Top in the ShakeOut stakes, so far

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Tairāwhiti was the top region in the country as of yesterday when it comes to registrations for the ShakeOut national earthquake drill and tsunami hikoi that happens on Thursday next week.

The October 19 event is at 9.30am that day when participants will practise their emergency responses to a quake or a tidal wave alert.

Get Ready NZ’s website yesterday showed 17 percent of the Tairāwhiti population had registered so far.

It will involve 8521 people in this region at this stage from 50 businesses, 46 schools and 197 households.

Tairāwhiti was in first place for participation followed by the West Coast and then Wellington.

Nationally yesterday there were 554,673 people registered from 1331 businesses, 2001 schools and 3349 households.

Tairāwhiti Civil Defence said it was not too late for people to register.

“There’s still time, with a week to go,” the organisation said on social media .

“Make sure you and your whanau, school or business are prepared, also go in the draw to win a meal for you and your besties at The Tav.”

■ Go to https://getready.govt.nz/en/involved/shakeout/sign-up/