8 Apr 2013

CD warning not to rely on tsunami sirens

10:37 pm on 8 April 2013

Civil Defence says people should not rely on tsunami sirens in an emergency.

Tsunami warning sirens in Rodney and Waitakere on Auckland's north and west coasts were tested on Sunday, the first of a twice-yearly check.

Civil Defence operations manager David Coetzee says the agency believes it will not have enough time to activate alerts in a local tsunami and people should not became reliant on sirens to warn them.

Mr Coetzee says Civil Defence is looking at other alert systems, such as technology that would broadcast a message to all cell phones in the area, and will present the options to the Government later this year.