A petition calling for Papamoa and Mount Maunganui to receive tsunami sirens is nearing its 5000 signature goal.
The petition was set up in the wake of the tsunami warning issued in the wake of the Kaikoura earthquake, but which failed to alertall residents in potentially-affected areas.
Petition organiser Renee Ball writes 'our communities need a loud and effective wake up call to alert us of the threats of a possible tsunami heading our way.”
She believes a simple text message is not enough.
Many other Bay residents have expressed similar dissatisfaction, including MP Todd Muller, who has pledged to look into the matter.
The petition will be delivered to Tauranga City Council once the 5000 signature mark is reached. Those interested can sign it here.
8 comments
Just asking
Posted on 23-11-2016 13:11 | By Confused
How many tsunamis have affected the Bay of Plenty in the last 100 years?How many tsunami warnings (false alarms) have there been in the last 10 years?How many times will residents be woken in the middle of the night to spend hours in traffic jams or huddled on the Mount before they initially ignore the sirens then eventually petition for them to be removed?
@Confused, -Just answering
Posted on 23-11-2016 13:43 | By Papamoaner
You're confused alright. Try asking Christchurch folk those questions. Christchurch was once considered immune to earthquakes because they had never had a good one.Krakatoa only blew up once too, but it was a beauty when it did - the bang was actually heard on the opposite side of the planet. Don't want sirens? Try water wings.
@Papamoaner
Posted on 23-11-2016 14:19 | By Confused
Of coarse you are quite correct, there is a remote chance that we will have a decent shake and an even more remote chance of a Tsunami - not even Christchurch suffered that fate.This does not change the fact that we will have false alarms and people will get very sick of them very quickly. The people of Christchurch have good reason to be wary. Human nature, however, dictates that locals won't feel the same way, at least not after their second or third evacuation.
Tsunami
Posted on 23-11-2016 14:40 | By Kenworthlogger
Or dont live by the beach. Simple.
@Kenworthlogger
Posted on 23-11-2016 16:26 | By BennyBenson
You don't necessarily need to live by the beach to be at risk. Anyone going to the beach or just generally visiting the area is potentially at risk. Tsunamis are not just restricted to the time while everyone is at home sleeping, it could happen anytime. I signed up for the civil defence alerts and I got them but far too late had I been in the area, others that had signed up, never got them at all, so that system is just not effective.
Oh Dear !
Posted on 23-11-2016 16:30 | By Jitter
Kenworthblogger sounds like a broken record with their repeated "Don't live near the beach then". How would they feel if all the residents from the Mount and Papamoa sold up and moved over adjacent to where he/she lives or moved out of Tauranga altogether. That would solve the problem if they all moved away from the coast, Unfortunately there are still myriads of people who would move in to replace them so we would be back to square one. So isn't it better to have a good warning system and be ready for an event that may occur sometime rather than not be prepared at all. Why did we have air raid warning sirens in WW II ? For an event that was very unlikely to occur in NZ but at least we were prepared for the worst.
Jitter
Posted on 23-11-2016 17:36 | By Kenworthlogger
If you choose to live by the beach dont moan about it. Do you get in your car each day and moan or complain about the real risk of being killed in an accident? Do you own a petrol car and whinge about the price of petrol? Do you spend all your money then whinge about not having any? Or are kiwis just whingers? I think its the latter...
@Jitter
Posted on 23-11-2016 22:01 | By Papamoaner
Right on mate. I think he might be a pom who got his truck stuck on a beach somewhere and never got over it.
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