2011 Christchurch earthquake
Encyclopedia
The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a magnitude
6.3 (ML) earthquake that struck the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island
at on local time (23:51 UTC
), The earthquake was centred 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the town of Lyttelton
, and 10 kilometres (6 mi) south-east of the centre of Christchurch
, New Zealand's second-most populous city. It followed nearly six months after the magnitude 7.1 4 September 2010 Canterbury earthquake
, which caused significant damage to Christchurch and the central Canterbury region, but no direct fatalities.
The earthquake caused widespread damage across Christchurch, especially in the central city and eastern suburbs, with damage exacerbated by buildings and infrastructure already being weakened by the 4 September 2010 earthquake and its aftershocks. Significant liquefaction
affected the eastern suburbs, producing around 400,000 tonnes of silt. The earthquake was reported to be felt across the South Island and the lower and central North Island.
In total, 181 people were killed in the earthquake, making the earthquake the second-deadliest natural disaster recorded in New Zealand (after the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake
), and fourth-deadliest disaster of any kind recorded in New Zealand, with nationals from more than 20 countries among the victims. Over half of the deaths occurred in the six-storey Canterbury Television (CTV) Building
, which collapsed and caught fire in the quake. The government declared a state of national emergency
, which stayed in force until 30 April 2011.
It has been estimated that the total cost of rebuilding to insurers to be around NZ$20–30 billion, making it by far New Zealand's costliest natural disaster, and the third-costliest earthquake (nominally) worldwide.
The earthquake would ultimately be one of three major earthquakes in a year-long earthquake swarm affecting the Christchurch area, and was followed by a large aftershock on 13 June 2011
, which caused considerable additional damage.
s in the region following the 7.1-magnitude 4 September 2010 Canterbury earthquake
. While New Zealand's GNS Science
describe it as "technically an aftershock" of the earlier event, other seismologists, including those from USA and Geoscience Australia
, consider it a separate event, given its location on a separate fault system. It occurred on a single faultline, which appears to have no underground connection to the four-part Greendale fault responsible for the September quake. It has generated a significant series of its own aftershocks, many of which are considered big for a 6.3 quake. 361+ aftershocks (3+ foreshocks incl) were experienced in the first week, the largest measuring magnitude 5.9, occurring just under 2 hours after the main shock. A 5.3-magnitude aftershock on 16 April, the largest for several weeks, caused further damage, including power cuts and several large rock falls. Another aftershock hit the Christchurch region on 10 May 2011 from the Greendale fault measuring 5.3 magnitude. It cut power for a few minutes and caused further damage to buildings in the city centre. No deaths or injuries were reported. It was felt as far away as Dunedin and Greymouth. On 6 June, a large aftershock occurred, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale. The shake was felt as far away as Kaikoura
and Oamaru
.
A series of aftershocks occurred on 13 June. A tremor of 5.7 was felt at 1 pm NZT, with depth of 9 km and an epicentre at Taylors Mistake, followed by a 6.3 tremor just over an hour later, with a depth of 6 km, located 10 km east of the city. Power was cut to around 54,000 homes, with further damage and liquefaction in already weakened areas. The Lyttelton Timeball Station
collapsed and Christchurch Cathedral sustained more damage. At least 46 people were reported injured.
Initial reports suggest the earthquake occurred at a depth of 5 kilometres (3 mi); further analysis of seismic data might result in a revision of that depth. Early reports suggested that it occurred on a previously unknown faultline running 17 km east-west from Scarborough Hill in South Eastern Christchurch to Halswell
, at depths of 3–12 km, but the Institute of Professional Engineers have since stated that "GNS Science believe that the earthquake arose from the rupture of an 8 x 8 km fault running east-northeast at a depth of 1–2 km depth beneath the southern edge of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary and dipping southwards at an angle of about 65 degrees from the horizontal beneath the Port Hills." Although the rupture was subsurface (i.e. did not break the surface), satellite images indicate the net displacement of the land south of the fault was 50 cm westwards and upwards; the land movement would have been greater during the quake. Land movement is varied around the area horizontally—in both east and west directions—and vertically; the Port Hills have been raised by 40 cm.
The quake was a "strike-slip event with oblique motion"—mostly horizontal movement with some vertical movement—with reverse thrust (i.e. vertical movement upwards). The vertical acceleration was far greater than the horizontal acceleration.
