We are advising people to: • Move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, rivers and estuaries.• Do not go to the coast to watch the unusual wave activity as there may be dangerous and unpredictable surges. An EMA will be issued to areas under land and marine tsunami threat. "I think it's important for people just to stay up-to-date with the information as it comes through and if you are aware of people that you may know - family or friends - who may go out for a boating activity or fishing, swimming ... first thing in the morning - please do let them know, if they're in those parts of New Zealand.". A third earthquake, of 8.1 magnitude, struck at 7:28 pm UTC in the middle of the ocean near the Kermadec Islands, spurring a tsunami warning … The area under threat was further downgraded at around 3pm to the North Cape from Ahipara to the Bay of Islands, the east coast of the North Island from Cape Runaway to Tolaga Bay, and Great Barrier Island, and the Chatham Islands. People gather on high ground in Whangarei, New Zealand, as a tsunami warning is issued Friday, March 5, 2021. • Authorities have cancelled a tsunami advisory for coastal parts of NZ, predominantly in Northland• It was issued after a 7.7 earthquake near New Caledonia at 2.20am this morning• Civil Defence says NZ can expect strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore.• However people in coastal parts of NZ warned to remain cautious for rest of today due to potential for 'large unexpected currents'. — National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) March 4, 2021 People watch for signs of a tsunami from a hill above Papamoa Beach, New Zealand, as a tsunami warning is issued Friday, March 5, 2021. Her first thought was “Bugger it”, she said. The closest large town to the epicentre was Gisborne, with a population of about 35,500. Traffic jams were reported as residents hurried to evacuate, though people were remaining calm. A powerful earthquake struck in … “All people who evacuated can now return. According to the New Zealand National Emergency Management Agency, the 8.1- magnitude earthquake was the third to strike the area on Friday morning local time. This map shows the affected areas. Most others described it as light. The quake struck about 2.20 this morning New Zealand time, with an epicentre 401km east of Tadine in New Caledonia. In Wellington there is no need for anyone to evacuate in the region, however the local Emergency Management Office (WREMO), is asking people to beware of water conditions. It said the quake occurred at a depth of about six miles (10km). We have issued a TSUNAMI WARNING for New Zealand coastal areas following the magnitude 7.3 earthquake near EAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND. Coastal inundation (flooding of land areas near the shore) is not expected as a result of this event. In Auckland the Coastguard is telling boaties in the potentially threatened areas to get out of the water. New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) issued a tsunami warning saying areas under threat were from the Bay of Islands to Whangarei, from Matata to Tolaga Bay including Whakatane and Opotiki, and the Great Barrier Island. New Zealand does have a Tsunami Gauge Network and therefore vigilance over the short to medium term would allow broadcasting early warnings in the event of a future tsunami due to an aftershock. It says the threat must be regarded as real until this advisory is cancelled. Strong currents and surges can injure and drown people. The threat of tsunamis was ongoing he said, adding “the first wave may not be the largest”. AREAS UNDER THREAT:From AHIPARA to BAY OF ISLANDS, GREAT BARRIER ISLAND and from MATATA to TOLAGA BAY. There was no need to evacuate other areas, unless directly advised by local Civil Defence authorities. They were the northern tip of the country from Ahipara on the west coast around to the Bay of Islands on the east; Great Barrier Island, and from Matata to Tolaga Bay. — National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) March 5, 2021 The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also issued a tsunami watch for Hawaii, which was later canceled. (AP Photo) Ruakākā resident Rhys Owen told Stuff he received an emergency alert on his phone and later heard sirens sounding. New Zealand is on alert after three powerful earthquakes triggered a tsunami threat across the Pacific. As long as we can get to higher ground, we’ll be fine.” He said there were a few trees along the road, so “if we have to get out and clamber up we will”. The US Tsunami Warning System says there's also a potential for tsunami waves of 0.3 to one metre above the tide level, for other regions including Vanuatu and Fiji. We have issued a TSUNAMI WARNING for New Zealand coastal areas following the magnitude 7.3 earthquake near EAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND. "Based on the most recent modelling and decreasing tsunami amplitudes at North Cape, Great Barrier Island and the East Cape, the tsunami threat has passed for New Zealand," the National Emergency Management Agency said. And on Twitter, residents posted video of a tsunami wave rolling into Tokomaru Bay north of Gisborne. In 2011 a 6.3-magnitude quake hit the city of Christchurch, killing 185 people and destroying much of the city centre. The earthquake struck 1,000 kilometers in New Zealand and did not appear to cause any injuries or damage. There is a danger to swimmers, surfers, people fishing, small boats and anyone in or near the water close to shore. This warning was later lifted. He is at 50m depth, the minimum advised by authorities, and does not seem especially fazed by the tsunami … People watch for signs of a tsunami from a hill above Papamoa Beach, New Zealand, as a tsunami warning is issued March 5, 2021. At 2:27 a.m. local time (March 5), an Mw 7.3 earthquake occurred only 20 km offshore the North Island at a depth of 20 km and was the trigger for the first tsunami warning issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of New Zealand. An EMA will be issued to areas under land and marine tsunami threat. People in or near the sea in these areas should move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, rivers and estuaries. Three tsunami warnings in one day is not commonplace in New Zealand, but that is what occurred on March 4, 2021, UTC. In Whangārei, north of Auckland, witnesses said the tide was going out when it was supposed to becoming in. No incidents related to the tsunami warning had been reported to the Coastguard as of about 5.30am, she said. Anyone heading out on the water this morning should keep an eye out for strong currents or unusual wave activity. A powerful