Our rating scale

We rate all current and potential risks to people within New Zealand on a 1 to 10 scale, so you know how seriously to regard the emergency.  Below we list the levels to give you a better understanding

1 – 2:  Low risk to people and property, more a ‘wait and see’ situation, no specific precautions or actions required

3-4: Some minor risk to people and/or property.  Some basic precautions or actions may be required

5: Moderate risk to people and/or property.  Some action is required to keep life and property safe

6: Moderate to high risk to people, immediate moderate level action required to stay safe

7: High risk to people’s safety, likely risk of lives being lost.  Definitive actions and precautions needed immediately.

8 – 9: Very high risk to people, lives at high risk of being lost, multiple casualties likely.  High level of action required immediately to stay safe.

10: Extreme risk to people.  Definite loss of multiple lives, extreme immediate action required by all.