The intensity felt in Christchurch was MM VIII. The peak ground acceleration
(PGA) in central Christchurch exceeded 1.8g (i.e. 1.8 times the acceleration of gravity), with the highest recording 2.2g, at Heathcote Valley
Primary School, a shaking intensity equivalent to MM X+. This is the highest PGA ever recorded in New Zealand; the highest reading during the September 2010 event was 1.26g, recorded near Darfield. The PGA is also one of the greatest ever ground accelerations recorded in the world, and was unusually high for a 6.3 quake. and the highest in a vertical direction. The central business district (CBD) experienced PGAs in the range of 0.574 and 0.802 g. In contrast, the 7.0 Mw
2010 Haiti earthquake
had an estimated PGA of 0.5g. The acceleration occurred mainly in a vertical direction, with eyewitness accounts of people being tossed into the air. The upwards (positive acceleration) was greater than the downwards, which had a maximum recording of 0.9g; the maximum recorded horizontal acceleration was 1.7g The force of the quake was "statistically unlikely" to occur more than once in 1000 years, according to one seismic engineer, with a PGA greater than many modern buildings were designed to withstand. New Zealand building codes require a building with a 50-year design life to withstand predicted loads of a 500-year event; initial reports by GNS Science
suggest ground motion "considerably exceeded even 2500-year design motions", beyond maximum considered events (MCE). By comparison, the 2010 quake—in which damage was predominantly to pre-1970s buildings—exerted 65% of the design loading on buildings. The acceleration experienced in February 2011 would "totally flatten" most world cities, causing massive loss of life; in Christchurch, New Zealand's stringent building codes limited the disaster. However, the most severe shaking lasted only 12 seconds, which perhaps prevented more extensive damage.
It is also possible that "seismic lensing" contributed to the ground effect, with the seismic waves rebounding off the hard basalt of the Port Hills
back into the city. Geologists reported liquefaction
was worse than the 2010 quake. The quake also caused significant landslips and rockfalls on the Port Hills.
Although smaller in magnitude than the 2010 quake, the earthquake was more damaging and deadly for a number of reasons. The epicentre was closer to Christchurch, and shallower at 5 kilometres (3 mi) underground, whereas the September quake was measured at 10 kilometres (6 mi) deep. The February earthquake occurred during lunchtime on a weekday when the CBD was busy, and many buildings were already weakened from the previous quakes. The PGA was extremely high, and simultaneous vertical and horizontal ground movement was "almost impossible" for buildings to survive intact. Liquefaction was significantly greater than that of the 2010 quake, causing the upwelling of more than 200,000 tonnes of silt which needed to be cleared. The increased liquefaction caused significant ground movement, undermining many foundations and destroying infrastructure, damage which "may be the greatest ever recorded anywhere in a modern city". 80% of the water and sewerage system was severely damaged.
While both the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes occurred on "blind" or unknown faults, New Zealand's Earthquake Commission
had, in a 1991 report, predicted moderate earthquakes in Canterbury with the likelihood of associated liquefaction.
According to GNS Science
seismologists, the energy released in Christchurch was equivalent to a magnitude 6.7 earthquake.
On 13 June 2011, two major aftershocks measuring 5.7 and 6.3 struck the region, causing further damage, liquefaction and 10 injuries in and around Christchurch. These were followed by a magnitude 5.4 quake at a depth of 8 km and centred 10 km south-west of Christchurch at 10:34 pm on 21 June 2011.
According to Geonet, their Google maps locations of the 13 June earthquakes
have been upgraded.
