The annual tsunami warning siren system testing will be halted as the sirens do not comply with a recently developed national standard.

But Thames-Coromandel District Council wants to reassure the community that in the event of a real tsunami alert, the 30 warning sirens located around the Coromandel peninsula will still go off.

At its December meeting council agreed with Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler's recommendation that until the 30 sirens are compliant with the new standard there's a risk of public confusion by continuing to test them.

'The new national standard sets a consistent tone for tsunami warning sirens that is the same across the country. It is a tone that repeatedly rises,” says a council spokesperson.

'Our current tsunami warning sirens sound similar to the volunteer fire brigade fire sirens but when activated rise and stay on a high-pitched tone for 10 minutes or more.”

Sirens that meet the new standard should also have the ability to have verbal warnings broadcast over them - something that can't be done on council's current sirens.

'Our Council will now examine replacing the current sirens with ones compliant with the national standard as part of the 2018-2028 Long Term Plan development, with discussions to be scheduled for mid-2017.”

WHITIANGA TSUNAMI INFORMATION OPEN DAY

A Tsunami Information Open Day will be taking place in Whitianga on January 28, 2017.

Coastal and tsunami scientists will be attending the open day to meet with the public to talk about the latest research into the possible threat of tsunami to the Coromandel. Emergency Management staff members will also on-hand to provide information on what to do if a tsunami hit.

The Whitianga Tsunami Information Open Day takes place at the Whitianga Town Hall on Monk Street on Saturday, January 28, 2017, from 9:30am to 3:30pm.