Changelog

What to do when a big earthquake hits the coast: the natural warnings, drop-cover-hold and how to evacuate, which parts of town are low-lying, and how to find your evacuation zone. On this coast the quake is the warning — long or strong, get gone. It's a safety reference, not a live alert.

The recurring Kaikōura question, from Waka Kotahi's live highway feed: reported closures, hazards and roadworks on SH1 either side of town. When nothing is listed, the road is open as far as the feed knows — check Waka Kotahi before you travel.

Official tide predictions from Land Information New Zealand — today's highs and lows and the week ahead — with the tide-gated Peninsula Walkway and calm morning tides in mind. Predictions, not measurements: wind and pressure can shift the real level.

Kaikōura now has its own set of tools. The town sits on one of New Zealand's most active fault systems — the 2016 quake lifted its coast by metres — so the first tool tracks recent earthquakes near town straight from GeoNet, alongside the standing tsunami advice for this coast. Around it: a month-by-month guide to the whales, dolphins and seals; live sea conditions for the coast the boats work; a self-guided Peninsula Walkway; who to call; and a place for locals to share their picks. More to come as residents weigh in.