25 August 2025
Tony
[FYI request #31825 email]
Reference: OIA-2025/26-0058
Dear Tony
Official Information Act request relating to the criteria for duplicative emergency alerts
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 31 July 2025.
You requested:
“Please provide me documents and records regarding the criteria for sending
emergency alert notifications to New Zealanders. To the extent not covered above,
include records relating to how decisions are made regarding the time the alert is
made, and when it is deemed appropriate to send duplicative alerts (ie multiple alerts
the offer the same advice).
Please also provide me with the documents and records regarding the decision to send
an emergency alert notification at 6.30am on 31 August 2025.”
On 31 July 2025 you provided the following clarification:
“Thanks. I amend my request as follows - where I referred to an alert in August 2025, I
meant on 31 July 2025.”
The Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) system is governed by strict protocol on its use. The
Emergency Mobile Alert Protocol for User Agencies document covers the criteria for sending
Emergency Mobile Alerts to New Zealanders. The National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA) will only send alerts when there is a severe, urgent and likely threat to life, health or
property. Dangerous tsunami activity generated by the Kamchatka earthquake affecting New
Zealand’s coastline clearly met these criteria, and the decision to use it was informed by
scientific advice and consultation with Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups.
In respect of emergency management, NEMA has a statutory responsibility to alert the public
to tsunami risk. Every decision to alert the public is based on best advice available including
scientific evidence, international best practice, the observable conditions, and the life safety
risks.
When NEMA received notification that a powerful earthquake had occurred and generated
tsunami waves that were travelling across the Pacific, it was a straightforward decision to
alert people to help them stay safe.
Based on advice from Earth Sciences NZ that tsunami activity would arrive at our shores
around midnight on Wednesday evening (30 July), NEMA issued a National Advisory and
sent an Emergency Mobile Alert. As always, we carefully selected who should receive it - in
this case, the alert was only sent to phones connected to a mobile tower near the coastline.
The first alert was sent at 4.13pm as it was critical to issue it before nightfall, because many
people live on boats, or plan ahead for early fishing trips or a dawn surf.
Level 7, TSB Building, 147 Lambton Quay | PO Box 5010 | Wellington 6140 | New Zealand
Tel: +64 4 830 5100 | [email address] | www.civildefence.govt.nz
Overnight, we received confirmation that tsunami activity was impacting New Zealand’s
coastline and would continue to do so well into Thursday (31 July). We weighed up the risks
and concluded that we needed to inform the public that the threat was present and ongoing.
We sent the alert at 6.30am to ensure we did not wake large numbers of people up in the
middle of the night, while informing those planning morning activities in beach or marine
areas while dangerous tsunami activity was happening.
Regarding the frequency of the alerts, we acknowledge that some people’s phones sounded
multiple alerts in the middle of the night, even though NEMA had only issued two alerts. The
potential reasons for this are explained on our websit
e NEMA identifies what caused
emergency alert issues during Kamchatka tsunami event » National Emergency
Management Agency
NEMA apologises to those impacted by the multiple alerts for the inconvenience and
disruption this caused.
Information being released
Please find enclosed, a summary of the Tsunami Expert Panel and National Controller
discussions. This was prepared from recollections of staff involved in this event in response
to requests for information. Also enclosed is a timeline of key actions/advice relating to this
event, and internal communications relating to the decision to issue the EMA at 6.30am on
31 July. Some information is withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) to prevent improper pressure
or harassment. Where information is withheld under section 9, I have considered the public
interest test in section 9(1). No public interest has been identified that would outweigh the
reasons for withholding.
Information on the M8.8 Kamchatka Russia earthquake and tsunami prepared by GeoNet is
available on the following website:
https://www.geonet.org.nz/news/4O1zMlf5rXqq8mFCJOfcEq
More information on civil defence emergency management alerts and warnings are available
on the following website:
Civil Defence Emergency Management Alerts and Warnings » National Emergency
Management Agency
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
This response wil be published on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s
website during our regular publication cycle. Typically, information is released monthly, or as
otherwise determined. Your personal information including name and contact details will be
removed for publication.
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Holland
Chief Advisor to the Chief Executive
National Emergency Management Agency
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