A five-year project to install tsunami-monitoring devices around New Zealand waters has been completed - with Hawke's Bay among the 17 sites.
The project, set up by Land Information New Zealand and administered by GNS Science, was initiated after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
GNS chief geodesist Graeme Blick said about 18 hours after the devastating tsunami, waves up to a metre high were detected in several parts of the country and underlined New Zealand's vulnerability to such events.
Installation work at the nominated sites began in 2005, with the Hawke's Bay sensor installed under one of the wharves at the Port of Napier.
It was put in place two years ago and monitors water levels and pressures, and feeds information directly to the GNS Science data management centre in Wellington.
Mr Blick said the installation programme was challenging as many coastal sites were rugged and there had been a long process of gaining appropriate approvals and consents.
"Since installation of the network began several large regional and distant earthquakes have generated tsunami," he said.
"The network has successfully detected these, including the 2009 Samoan and 2010 Chilean earthquakes and the resulting waves which hit our coastline."
Mr Blick said the likely impact of a tsunami on New Zealand's "vulnerable" coastline was now better understood.
Over the past 150 years New Zealand had experienced about 10 tsunamis higher than five metres.
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