Some Northland boat owners are furious there was no tsunami sirens or texts before large waves smashed into the Tūtūkākā Marina, sinking a number of boats on Saturday evening.
Boats were damaged at Tūtūkākā Marina in Far North overnight of 15 January after strong tidal surges as a result of remnants from Cyclone Cody and the volcanic eruption in Tonga. Photo: RNZ / Sam Olley
But there are questions about whether an alarm would have stopped the damage.
The strong surges from the volcanic eruption in Tonga and the remnants of a tropical cyclone caused the most carnage at the marina in Tūtūkākā, Northland.
The eruption prompted a tsunami advisory on Saturday evening warning of strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges.
But boat owner Harvie Ferguson said he did not hear about it, and some marina users are absolutely ropeable.
"...why the hell did the bloody things [not] go off - it is amazing.
"They put all these false ones out and people go running up hills and hiding, and then when the real thing comes it doesn't work, what the hell's going on with this lot?"
Tūtūkākā Marina trust chair John Healy said an alarm could have let the roughly two dozen people who live on boats at the marina get to higher ground.
"They had no warning at all and... half of them [had] just gone to bed or were just going to bed, all of a sudden everything arrived literally with a huge crash.
"Boats were turning over and breaking lose and smashing into one another, piers were breaking apart and floating away."
Healy said it was incredibly lucky no one was injured or killed.
At least six large boats and four runabouts sunk or were driven onto rocks, and a number of piers and berths were destroyed.
Healy said locals were demanding answers from authorities.
Boat owners want to know why there was no tsunami alarm or texts. Photo: RNZ / Sam Olley
Whangārei District Mayor Sheryl Mai said she felt for them.
"I can completely understand if you are boat owner and your boat's been smashed.
"[You'd ask] 'why wasn't I alerted that this could happen'.
"I think the messaging that came through was pretty clear to expect unexpected wave patterns and surges.
"So I'm comfortable with the response, however I do know that questions will be asked and a review will be done."
The siren system has caused headaches before.
Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management says the event did not reach the threshold for an evacuation, as the trigger point is usually a 'threat to land' Photo: Supplied
Civil Defence in Northland apologised after a fault last March set off tsunami alarms that sent people unnecessarily scurrying for the hills.
It came just weeks after tens of thousands people in Northland and Gisborne scrambled to higher ground after the string of large earthquakes near the Kermadec Islands.
The National Emergency Management Agency issues advice on tsunamis - with input from GNS Science.
It said the threat posed did not warrant triggering texts and sirens, but that local civil defence groups have the discretion to send alerts, as they know their areas best.
Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management spokesman Murray Soljak said based on the information it had, the event did not reach the threshold.
"That's not normally the kind of thing that we would have commenced an evacuation for.
"The trigger point ... is normally what's known as a 'threat to land'.
"So what has taken place, and it's been a very sad event for the boat owners, is a very specific localised event."
Soljak said if they had more info they probably would have evacuated the marina and surrounding areas.
He said unfortunately, it would not have stopped the damage to the boats.
