Tsunami warning issued for New Zealand after 8.3 Pacific quake

The tsunami generated in the Pacific is predicted to hit New Zealand's East Cape at 9.44am and will be approximiately one metre high.

Samoan reports say the wave that hit in Apia was 0.7 of a metre while the second, larger wave in Pago Pago was measured at 1.7 metres.

Most low lying coastal areas of Apia have been affected with damage to many homes but there are no reports of deaths or injuries at this time.

Sea level readings indicated a tsunami was generated in the Pacific and Warwick Smith, senior seismologist at GNS, told Breakfast that if there is a tsunami, it will hit the East Cape first at 9.44am.

It would then hit Gisborne at 10.00am, Napier at 10.40am, Wellington at 10.50am and Auckland at 11.12am.The warning is in effect for American Samoa, Samoa, Niue Island, the Wallis and Futuna Islands, the Tokelau atolls, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Kermadec Islands, the Baker and Howland Islands, Jarvis Island, French Polynesia and the Palmyra Islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.

New Zealand's Ministry of Civil Defence Director, John Hamilton, says the Ministry has alerted the country's regional Civil Defence Emergency Management CDEM Groups, Police, Fire Service, Ministry of Health, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and other government agencies, and media.

The Ministry has activated the National Crisis Management Centre and is co-ordinating central government response.

The Civil Defence Emergency Management sector is activating its emergency plans. Regional Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups are working urgently with local authorities, local emergency services and local media to warn and if necessary evacuate coastal areas at risk. - co.nz