Lines mark out tsunami safety spots on coastal roads

Deborah Campbell, Rose Cotter and Andrew Howard at the Hokio Beach Rd tsunami safety line.

Blue tsunami safety lines appearing on Horowhenua coastal roads aim to tell beach residents how far to go to escape earthquake-created waves.

Horizons Regional Council is marking roads leading out of all the district's coastal communities with a thick blue line indicating a safe point well outside any expected tsunami inundation.

The lines complemented safety signs erected by Horizons at coastal communities in the past year and safety instruction handouts distributed to individual households.

Horizons emergency management officer Andrew Howard said not to wait for an official notification if there was an earthquake for over a minute or a strong shake where you couldn't stand up, but to head inland past the line.

"Evacuate yourself past this point and wait for instructions from authorities. And don't stop at the line, as there will be people behind you trying to get out. Keep going," he said.

Mr Howard said the lines' locations were mapped using GIS (geographic information system) technology.

District Neighbourhood Support co-ordinator Deborah Campbell said the lines made it much easier for people to be able to see where they needed to go in an earthquake emergency.

"People can get a bit panicky, and something visible like a line can make them feel that little bit safer in knowing that once they get past that point they are in a safer area," she said.

Hokio Progressive Association president Rose Cotter said the Hokio Beach Rd marking showed people the point to get past and was a very good visual sign for her community.

"We suggest Hokio residents keep going past it, at least as far as the golf course road, and keep moving inland," she said.

"I'm pleased the lines have been put in place and pleased we have more detailed signage at the beach as well as notices to give to residents."

Horizons' blue lines project follows a similar initiative carried out around Wellington seaside suburbs that has also attracted international interest.

Meanwhile, while the Hokio landfill was inside Horizons' tsunami line, he said it was outside the inundation zone and information suggested it would not be affected by a tsunami.