Hazards in your District
Earthquake
Earthquakes can affect all or part of the district and cause disruption to power, telephone services, public utilities and transportation. There are many known earthquake faults in and near Hurunui that can cause damaging earthquakes including the Alpine, Awatere, Clarence and Hope faults in the northwest of the district, the offshore Hikurangi subduction zone and numerous smaller faults. We have experienced damaging earthquakes in 1888, 1901, 1922, 1951 and 2016. If a major earthquake was to strike the district, access to many of the communities could be restricted due to landslides and road damage. For more information on earthquakes, visit Environment Canterbury and Canterbury CDEM websites, GeoNet Project and AF8.
Wild Fire
The Hurunui District experiences hot, dry conditions during the summer months, making it particularly susceptible to wildfires. The landscape includes extensive areas of native tussock, snowgrass in the hill and high country, and marram grass along the eastern coastline. Large tracts of privately owned forest plantations are also scattered throughout the district, alongside native forests—especially in the western State Forest areas.
Controlled burning is commonly used by farmers in the hill and high country as a land management practice. Occasionally, slash burning occurs following land-clearing operations in exotic forest areas.
Hanmer Springs Township borders the Carter Holt Harvey Forest, placing homes and residents at direct risk in the event of a large-scale forest fire.
Major wildfires pose a serious threat to public safety. They can result in the loss of life, destroy property, damage public infrastructure, and disrupt power and communication services.
Flooding
Although the district’s major rivers are generally well contained, flooding remains a risk—particularly during heavy rainfall. Erosion and severe surface flooding can pose threats to populated areas and infrastructure.
The confluence of the South Kowai and North Kowai Rivers is located just 200 metres upstream from the State Highway 1 bridge at Leithfield. This area, along with Leithfield Township and the highway itself, is vulnerable during flood events.
Coastal settlements such as Amberley Beach, Leithfield Beach, and Motunau have experienced significant flooding in the past. Amberley Beach required resident evacuations in both 1992 and 2008 due to rising waters.
The Jed and Leader Rivers have also caused repeated flooding issues in the Cheviot and Parnassus regions. Meanwhile, the Waiau and Hurunui Rivers, which originate in the Southern Alps, flood at regular intervals.
It’s important to remember that even small rivers and waterways can rise quickly and flood without warning during heavy rain.
Heavy Snowfalls
During the winter months, much of the district is susceptible to snowstorms. These events can disrupt farming operations, cut off telephone and power services, and affect road and rail access—sometimes leading to the temporary isolation of townships and rural communities.
While snowstorms rarely pose a direct threat to human life, there is occasional need for rescue efforts, particularly for those stranded in vehicles or remote backcountry areas.
A severe snow event has the potential to isolate entire communities and farms, causing significant economic disruption.
Storms
New Zealand’s location in the ‘Roaring Forties’—where warm northern air meets cooler southern air—makes it especially vulnerable to severe weather events. Our district is regularly impacted by storms that can cause power and communication outages, falling trees and power poles, fast-flowing waterways, landslips, and flooding.
Heavy snowfalls are common during the winter months across much of the region, while high winds and cyclonic storms can occur year-round. Tornadoes, though less frequent, also pose a potential risk.
Coastal erosion is another significant concern. Much of the district's coastline consists of limestone, making cliff faces particularly prone to erosion. The cliffs at Motunau Beach have been officially identified as a hazard zone.
Staying informed and prepared is essential to keeping our communities safe.
Man-Made - Including Industrial Explosion
The storage and transport of hazardous substances present ongoing risks across the Hurunui District. Several commercial garages in urban areas store bulk LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), and liquid fuels are stored at multiple sites throughout the region.
Dangerous goods such as fossil fuels, bulk LPG, industrial resins, and other hazardous materials are regularly transported through the district by both road and rail. While safety protocols are in place, accidents involving these substances have occurred in the past, highlighting the potential for serious incidents, including fires or explosions.
Awareness, preparedness, and adherence to safety regulations are key to reducing the risks associated with these man-made hazards.
Tsunami
Tsunamis can be created close to our coastline, in the Pacific Islands or across the Pacific Ocean and pose a threat to the low-lying coastal areas of the district.
You can see if you are in a tsunami evacuation zone on the Canterbury CDEM Group website . You can search for an address or place in the top right-hand corner of the map.
You should evacuate the red and orange tsunami evacuation zones if you feel a long (more than a minute) or strong (hard to stand up) earthquake. Do not wait for an official warning, sirens or an emergency mobile alert. A tsunami could be coming from close to our shore and there will not be time for an official warning.
If a tsunami is coming from the Pacific Islands or from across the Pacific Ocean there will be time to issue an official warning through radio, TV, emergency mobile alerts and sirens (in Leithfield Beach and Amberley Beach).
You can find more information on tsunami hazards, evacuations and warnings on the Environment Canterbury website, including tsunami inundation modelling reports and evacuation zone reports for Hurunui.
Useful links:
https://www.ecan.govt.nz/your-region/your-environment/natural-hazards/earthquakes/.
https://www.ecan.govt.nz/your-region/your-environment/natural-hazards/tsunamis/
Coastal Erosion
Most of the coastal areas of the District are of a limestone formation and erosion of the cliff faces is common. The cliffs at Motunau Beach are now recognised as a hazard zone.
