Hazards and Risks
We want you to have a safe and enjoyable visit, so it’s important to understand the potential hazards in the area, stay up to date with weather conditions and travel advisories, and come prepared for changing conditions. Knowing the risks and how to stay safe is an important part of planning your visit.
Powerful natural forces have shaped Aotearoa New Zealand over millions of years. Earthquakes and volcanoes have lifted these beautiful islands out of the Pacific Ocean and created the dramatic landscapes we enjoy today.
Natural hazards are part of life here with around 20,000 earthquakes recorded each year. Most are small and go unnoticed, but larger events can cause damage.
Fiordland is New Zealand’s largest and most remote national park, and conditions can change rapidly at any time of year – from warm sunshine to cold temperatures, snow, strong winds, and heavy rain.
It’s also important to be aware that the alpine highway through Fiordland National Park to Piopiotahi Milford Sound has very limited mobile phone coverage. If you’re self-driving, we encourage you to check the latest weather forecast before you leave, use the NZ Transport Agency Journey Planner, and review the latest Milford Road status updates and Milford Sound webcam conditions. There are no petrol stations on the Milford Road, so ensure you fuel up in Te Anau.
Once you arrive at Piopiotahi Milford Sound, you’ll see why it’s considered one of the world’s most spectacular and special natural environments. Dramatic and ever-changing, its steep, glacier-carved mountains and deep fiord have been shaped by powerful geological forces over millions of years.
This also means that the area is exposed to risk from a range of natural hazards, which can occur at any time, and some can happen without warning. Of all the hazards, large earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis pose the greatest risk to people at Piopiotahi Milford Sound.
It’s extremely unlikely that one will happen during your visit, especially for a short stay. However, there is a risk and the longer you spend there, the higher it becomes. Once you are there, your safety options are limited and it is important you understand the risks, before you go.
Here’s an overview of the natural hazards and safety actions to keep in mind when visiting Fiordland.
Severe weather events
Storms can happen any time of the year and can bring strong winds, heavy rain or snow, thunder, lightning, and rough seas.
Met Service is New Zealand’s national weather authority and the go-to source for land-based, coastal, recreation, and high seas information. It also issues severe weather alerts using a system of Warnings and Watches and Severe Weather Outlooks. Outlooks and Watches are a heads-up to stay alert for potential bad weather across New Zealand and keep an eye on the forecast for updates. Make sure you check out the Southland-specific part of the website well before you visit and familiarise yourself with the warning system.
Orange warnings are issued when bad weather is expected to meet Severe Weather Criteria. This could be heavy rain, strong wind or heavy snow. Be prepared and take action as appropriate – there could be some disruption to your day and potential risk to people, animals and property.
Red warnings are issued for extreme weather events that are likely to have significant impact and disruption like heavy rain/snow, strong winds or cyclones.
A Red Warning is Act Now – immediate action is needed to protect people, animals and property. Be prepared to follow the advice of official authorities and emergency services.
Find out more about what to do before, during and after a storm.
Piopiotahi Milford Sound is known for its stunning scenery and heavy rainfall, averaging over 7 metres a year. Sometimes rainfall can accumulate rapidly, causing flooding and leading to road closures. While our infrastructure is built to be resilient in most weather, extreme conditions may occasionally isolate the area.
Key actions to take for flooding:
- Act quickly if you see rising water. Do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
- Stay out of flood water. Never try to walk, swim or drive through flood water.
- Make sure you wash your hands, clothes and property after contact with flood waters. Always assume that flood water is contaminated with farm run-off, chemicals and sewage. Contaminated flood water can make you sick.
Find out more about what to do before, during and after flooding.
The steep mountains around Piopiotahi Milford Sound are prone to rockfall and landslides. Earthquakes and severe weather can make the cliffs unstable, sending rock and debris down at speed.
Smaller rockfalls are common but often go unnoticed, unless you are nearby.
Bigger landslides don’t happen often. The chance of one occurring during a short visit is extremely unlikely. However, they could cause a tsunami in the fiord and do pose a risk to life at Piopiotahi Milford Sound.
Large earthquakes are the most common trigger of big landslides in Fiordland. A large earthquake during your visit is extremely unlikely, especially for a short stay.
Be prepared for a landslide:
- Take extra supplies, food, water, first aid, clothes in your vehicle when travelling in remote areas in case you get stuck – the road from Te Anau to Piopiotahi Milford Sound is prone to avalanches, rockfall and landslides. It’s monitored 24/7 by the Milford Road Alliance but if you get stuck it will take some time for help to reach you. Having extra supplies in your vehicle will make the wait time more comfortable.
