Northland Tsunami Alert: Supermarket, Treaty Grounds to rescue of Paihia evacuees

Treaty Grounds staff, from left, Nineke Metz, Bayley Moor and Mori Rapana make sure the evacuees don't go hungry. Photo / Peter de Graaf

One of the biggest evacuations in the Far North morphed into an impromptu community barbecue when a local business brought in food for hundreds of residents stranded on a hill.

People in low-lying Paihia and Waitangi headed to high ground at Waitangi Golf Course when tsunami sirens sounded around 8.50am.

At the peak more than 250 cars were parked at the clifftop course with at least twice that number of people — a mix of residents, workers and holidaymakers — waiting out the alert.

The atmosphere was relaxed, almost festive, though patience started fraying around noon as hunger and blazing sunshine started to take a toll.

Treaty Grounds staff, from left, Bayley Moor, Mori Rapana and Nineke Metz serve sausages and roast chicken donated by Countdown. Photo / Peter de Graaf

That was until Countdown Waitangi and the Waitangi Treaty Grounds came to the rescue.

While Treaty Grounds staff brought in a barbecue and tables, supermarket staff delivered more than 500 sausages, 30 loaves of bread and bottles of tomato sauce.

The supermarket also donated all Friday's hot roast chickens.

Customer service manager Bruce Cairns said the chickens had already been cooked but there was no one around to buy them so a staff member — with a police escort — went to the store to fetch them.

They also handed out bottles of water while the Paihia Fire Brigade supplied sunblock.

Treaty Grounds boss Greg McManus said before the barbecue hot and hungry evacuees were "getting antsy and starting to leave".

The tsunami threat was lifted shortly after the evacuees had finished their free lunch.