Story: Tsunamis

Evacuation in Whakatāne

On 26 May 1960, three days after a tsunami from an earthquake in Chile caused damage along the New Zealand coast, a radio message warned that a tsunami from a major aftershock of that earthquake was about to hit the coast. These cars are jamming Hillcrest Road on the hillside above Whakatāne, after the evacuation.

Don Ross, harbour master at Whitianga, recalls the problems of evacuating Whitianga.

Sound file from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero (Spectrum 787 - Coastal boats and tidal waves/Reference number CDR104)

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Whakatane District Museum and Gallery
Reference: P7873

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How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney, 'Tsunamis - Living with tsunami hazards', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/speech/6241/evacuation-in-whakatane (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 17 Feb 2017