News

This Sunday, 5 November marks World Tsunami Awareness Day and NSW State Emergency Service (SES) members are hosting community engagement events along the east coast to raise awareness about how tsunamis could impact coastal communities.

Here are some of the activities taking place across the state: 

• Ballina Unit: Lighthouse Parade Ballina Marine Rescue Tower, from 7:30 am to 10:00 am 
• Waverley-Woollahra Unit: Lyne Park, Rose Bay, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and Bondi Beach from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm 
• Randwick Unit: Maroubra Beach, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm 
• Manly Unit: Manly Beach, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm 
• City of Sydney Unit: Pirrama Park, Pyrmont, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm 

We encourage community members to become familiar with the NSW SES Tsunami Evacuation Area interactive map on our website to assess their risk level.  

Access the map here.

Even though a tsunami is rare, more than 50 have occurred in Australia in the past 200 years, and their consequences can be devastating. 

What can community members do to prepare? 

• Know your risk 
• When a tsunami warning is issued, act early 

Marine and immediate foreshore threat 

• Get out of the water and move to high ground away from the immediate foreshore (beach, rocks, estuary, etc.) 
• Boats near shore should return to the nearest mooring 
• Boats located offshore should move to deeper water 

Land inundation threat 

• Move to higher ground, at least 10 meters above sea level or 1km inland 
• Take only essential items, such as important papers, family photographs and medications 
• leave by foot, roads may be congested or closed 
• If you cannot get to higher ground seek shelter in the upper story of a sturdy brick or concrete building 

NSW SES is the combat agency for tsunami in NSW, and works with local councils, Surf Life Saving and Marine Rescue among other emergency services in the event of a tsunami.