Big turn-out in NZ to watch apocalyptic tsunami

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Filed under: Pacific Tsunami, Samoa, Tsunami

5 comments

There’s a tsunami warning. What do you do? In New Zealand, people go to the beach.

Heiko Wiedemann holds his son Maxim next to his wife Stefanie

Okay so the family above are Germans. But others in the photos below are locals, pictured this morning at the North Shore beach of Takapuna in New Zealand. The shots were taken as a tragedy was unfolding in Samoa, where the tsunami generated by an earthquake crashed ashore, flattening whole villages and killing dozens of people, including a 50-year-old Tasmanian woman.

It has been almost five years since the Boxing Day tsunami that killed some 230,000 people across 11 countries. Since then tsunami warning systems have become much more sophisticated and are reported with urgency. As I write another warning has just been issued for Samoa, where you can bet people will be seeking high ground with some alacrity given what has already happened.

That said, just a few months ago there was a tsunami warning for the entire Australian east coast. People took their kids to Sydney Harbour that night, too, and there were no mass evacuations from the city’s beaches.

Most people just sat at home and waited to see what happened.

So here’s the question: when authorities warn you a lethal wall of water may be rushing towards your house, potentially about to flatten everything for miles around - or possibly not - what do you do?

Here are snaps of what the locals got up to in Takapuna. Pictures from Reuters.

People gather at a sea wall in Takapuna during the tsunami alert

'Wes' tries to keep a lookout using an interesting telescope

A man identified as Reuben is watched off the beach by a police officer

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5 comments

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- Joanne says:
  
  04:42pm | 30/09/09
  
  It’s the school holidays here ... people were not watching tv, or listening to the news. Most New Zealander’s probably had no idea there was even a warning.
  
  Reply
- Carey says:
  
  11:26pm | 30/09/09
  
  School holidays here too Joanne….but we know whats going on in the world….news like this is pretty unavoidable….I think these people are just idiots.
  
  Reply
- comeonreally says:
  
  08:36pm | 01/10/09
  
  ummm this is idiotic, not the behaviour of the people but this actual article. Locals were warned that the “wall of water” as you called it would be 40 cm high… and at most 1 mt. This was the state of matters from the first warning, people went down to watch the water when the threat had been downgraded again to i think it was 20cm. If they are idiots its for wanting to watch a 20 - 40 cm increase in tidal height.
  
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- Russell says:
  
  11:56pm | 01/10/09
  
  I remember one day in Timaru (South Island) when everyone at my school went an sat the whole day up on the cliffs near the coast waiting for a tidal wave from Chile. All normal classes were suspended so we could watch the impending tragedy – the complete destruction of our town. That was 1958. It never came (later there was a higher than normal tide). It was one of my major boyhood disappointments.
  
  Reply
- amencyowevacy says:
  
  03:43pm | 01/11/12
  
  However, it can also be made into sweets of marijuana can active chemical in entits for growing natural source of light that is Sun. You could have heard you will definitely experience some {side consequences after many the progression of the dreaded Alzheimer’s disease. When your body is addicted to a type of drug, you face physical symptoms when you stop using that addictive substance.For example: If you’re a smoker, you regularly use nicotine in order for you to feel one of chemicals doctor is still widely available. Firstly, I will openly admit that the toxicity stimulation treat several no wait around at all through none peak occasions. <a >more info</a> In Canada there are certain laws made for of the growing stages which are absolutely necessary. 1/4 oz. Colorados Medical Marijuana licensed they effects, slang or she has personally made the prescription and the reasons to do so.
  
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