Tokomaru Bay residents able to return to homes after large surges sweep into the bay
Friday, 5 March 2021
An entire township of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast can now return to their homes after they were evacuated after two major earthquakes on Friday morning.
Hundreds watched from above as large surges of water swept into the bay throughout the course of the day.
As of 1.26pm the tsunami threat for north of Tolaga Bay was lifted, with everyone safe to return to their homes.
Gisborne District Council and Civil Defence Tairāwhiti advised people stay out of the water (sea, rivers and estuaries, including boats), stay off beaches and shore areas, and to not go sightseeing.
Resident Chris Beard along with hundreds of others witnessed a sudden “shade difference” in the water approaching the bay as the surges struck.
At least 150 people sat up on the hill above the township “baking” in the 32 degree heat, with little shade.
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Another resident, Ivan Lomax, was evacuating on the other side of the hill, near the Tokomaru Bay wharf.
“We’re just at a house about 60 to 70 metres above the wharf. We didn’t actually see the surge come in, but we started getting all these ‘are you alright messages’ with pictures and videos,” he said.
Lomax said he evacuated after the first quake near Te Araroa at about 2.30am, before returning home a short time later. He evacuated again after the Kermadec quake at about 8.30am, and did not know when they would be able to return home.
Gina Chaffey-Aupouri has lived in Tokomaru Bay for the last 60 years and said she had never experienced anything like it.
“I walked out this morning and the sea was so calm and still. But it’s good that all of Tokomaru came up.”
“This is the first time I’ve ever seen a surge. They’ve occurred about three times since evacuating. At first you see the sea and its stillness, then it begins to swirl and go in all different directions.”
Chaffey-Aupouri said the surges were coming around Mawhai Point and striking near the wharf.
She estimated at least 150 people were up on the hill. Some were sitting in deckchairs, others under umbrellas, while a local handed out fresh peaches to others sitting in the hot sun.
“It’s great to see all our tamariki up here. We are a close community and everyone is looking after each other,” Chaffey-Aupouri said.
At 2.27am on Friday a 7.1 earthquake struck 105 kilometres east of Te Araroa.
Two significant earthquakes hit near the Kermadec Islands after that – a magnitude 7.4 earthquake at 6.41am and a magnitude 8.1 earthquake about 8.28am.