Tsunami sirens for beaches

ABBY GILLIES | 5th March 2010

Christchurch beach suburbs are likely to get sirens to warn them of future tsunami threats.

Mayor Bob Parker yesterday waded into the debate, saying he would be pushing for sirens.

Sirens would also be placed at Lyttelton, Akaroa and other parts of Banks Peninsula.

Mr Parker's plan comes after authorities were criticised over how they dealt with warning people a tsunami was headed for New Zealand's east coast last Sunday.

Many living in Sumner and along Marine Parade from South Shore to Waimairi said they were unaware a tsunami was on it way.

The tsunami generated by the massive 8.8 magnitude Chilean earthquake had little impact here, mainly because it was low tide when it arrived.

But if huge tidal surges struck during the night like the one in 1960 from a similar earthquake in Chile, they would have been caught unawares. Many parts of Banks Peninsula were swamped in 1960.

A warning siren would have alerted people that danger was on the way.

"Quite clearly the community feel very strongly they need a system that will provide them with a blanket warning," said Mr Parker.

"I think the time has come and the events of Sunday make us realise more than ever we need a system that can alert everybody.

You can't put a price on human lives."

Canterbury Surf Lifesaving and the Sumner Residents Association have welcomed Mr Parker's move.

The plan will be put out for public consultation before going to the city council for approval.

But if a meeting of Civil Defence and other interest groups on Tuesday night is a signal, sirens will get the go ahead. The meeting, which was prompted by a tsunami warning in October, focused on the need for an early warning system.

Hawaii, which like New Zealand's east coast is vulnerable to tsunamis from South American earthquakes, has a siren warning system.

Mr Parker said a siren system for Christchurch and Banks Peninsula would be centralised and controlled by Civil Defence.

Sumner Residents' Association member Adrienne Jackson said she was happy the city council had taken a step closer to a siren warning system.

"I think we've at least got the city council to re-look at the issue of having alarm systems or sirens," she said. "That will engender public confidence."

Canterbury Life Saving manager Dougal Holmes said Sunday's tsunami threat had highlighted the lack of communication in potentially dangerous situations.

"We were surprised at the number of people who didn't know there was a tsunami predicted," he said.

"We need a better system in place for warning the public."