Northland tsunami sirens scheduled for testing on September 27

Northland’s network of more than 90 outdoor tsunami sirens is scheduled for a six-monthly test at 10 am on Sunday, September 27. The testing coincides with the start of daylight saving and is intended to ensure the system remains ready to alert coastal communities in the event of an emergency.

During the test, sirens will sound for up to two minutes, accompanied by a voice message stating: “Test only, test only. This is a test of the Northland tsunami siren network; no action is required”. While the outdoor network will be activated, the indoor siren network will not be part of this specific test, though residents are encouraged to manually check their indoor devices.

Colin Kitchen, chair of the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, emphasized that community feedback is vital to confirm siren functionality and clarity. He also reminded residents to recognize natural warning signs, such as strong earthquakes or unusual sea behavior, and to move to higher ground immediately if these occur, even before an official alert is issued.