My extended family has 8 people in the Whakatane area.
Just got off the phone after being called through normal cell tower service.
The evacuation of the area most of you do not know.
There are only TWO roads (Goat Tracks) leading in and out of Whakatane.
Whenever there is Any warning the first thing that happens is that both roads gridlock and stop all traffic flow, it never fails.
The numbers being tossed about seem to differ from those being stated in the area by NZ on the web, they sort of have a great setup for reporting such thinks, have done for a while.
Zero visible or reported “tsunami” events.
Any thing that would hit them would have to be about 5 meters high, after that gravity likes to drag the wave flat.
Safest place family was in is at the Hospital.
The joke there is maybe they need to feed the Volcano more tourists.
Do not blame me, the kiwis’ laugh at those silly enough to go walk on an active site, and it is well known that if it is active it is going to kill you. The Kiwi mindset is practical, and no hesitation to make fun of the Darwin Award winners.
In closing, if it really does go BOOM there, NZ will either look like the Himalayas, or will become the next Atlantis, there is no in between.
Blessings.
You appear to know more about the town than the mayor!
(No, I’m not being critical of you at all — the info. is actually appreciated and interesting.)
We’ll hope for no big “boom”. :-)