile alerts (EMAs), radio broadcasts, emergency services, traditional and social media, and sirens.
There is a proposal to reduce the 45 sirens to about 10, located at specific points where the efficiency of alerting systems such as EMAs may be reduced. This will be discussed by the city council on June 10.
Winder said it is important the sirens are re-tested to ensure they work effectively.
"We recognise the critical importance of testing the tsunami sirens and acknowledge the confusion that the earlier failed test created,” he said.
"We’ve had discussions with our supplier and we have sufficient safeguards in place to ensure this test will go ahead as planned. It is only a test and there is no need for anyone to evacuate.”
Winder said reminders will also be put out closer to the testing date.
In the event of a real immediate tsunami threat, Winder said Civil Defence and police will use the cellphone-based Emergency Mobile Alert system, radio, television, social media, sirens and local community networks to alert residents.
- To find out whether you live or work in a tsunami evacuation zone, visit the city council’s interactive online map.
