Progress in quake readiness

About 150 Kapiti commuters wearing high-visibility vests walked from Wellington to Raumati over the weekend to test their preparedness for a natural disaster.

Lions Long Walk Home project manager Andrew Laing said commuters were testing their ability to trek the more than 45 kilometres home from Wellington over two days, should an earthquake make rail and road travel impossible.

The walk went ahead despite strong winds.

‘‘ Real disasters don’t necessarily pick nice days,’’ Laing said.

The ‘‘army’’ left Wellington Railway Station at 8.30am on Saturday.

Commuters trekked 24km to Ngatitoa Domain in Mana via the Old Hutt Rd, Ngauranga Gorge, through Johnsonville to Tawa via Middleton Rd to the Porirua Railway Station.

On Sunday, they completed the second 24km leg up State Highway 1 and along Paekakariki Beach to Raumati Beach village.