The 1st tremor of that day has been upgraded from 5.7 to 5.9
The 2nd tremor of that day has been upgraded from 6.3 to 6.4> Date Time Magnitude
Moment Magnitude
Epicentre Depth
22 February 2011
12:51 pm
6.3
6.2
10 km South-east of Christchurch
5.9 km
22 February 2011
1:04 pm
5.8
5.6
10 km South of Christchurch
5.9 km
22 February 2011
2:50 pm
5.9
5.6
Within 5 km of Lyttelton
6.72 km
22 February 2011
2:51 pm
5.1
4.4
Within 5 km of Lyttelton
7.3 km
22 February 2011
4:04 pm
5.0
4.4
Within 5 km of Christchurch
12.0 km
22 February 2011
7:43 pm
5.0
4.5
20 km South-east of Christchurch
12.0 km
5 March 2011
7:34 pm
5.0
4.5
10 km South-east of Christchurch
9.5 km
20 March 2011
9:47 pm
5.1
4.9
10 km East of Christchurch
11.83 km
16 April 2011
5:49 pm
5.3
4.9
20 km South-east of Christchurch
10.6 km
30 April 2011
7:04 am
5.2
4.6
60 km North-east of Christchurch
8.7 km
10 May 2011
3:04 am
5.3
5.2
20 km West of Christchurch
14.4 km
6 June 2011
9:09 am
5.5
5.1
20 km South-west of Christchurch
8.1 km
13 June 2011**
1:00 pm
5.9
5.3
10km south-east of christchurch
9.2 km
13 June 2011**
2:20 pm
6.4
6.0
10 km South-east of Christchurch
6.1 km
15 June 2011
6:27 am
5.0
4.8
20 km South-east of Christchurch
6.1 km
21 June 2011
10:34 pm
5.4
5.2
10 km South-west of Christchurch
8.3 km
22 July 2011
5:39 am
5.1
4.7
40 km West of Christchurch
12 km
2 September 2011
3:29 am
5.0
4.5
10 km East of Lyttelton
7.6 km
9 October 2011
8:34 pm
5.5
5.1
10 km North-East of Diamond Harbour
12.0 km
structure was in place within two hours, with national coordination operated from the National Crisis Management Centre
bunker in the Beehive in Wellington. Regional emergency operations command was established in the Christchurch Art Gallery, a modern earthquake-proofed building in the centre of the city which had sustained only minor damage. On 23 February the Minister of Civil Defence, John Carter
declared the situation a state of national emergency
, the country's first for a civil defence emergency (the only other one was for the 1951 waterfront dispute
). As per the protocols of New Zealand's Coordinated Incident Management System
and the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act, the Civil Defence
became lead agency—with Air Vice Marshal John Hamilton as National Controller—supported by New Zealand Police, Fire Service, Defence Force and many other agencies and organisations. One experienced international USAR
team member described the response as "the best-organised emergency" he had witnessed.
The Government response was immediate and significant, with many departments and ministries involved. Cabinet Minister Gerry Brownlee
's regular portfolios were distributed amongst other cabinet ministers, so he could focus solely on earthquake recovery. After a brief sitting, when a National Emergency was declared, Parliament was adjourned until 8 March so cabinet could work on earthquake recovery. Prime Minister John Key
and other ministers regularly visited Christchurch, supporting Christchurch mayor Bob Parker, who was heavily involved in the emergency management and became the face of the city, despite his own injuries and family concerns.
Both COGIC (French Civil Protection) and the American USGS requested the activation of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters
on the behalf of MCDEM New Zealand, thus readily providing satellite imagery for aid and rescue services.
DVI chair.
New Zealand Police
requested 300 police from Australia for non-rescue tasks such as traffic control, general policing duties and to prevent looting. The contingent was formed by 200 from the New South Wales Police Force, 50 from the Australian Federal Police
and others from Queensland, Victoria and South Australia state police forces. In total, 323 Australian police, including DVI officers, were sent. Following their arrival on 25 February, they were briefed on New Zealand law and procedure and the emergency regulations before being sworn in as temporary constables, giving them complete New Zealand policing powers. Many of them received standing ovations from appreciative locals as they walked through Christchurch Airport upon arrival. The first contingent remained in New Zealand for two weeks, after which they were replaced by a further contingent. While serving in New Zealand, the Australian officers would not carry guns, since New Zealand police are a routinely unarmed force; the officers would instead be equipped with standard New Zealand issue batons and capsicum spray. It was the first time in 170 years that Australian police have patrolled in New Zealand. Following a rotation of staff, police were present from all Australian states and territories as well as Federal Police, the first time representatives from all Australian forces have worked together on a single operation.
coordinated search and rescue, particularly the Urban Search and Rescue
(USAR) teams from New Zealand and Australia, UK, USA, Japan, Taiwan, China and Singapore, totalling 150 personnel from New Zealand and 429 from overseas. They also responded to fires, serious structural damage reports, and land slips working with structural engineers, seismologists and geologists, as well as construction workers, crane and digger operators and demolition experts.
