New Zealand Earthquake Notes

The plate boundary is both destructive and conservative.
New Zealand faces risks from both earthquakes and volcanoes due to its plate boundary.
The lesson focuses on the 2011 earthquake.

Earthquake Commission: Everyone contributes through insurance.
Strict Building Code: Reviewed every 10 years and enforced for new buildings; recommendations for older buildings.
Urban Areas: Government ensures high infrastructure standards and organized emergency services.
Education: Everyone knows what to do in case of an earthquake, tsunami, or volcanic eruption.
Community: Strong community collaboration after earthquakes.

Epicenter: 10 km away from Christchurch.
Felt Area: Across the South Island and parts of the North Island.
Magnitude: 6.3 on the Richter scale.
Date and Time: February 22, 2011, at 12:51 pm.
Plate Boundary: Destructive and conservative.
Plates Involved: Australian and Pacific plates.
Duration of Shaking: 12 seconds.
2010 Earthquake: A magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in September 2010.
Destruction Comparison: The 2011 earthquake was more destructive than the 2010 earthquake due to:
- Closer epicenter to Christchurch.
- Occurring in the middle of the day.
- More liquefaction.
Building Codes: Strict building codes limit damage.
State of Emergency: Declared a national state of emergency until April 30, 2011.

Casualties: 181 people were killed.
Injuries: Approximately 2,000 people were treated for minor injuries.
Building Damage: Widespread due to the weakening of structures from the 2010 earthquake; many buildings were demolished because they were unsafe.
Specific Building Damage: The Christchurch Cathedral lost its spire; over half the deaths occurred in the CTV building due to collapse and fire.
Houses: 10,000 houses needed to be rebuilt.
Infrastructure Damage: Roads and bridges were severely damaged.
Liquefaction: Produced 400,000 tonnes of silt; damaged land cannot be rebuilt upon.
Transportation: Cars and buses were crushed by falling debris; Christchurch International Airport was temporarily closed as a precaution.
Building Performance: High-rise buildings constructed within the last 30 years generally survived.
Liquefaction Defined: Ground shaking causes water and mud/dirt to rise to the surface.
Landslides: Landslides in some suburbs caused serious damage.

Emergency Response Plan: A full plan was in place within 2 hours.
Search and Rescue Teams: Arrived from New Zealand, Australia, UK, USA, Japan, Taiwan, China, and Singapore.
Medical Assistance: Hospitals survived, and medical teams organized treatment.
Aid from New Zealand Defence Force: Provided equipment, transport, evacuation, food, and water to 1,000 homeless people.
International Aid: The Australian Government donated NZ $6.7$ million to the Red Cross appeal.
Police Assistance: Australian police joined New Zealand police to assist with cordons, evacuations, search and rescue, traffic control, and prevention of looting.
Local Assistance: Local people helped with cleaning up their local areas.
Water: Bottled water was provided due to cut-off supplies; water was restored to 70% of households within 1 week.
Sanitation: 27,000 chemical toilets were flown into the area because sanitation and sewerage works were damaged.
Electricity: Electricity companies worked to restore power; 80% of households had power within 5 days, and 95% within 2 weeks.
Communication: Communication companies worked to restore telephone lines.
Fundraising: The New Zealand Red Cross launched an appeal to raise funds.
Satellite Imagery: Used to coordinate recovery efforts.