Drop, cover, hold: Are you prepared for an earthquake?

Earthquakes can cause major damage. Are you prepared? Photo / Supplied

It might not be a question of if, but when a major earthquake strikes New Zealand again.

To learn how best to cope with a major earthquake, regional council Horizons is encouraging people to sign up ShakeOut, a national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi planned for October 24.

Horizons manager emergency management Chay Hook said participating in ShakeOut can help people prepare for a natural disaster.

“New Zealand is one of the highest-risk countries in the world for a range of natural hazards, so having something like ShakeOut gives us the chance to practice the correct actions to take during an earthquake,” he said.

New Zealand ShakeOut is based on the highly successful California ShakeOut which began in 2008 and has now expanded to numerous other US states and countries such as Canada and Japan.

Schools, businesses, whānau, flats and individuals taking part were encouraged to post photos or videos of their ShakeOut experience to social media and tag the Civil Defence Manawatū Whanganui Facebook page.

All they need to do is “drop, cover and hold” for 60 seconds and practice evacuation if they are in a tsunami evacuation zone, he said.

Horizons co-ordinates the Manawatū-Whanganui Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group, helping to create a consistent and aligned response to emergencies across our region, he said.

“We work to reduce the potential effects of hazards, promote community readiness, respond to emergencies, and help communities recover after events.”

“Much of this work during emergency events is done by Horizons staff who transition from business-as-usual roles into emergency management to help to keep our community safe.”

“In our recent long-term plan, Horizons committed more funding to increase the number of fulltime emergency management staff, helping us better meet the needs of our regional communities before, during and after emergency events.

“The Horizons region has communities also at risk from tsunami, such as those living along the Whanganui, Manawatū, Tararua and Horowhenua coastlines, so ShakeOut is an opportunity to remember the need to leave a tsunami evacuation zone if a quake is long and strong.

“Never wait to be told to leave a tsunami evacuation zone after a quake. If a quake is long a strong, get gone.”

For more information about ShakeOut and how to be prepared for an earthquake or tsunami, and register on the regional sign up leaderboard, see www.ShakeOut.govt.nz.

A list of Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Hazards, including tsunami evacuation maps, is available on the Horizons website: https://www.horizons.govt.nz/civil-defence-in-our-region/regional-hazards