Hazards

The waters around New Zealand have some of the highest waves in the world, due to Southern Ocean swell and storms in the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean.

New Zealand has low-lying coastal areas that are vulnerable to inundation (flooding) by the sea.

Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning great wave in harbour.

River floods occur when water spills from a river channel onto land that is normally dry, and are one of New Zealand's costliest natural hazards.

Some commonly-asked questions about tornadoes in New Zealand.

Understanding what happens above and below ground during a flooding event, and how it is different from normal rainfall conditions

One of the major consequences of climate change is rising global sea levels.

New Zealand faces a variety of hazards associated with snow.