Earthquake a timely reminder to be prepared

If last night’s earthquake had been the big one would you have been prepared?

That is the question being asked by Queenstown Lakes District Council emergency management officer Brenden Winder after an earthquake measuring a magnitude of 7.8 was felt in the Queenstown Lakes area.

“Last night we were lucky that the earthquake was reasonably minor. But we should take this opportunity to think about how we would cope if a major quake struck,” Mr Winder said.

Mr Winder urged everyone in the community, including businesses and schools to make sure they have a current emergency plan in place. “You might need to cope on your own for three days or more and its imperative that you have a plan in place to do that,” he said.

“There are some great resources and planning tips out there – particularly on the Get Ready, Get Thru website - www.getthru.govt.nz,” he said.

The earthquake was also a timely reminder to make sure your insurances are up to date.

“If your property has been damaged in any way as a result of last night’s earthquake, we recommend contacting your insurance provider in the first instance,” Mr Winder said.

Further information about last night’s earthquake could be found on the Earthquake Commission website www.eqc.govt.nz or phone 0800 326 243.