The Government has launched of the country's first nationwide tsunami evacuation map.

'All of New Zealand's coastline is at risk of tsunami which means most of us live, work, or play in areas under threat,” Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty.

'It's important all Kiwis have a plan to keep their whānau safe if a tsunami happens. The new national tsunami evacuation map makes it easy for people to find out where to get to safety.

'The map enables you to enter your address to find out if you're in a tsunami evacuation zone and where to go to stay safe, and directs you to in-depth local evacuation information.

'In an emergency every second counts so it's crucial people have a plan in place before something happens. This map makes it easier for people to know where their closest safe ground is, and to have a plan to get there.

'While individual areas of the country have tsunami maps, this is the first time we've had a single map for the whole country, and is the latest of a series of milestones to strengthen Aotearoa's tsunami safety arrangements.

'This is just the latest step the Government has taken in strengthening New Zealand's readiness for a natural disaster.

'In addition to the tsunami evacuation map the Government has also established the National Geohazards Monitoring Centre, deployed the DART marine tsunami sensor network to provide early warning of threats to Aotearoa and the South Pacific, rolled out the Emergency Mobile Alert system, and last month opened NEMA's 24-7 Monitoring, Alerting and Reporting (MAR) Centre.

'The map has been developed by the National Emergency Management Agency in close partnership with the 16 regional Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups, and I'd like to thank all those who have worked hard to bring this to life.

'You shouldn't wait until an emergency to check whether you're in a tsunami evacuation zone – there is no better time than now to make sure you're prepared and your plan is up to date to keep you and your whānau safe.”

Check out the map here.