What official standards apply to tsunami refuges in New Zealand?

Short answer. New Zealand has no technical standard for blast or fallout shelters. What it does have are national rules for tsunami refuge: the Director's Guideline on tsunami evacuation (DGL 08/25) sets one public "Blue Zone" and defines safe locations ¹, a technical standard (TS 01/08) fixes the tsunami signs ³, and a separate guideline (DGL 21/18) governs tsunami vertical evacuation structures, which it calls a measure of last resort ².

Who issues these rules, and who must follow them?

Both guidelines and the signage standard are issued by the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management under section 9(3) of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 ¹²³. They are addressed to regional Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups and local authorities, not to households ¹. The signage standard states that CDEM Groups are required to take account of it in their planning ³.

What is the Blue Zone?

DGL 08/25 (May 2025) replaces earlier zone systems with a single public-facing tsunami evacuation zone, the Blue Zone ¹. At minimum it must cover the area expected to be flooded by a 2,500-year tsunami at the 84% confidence level from all sources, and its boundary must not be drawn smaller than the modelled area ¹. People inside it should leave when they notice natural tsunami warnings, such as strong earthquake shaking, or when an official warning tells them to ¹³.

Existing zones, routes, maps and signs should conform by 1 July 2031; the Director plans a progress review around 2027 ¹.

What counts as a "safe location"?

The guideline defines a Safe Zone as everything beyond the Blue Zone, and a Safe Location as a specific place high enough or far enough inland to be very unlikely to flood, reachable by evacuation routes ¹. Examples include assessed high ground or vertical evacuation structures inside the zone, and schools or community centres outside it ¹.

What are the rules for vertical evacuation structures?

A tsunami vertical evacuation structure is a building or structure designed to withstand tsunami impacts and used as a short-term refuge inside the zone ¹. DGL 21/18 sets out how a CDEM Group decides whether one is needed, and treats it as a supplementary measure of last resort, after all other measures ². Such a structure provides short-term refuge only; it is not a Civil Defence Centre ². Its owner is expected to keep it fit for purpose and maintained, accessible around the clock, and tested with regular drills ².

Design is a separate matter: the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment publishes technical information on tsunami loads that informs the design of these structures ¹. Phaenyx gives no construction instructions; this is work for a structural engineer and the building consent authority.

How do I recognise official tsunami signs?

TS 01/08 sets five sign categories: evacuation zone, information board, evacuation route, evacuation safe location, and previous event markers ³. Zone, route and safe-location signs are white on blue ³. DGL 21/18 notes that TS 01/08 includes a sign template for the outside of vertical evacuation structures and floor signs for multi-level ones ². Road-side signs must also comply with the land transport rule on traffic control devices ³.

For what Civil Defence Centres offer, see public shelters in New Zealand. For what to do in a tsunami, see our tsunami guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a law requiring shelters in New Zealand buildings?

No such requirement was found. The national rules cover tsunami evacuation zones, signs and vertical evacuation, not protective shelters ¹².

Who decides where a vertical evacuation structure goes?

The regional CDEM Group, following the risk-based method in DGL 21/18 ².

Will my council's tsunami map change?

Possibly. Councils have until 1 July 2031 to bring zones, maps and signs into line with the Blue Zone ¹.

Sources

1. National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) — Tsunami Evacuation: Director's Guideline for Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups [DGL 08/25] — https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/documents/publications/guidelines/directors-guidelines/08/25-tsunami-evacuation/Tsunami-Evacuation-Zone-Directors-Guideline-DGL-08-25.pdf (accessed 2026-10-27)
2. Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (now NEMA) — Assessment and Planning for Tsunami Vertical Evacuation: Director's Guideline [DGL 21/18] — https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/documents/publications/guidelines/directors-guidelines/DGL-21-18-Assessment-and-Planning-for-Tsunami-Vertical-Evacuation.pdf (accessed 2026-10-27)
3. Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (now NEMA) — National Tsunami Signage: Technical Standard for the CDEM Sector [TS 01/08] — https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/documents/publications/guidelines/technical-standards/ts-01-08-national-tsunami-signage.pdf (accessed 2026-10-27)