The East Coast LAB (Life at the Boundary) is hosting a series of workshops aimed at making tsunami evacuations easier, safer and quicker for New Zealanders.

The workshops will focus on improving the computer-based tsunami evacuation models of Westshore, Ahuriri, Pandora, Napier South, Maraenui, Te Awa and Marewa. The idea is that participants will be asked to help identify routes that have been modelled but are not possible in real life, as well as routes that are possible in real life but have not been modelled. The models will simulate the movement of people who have self-evacuated on foot, following a long or strong earthquake that causes a large tsunami.

“The models are quite simple at this stage of the research and to improve them we need to add information that only locals know, and that’s where these workshops come in,” GNS Science tsunami modeller Dr William Power said. “This information is really valuable as it means we can provide more realistic models that Civil Defence Emergency Management can later use for planning purposes.”

The workshops will be held on March 05 at the Napier Sailing Club and at McLean Park in the Chapman Pavilion Pettigrew. Emergency managers from the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group will also be available to answer questions about tsunami preparedness and planning.

Meanwhile, East Coast LAB project leader Kate Boersen is encouraging people to practise their tsunami evacuation routes as part of tsunami hīkoi week, which runs from March 11-17.

“Tsunami hīkoi week is a great chance for people to familiarise themselves with the evacuation route they’re planning to take and identify any potential obstacles or hazards along the way,” Boersen added. “Walking the route you would take in an actual event is one of the best ways to prepare for a tsunami, as well as learning the natural warning signs of a tsunami: a long or strong earthquake.”