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The trial of innovative new tsunami sirens planned for Orewa has been held up, with the system not expected to be installed until March or April next year.
In October, Hibiscus Matters revealed that Auckland Emergency Management was to start a local pilot that combines a public alerting PA system siren with electronic Safe Swim signs. The pilot was expected to begin this summer.
However, Cr John Watson says that the Civil Defence Committee meeting on November 28 was told that there has been a delay in signing a contract for the project. This meant that the siren kit has not been ordered – there is an 8-10 week delivery time from the United States.
Orewa will be the first location to have this system installed. Cr Watson says this is also the first time that Safe Swim digital screens will connect to a tsunami warning system.
He says meanwhile a tsunami evacuation zone mapping process is underway.
“It is estimated that up to 150,000 Aucklanders live within areas at risk of tsunami but we have been told that it is highly likely that, with revised modeling, the numbers at risk will decease significantly,” Cr Watson says. “At Orewa, for instance, there will be updated information as to the more precise locations expected to be affected by a significant tsunami event.”
