I was astounded when I got 2km down the road and there was a traffic jam at the bottom of The Drive, leading up to Pacific Heights. There hadn't appeared to be many vehicles on the road until that moment - in fact, most of them seemed to be heading out of town.
I parked half way up the hill and walked up to the top of the hill, asking people along the way: "Have you got your emergency kit with you?"
Incredibly, only one person said yes - and he also had brought along his bicycles.
Others had grabbed their dogs and fled but everyone else I spoke to had no food, water or medication with them.
Many were dressed only in dressing gowns or quickly thrown on clothing.
One woman bemoaned the fact she hadn't gone to the toilet before fleeing, another cursed because she had no water.
Speaking from the top of Pacific Heights, Civil Defence controller Garry Towler said he was rapt with the response from the population.
"It was an incredible threat and I'm rapt to see so many people have taken heed of the warnings."
When told about the people who had fled unprepared, Mr Towler said the event would certainly serve to make people more aware of the dangers of a tsunami.