- If you see or hear a landslide entering the water, dust clouds, loud rumbling, or splashing, follow staff instructions and/or move up and away from waterways (the fiord and rivers) as quickly as possible.
During winter and spring, snow and avalanches are another consideration on the alpine highway into the Piopiotahi Milford Sound area.
The Milford Road Alliance operates an internationally recognised specialist avalanche control programme that monitors the road and surrounding mountains around the clock to maximise safety and minimise road closures.
Key action to take: Always check the latest Milford Road information and follow instructions. This is particularly important between May and November as the road may be closed or vehicles may need to carry/fit snow chains.
Natural disasters
Like the rest of Aotearoa New Zealand, small earthquakes occur regularly in Fiordland. We don’t feel them and they don’t bother us. These small movements are a normal part of how the land works and do not pose a risk to people.
Sometimes, earthquakes in or near Fiordland are felt at Piopiotahi Milford Sound. They might shake objects on a shelf or rattle a window, but they do not cause major impacts or disrupt your visit.
Occasionally, a stronger earthquake can trigger avalanches, rockfall or landslides. These can cause debris to fall onto roads, jetties and tracks, and may disrupt your travel plans if you happen to be nearby.
Large earthquakes are rare, and extremely unlikely to happen during a short visit. But they will happen again.
The Alpine Fault runs almost the entire length of the South Island and crosses the entrance to Piopiotahi Milford Sound. It can generate earthquakes of magnitude 8 or greater, occurring on average every 300 years. There is a 75% chance of this happening in the next 50 years (find out more at www.af8.org.nz). An earthquake of this size would almost certainly affect the narrow waterway and surrounding area.
In the event of a strong earthquake, there’s a possibility of landslides and localised tsunamis which could affect critical infrastructure in Piopiotahi Milford Sound, including key access roads.
What to do in an earthquake:
• DROP, COVER and HOLD until the shaking stops. Drop down on your hands and knees. Cover your head and neck and, if possible, take shelter under sturdy furniture. Hold on to your shelter until the shaking stops. Most injuries from earthquakes happen when you try and move during the shaking. The lower to the ground/floor you are, the less likely you are to be injured.
• If an earthquake is Long or Strong, Get Gone. Follow staff instructions and/or move up and away from waterways (the fiord and rivers) as quickly as possible.
Find out more about what to do before, during and after an earthquake
Like all of Aotearoa New Zealand’s coastline, Piopiotahi Milford Sound is at risk of tsunami from multiple sources.
The most common threat comes from distant earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean. These ocean-source tsunamis take hours to reach our shores. Official warnings are issued in time for people to move to safety.
Less common, but of more concern, is the potential for a large landslide to fall into the fiord and trigger a tsunami.
Landslide-triggered tsunamis are rare. The chance of one occurring during your visit is extremely unlikely. However, they can create large waves and do pose a risk to life at Piopiotahi Milford Sound.
Be prepared for tsunamis:
- Triggered by an earthquake – If you feel a LONG (1 minute or more) or STRONG (cannot stand up) earthquake, while at Piopiotahi Milford Sound, Get GONE. Move up and away from waterways (the fiord and rivers) as quickly as possible.
- Triggered by a landslide – If you see or hear a landslide entering the water, dust clouds, loud rumbling, splashing or unusual water behaviour, GET GONE. Move up and away from waterways (the fiord and rivers) as quickly as possible.
Find out more about what to do before, during and after a tsunami
While Fiordland is known for its rainfall, wildfire is still a risk and can happen any time of year. Open fires are prohibited in the Fiordland National Park for this reason.
At campsites, only use the designated fire/ash disposal areas. If you’re a smoker, please dispose of cigarette butts safely and double-check they’re out. Practice good fire safety and remember, the smallest spark can cause a fire.
Wildfires move quickly, so quick actions make all the difference.
Key action to take in a wildfire:
- If in doubt, get out! If you can see smoke or flames from a wildfire and you feel unsafe, don’t wait for an official warning to leave. Evacuate immediately. Call 111 to report it to the Fire Emergency Service, especially if your life or property is threatened, or you can’t evacuate on your own.
Find out more about what to do before, during and after a wildfire.
Plans and preparedness
Piopiotahi Milford Sound has emergency response plans which cover earthquakes, tsunami, landslides, avalanches, flooding, severe weather and other emergencies. These help coordinate multiple agencies in a State or Emergency.
All tourism operators maintain their own emergency procedures. These integrate with the wider response in a State of Emergency.