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Story: Tsunamis

Destruction of Moawhitu

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Destruction of Moawhitu

Brian Flintoff, a Nelson artist, created this illustration of the large wave (Tapu-arero-utuutu), possibly a tsunami, that destroyed Moawhitu, on the north-west coast of D’Urville Island.

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Jade and Bone

by Brian Flintoff

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How to cite this page

Willem de Lange and Eileen McSaveney, Tsunamis – New Zealand’s tsunami history, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/6215/destruction-of-moawhitu (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Willem de Lange and Eileen McSaveney, published 2 March 2009.