magnitude … 05/03/2021. Radio New Zealand’s Kathryn Ryan is speaking to a man on a boat off Tutukaka. There is no tsunami threat in all other areas. There is a LAND and MARINE TSUNAMI THREAT. Motorists who normally use coastal roads in these affected areas should consider delaying their journey this morning until NEMA are able to provide further updates. • People in or near the sea in the following areas should move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, rivers and estuaries. Mission Bay beach is shown nearly empty of people due to a tsunami warning following a series of earthquakes on March 05, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. — National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) March 4, 2021 #Tsunami rolling into #TokomaruBay #eqnz pic.twitter.com/G7hVA9AcoM. National Advisory: Tsunami activity – expect strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore. More info at https://t.co/ccVFYQQoBr pic.twitter.com/P5mDRG490q. A National Emergency Management Agency release says the … The US Geological Survey initially recorded the quake at 7.3, then revised it down to 6.9. “Hope everyone is OK out there – especially on the east coast, who would have felt the full force of that earthquake,” the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, posted on Instagram. • The first tsunami activity causing these strong currents and surges may reach New Zealand in the areas around North Cape at approximately 04:20am New Zealand Daylight Time. Aftershocks were still being recorded in the area. March 4, 2021 0 0 New Zealand is under a tsunami warning after multiple large earthquakes struck the ocean approximately 800 kilometers off the northeast coast of the island country during the morning of March 5. People watch for signs of a tsunami from a hill above Papamoa Beach, New Zealand, as a tsunami warning is issued Friday, March 5, 2021. A “relatively extensive” area of the country could be subjected to unusual activity, civil defence controller Roger Ball said. The second quake prompted a tsunami evacuation warning for much of the North Island's east coast. The National Advisory issued following the 7.7 earthquake near SOUTHEAST OF LOYALTY ISLANDS at 2021-02-11 2:20 AM New Zealand Daylight Time is cancelled. “We are now seeing sandbanks [exposed when they shouldn’t be] and some brown dirty water coming in,” MP Shane Reti told Stuff. A spokeswoman said they are broadcasting safety warning messages on their radio channels early this morning warning boaties of the potential danger. A magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit the country in the early hours of the morning, which was followed by a magnitude 7.4 quake in the Pacific. CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray has more. "The effects of this will play out probably for a little bit of time and we do want people to stay out of the water and off the beaches.". • Strong currents and surges can injure and drown people. ^TPhttps://t.co/DFMCyUUXjE. Those areas include parts of Northland, the Bay of Plenty and the Gisborne coastline. Traffic slowly works up to high ground at Whangarei, New Zealand, as a tsunami warning is issued Friday, March 5, 2021. The situation may change as new information becomes available. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a possible widespread tsunami warning after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the South Pacific Ocean. Radio New Zealand reported that Tolaga Bay, north-east of Gisborne, was a “ghost town” as residents headed for higher ground. Civil Defence issued a warning early this morning that it expects New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore. • Strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges will continue for several hours and the threat must be regarded as real until this Advisory is cancelled. "There could still be large unexpected currents and the public are advised to continue to take precautions in coastal zones for the rest of today.". “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,” Nema said. • Listen to local civil defence authorities and follow any instructions.Share this information with family, neighbours and friends. News New Zealand: New tsunami warning after third earthquake hits. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cautioned the quake could cause tsunami waves of up to 10 feet in Vanuatu and up to 3 feet in Fiji, French Polynesia and as far away as Mexico and Peru. New Zealand tsunami warning: How to stay safe if you are in the warning zone. "We had members of our team ready to go on both of these.". The New Zealand National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) issued a national warning on Friday morning, saying people in many coastal areas of the North Island “must move immediately to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible. The US tsunami warning system also said the quake could cause waves reaching between 1m (3ft) and 3m (10ft) in height in French Polynesia, and waves of up to 1m in Niue, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands. The message was posted online after a member of the public commented that they did not know anything about the advisory, despite living next to the water. … Flooding of land areas near the shore is not expected as a result of this event. • There is no need to evacuate other areas unless directly advised by local civil defence authorities. “We are advising to play it safe... people do need to stay off the beach and off the water.” That included not going out in boats, he said. A beach in Orewa, north of Auckland is deserted following a tsunami warning on March 5, 2021. "As a result of that and after assessment by our science advisers, we've issued a national advisory for tsunami activity affecting the shorelines of parts of New Zealand.". The US Geological Survey said the larger quake, which followed two smaller ones, was located near the remote Kermadec Islands at a depth of 12 miles (19km). The epicenters are located about 960 km (600 miles) SSW of Ohonua, Tonga, and 1 030 km (640 miles) NE of Northland, New Zealand. Roger Ball, acting director for Civil Defence Emergency Management, said the "very large" quake reported near the Loyalty Islands early this morning had moved officials to take action. TSUNAMI WARNING: Areas under LAND and MARINE THREAT: The East Coast of the North Island from CAPE RUNAWAY to TOLAGA BAY. • This National Advisory has been issued following an assessment of information available. For Australia, it is important to note that a tsunami threat has been issued by the U.S. Tsunami Warning System for the east coast. Speaking to media later, she said she “absolutely” felt the first earthquake.