25 August 2025
Frank E
[FYI request #31861 email]
Reference: OIA-2025/26-0084
Tēnā koe Frank,
Official Information Act request relating to emergency alerts criteria and information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 2 August
2025. You requested:
“Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the information below regarding the
Emergency Mobile Alerts (EMAs) issued on 30–31 July 2025 in relation to the
Kamchatka/Russia earthquake and tsunami advisory.
Please interpret “records” to include emails, messages (e.g., MS Teams, Slack,
Signal/SMS), briefings, minutes/notes, tasking sheets, incident logs, vendor/telco
correspondence, CAP messages and audit trails, and any attachments.
Timeframe: 30 July 2025 09:00 NZST to 2 August 2025 21:00 NZST (unless otherwise
specified).
A. Decision-making & governance
1. Decision record(s): The documents that record the decision to issue (i) the ~4:12–
4:15 pm, 30 July EMA and (ii) the ~6:30–6:31 am, 31 July EMA — including who
recommended and who approved each, and at what time.
2. Criteria/thresholds: The current policies, SOPs, checklists, or decision frameworks
that set thresholds for issuing an EMA (vs. relying on media/social updates) for
tsunami advisory conditions (i.e., “strong and unusual currents”) — and any
guidance on duplicative reminders (sending a second EMA when advice is
materially unchanged).
3. Early-morning alert rationale: The analysis and/or advice that justified sending the
31 July ~6:30 am EMA, including whether NEMA assessed that the message
conveyed new information or was primarily a reminder, and any consideration of
“quiet hours” or public impact (sleep disruption, alert fatigue).
4. External input: Any written advice received from GeoNet/GNS Science, MetService,
or the Tsunami Experts Panel that was material to the timing or need for the 6:30
am alert.”
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.
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
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.
Parts 1 and 2
I have decided to release to you all internal communications relating to the alerts of 30 and
31 July 2025 (Item 1 in the attached). For further context, we have provided a high-level
timeline of events (Item 2 in the attached).
I am withholding the name and position of the staff member who decided to issue the
Emergency Mobile Alerts on 30 July and 31 July 2025 under section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the Act, to
protect them from improper pressure or harassment. Some information is also withheld under
section 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act, to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free
and frank expression of opinion. I have considered the public interest in the release of this
information and determined no such interest exists that would outweigh the reasons for
withholding this information.
In addition, I am releasing a summary of the discussions with the Tsunami Expert Panel
relating to this event (Item 3 in the attached). This includes discussion around the timing of
the alert on 31 July 2025.
I can advise that CAP data is not retained/recorded. I understand that an alert message will
remain available in the feed from the start time of the alert until twenty-four hours after the
end time of the alert (+24 hours). In this instance, however, we have retained the CAP
message for the first EMA issued at 4.13pm. This was retained for future testing and is now
provided to you. I have attached the content of the xml file in PDF format (Item 4 in the
attached).
Regarding Part [2] of your request, the Emergency Mobile Alerts (EMAs) were issued in line
with the existing protocol, which you can find here:
EMA-Protocol-for-User-Agencies-
v1.0.pdf. Parts 3 and 4
Regarding Parts [3] and [4] of your request, in addition to the initial advice referenced above
we also received scientific confirmation overnight 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.
Further 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. Information on civil defence emergency management alerts and warnings is available on the
following website:
https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/get-ready/civil-defence-emergency-management-alerts-and-
warnings. You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
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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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