The doors to our Whitianga and Paeroa offices will be closed for the summer break from 4pm on Friday, 20 December, while our Taupō and Hamilton offices will close for the summer break at 1pm on Tuesday, 24 December. All offices will reopen on Monday, 6 January 2025. To report air or water pollution, unsafe water activities in or on a river, lake or harbour, or make a general enquiry or information request during this time, call us 24/7 on 0800 800 401.

Close alert

Inundation of Whitianga town during the 1960 Chilean tsunami

TR 2014/65
  1. Services »
  2. Publications »
  3. TR2014/65

Report: TR 2014/65

Author: B Morris & J Borrero

About this report

This report combines written and verbal eyewitness reports with survey and modelling information to arrive at an estimated inundation area for the 1960 Chilean tsunami in Whitianga. The report has been completed as a part of the Eastern Coromandel Tsunami Strategy - an ongoing, multi-year project that works with communities on the eastern Coromandel Peninsula to identify and reduce the risks from tsunami events.

The report aims to

  • enhance the existing understanding of inundation effects of the 1960 Chilean tsunami event on Whitianga town
  • provide further verification of recent modelling work to underpin future tsunami modelling
  • raise awareness of the effects of tsunami inundation from distant tsunami events and the profile of tsunami hazard risk management within the Whitianga community.

It is anticipated that this report will also provide for a greater level of public awareness of the impacts of tsunami in Whitianga, and the need to prepare for these events.

Read or download the report

Inundation of Whitianga town during the 1960 Chilean tsunami [PDF, 7.3 MB]