How to COPE when disaster strikes 

Are Avalanches a thing in New Zealand? 

They sure are! When it comes to natural disasters in Aotearoa, most people think of earthquakes and volcanoes, all of which have well established early warning systems. But so do Avalanches... New Zealand’s Met Services’ sophisticated early warning system also includes avalanche and snow slip warnings.

The new Avalanches book is written by Martha Keswick, illustrated by Mariko Jesse and edited by Timothy Sim. Together with the other books in the series, the aim is to help tamariki navigate natural disasters before, during and after they strike.  

This is what UNICEF does through its global mahi around the world - preparing, educating and building systems and partnerships to help children and their whānau navigate disasters. UNICEF Aotearoa and UNICEF East Asia and Pacific were consultants for the book, providing additional insights on children's rights perspectives.  

The story 

The books feature a group of 4 kids- the COPE Squad- who are teenage orphans from all over the world. They live at an international disaster management hub in Sichuan Province, China. Their mentor, and founder of the academy, is Grand Mistress Fu, who is both a nanna figure but also a martial arts maven! 

The COPE Squad consists of Candy, Ollie, Ping and Eddy, they’re being trained as disaster risk reduction agents. In Avalanches they embark on a thrilling journey through the snowy landscapes of Aotearoa. A context very familiar to squad member, 13-year-old Ollie, who is from Christchurch.  

The teens are accompanied by weather experts, to learn about avalanches and to share the knowledge they learn along the way with local communities and schools. The squad’s key message is KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! And the book is full of very useful tips for knowing the signs of a potential avalanche as well as what to do if you are caught in one.  

Things you may not have known about Avalanches in New Zealand...

• Between 1999 and 2018 the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council report listed 742 avalanche incidents resulting in 27 deaths.   
• Further back in history when avalanche records started to be kept, some 140 people have died in avalanches in Aotearoa. 
• According to New Zealand Geographic, Fiordland is the only region in New Zealand where Class 5 avalanches occur regularly—they are as big and potentially as destructive as anywhere in the world. 
• The New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA) (external site) provides daily assessments of avalanche likelihood to 12 alpine regions throughout New Zealand.