A team of 72 urban search and rescue
specialists from New South Wales
, Australia was sent to Christchurch on a RAAF
C-130 Hercules
, arriving 12 hours after the quake, with another team of 70 (along with three sniffer dogs) from Queensland sent the following day. A team of 55 Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team
members from the Singapore Civil Defence Force
were sent. The United States sent Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2
, a 74-member heavy rescue team consisting of firefighters and paramedics from the Los Angeles County Fire Department
, doctors, engineers and 26 tons of pre-packaged rescue equipment.
Japan sent 70 search-and-rescue personnel including specialists from the coastguard, police and fire fighting service, as well as three sniffer dogs. The team left New Zealand earlier than planned due to the 9.0 earthquake
which struck their homeland on 11 March. The United Kingdom sent a 53 strong search and rescue team including 9 Welsh firefighters who had assisted the rescue effort during the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Taiwan sent a 22-member team from the National Fire Agency
, along with 2 tons of specialist search and rescue equipment. China sent a 10-member specialist rescue team.
—staging their largest operation on New Zealand soil— provided logistics, equipment, transport, airbridges, evacuations, supply and equipment shipments, survey of the Port and harbour, and support to the agencies, including meals; they assisted the Police with security, and provided humanitarian aid particularly to Lyttleton, which was isolated from the city in the first days. Over 1400 Army, Navy and Air Force personnel were involved, and Territorials (Army Reserve) were called up. They were supplemented by 116 soldiers from the Singapore Army
, in Christchurch for a training exercise at the time of the earthquake, who assisted in the cordon of the city.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force
provided an air bridge
between Christchurch and Wellington using a Boeing 757
and two C-130 Hercules
,and bringing in emergency crews and equipment and evacuating North Island residents and tourists out of Christchurch. Three RNZAF Bell UH-1 'Hueys' were also used to transport Police, VIP's and aid to locations around Christchurch. RNZAF Beech King Air aircraft were also used to evacuate people from Christchurch.
The crew of the Navy ship Canterbury, in Lyttelton harbour at the time of the earthquake, provided meals for 1,000 people left homeless in that town, and accommodation for a small number of locals. The Royal Australian Air Force also assisted with air lifts. On one of their journeys, an RAAF Hercules sustained minor damage in an aftershock.
The army also operated desalination plants to provide water to the eastern suburbs.
Australia's foreign minister Kevin Rudd
told Sky News
that New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister
Murray McCully
had asked for further help from Australia. He said Australia would send counsellors over and a disaster medical assistance team comprising 23 emergency and surgical personnel. A field hospital providing 75 beds arrived 24 February. Set up in the badly affected eastern suburbs, it was equipped to provide triage, emergency care, maternity, dentistry and isolation tents for gastroenteritis, and also provide primary care since most general practices in the area were unable to open.
and the Salvation Army
. Welfare Centres and support networks were established throughout the city. Government Departments, such as WINZ and Housing New Zealand established contact with as many people as possible and provided grants and assistance. Many church and community-led projects also became established. The scale of the disaster meant many people went some days without official contact, so neighbourhoods and streets were encouraged to attend to those around them. Official visitation teams were organised by Civil Defence, with aim of visiting every household; the teams, which assessed homes and welfare needs, and passed on official information, included structural engineers or assessors from EQC. LandSAR assisted with the patrols.
, Christchurch's electricity distribution
lines company, assisted by other lines companies from New Zealand, worked constantly to restore power. This included the erection of a new 66 kV
overhead line between Bromley and New Brighton to get power into the eastern suburbs, a project which would usually take six or seven weeks but was completed in 2½ days, with the resource consent process taking only 20 minutes. Power had been restored to 82% households within five days, and to 95% within two weeks. Generators were donated, and telephone companies established emergency communications and free calls. Water provision was worked on by companies and contractors, while Fonterra
provided milk tankers to bring in water, the Army provided desalination plants, and bottled supplies sent in by volunteers and companies. Mains water supply was reestablished to 70% households within one week. Waste water and sewerage systems had been severely damaged, so households had to establish emergency latrines. Over 2000 portaloos
and 5,000 chemical toilet
s from throughout New Zealand and overseas were brought in, with 20,000 more chemical toilets placed on order from the manufacturers. Community laundries were set up in affected suburbs by Fisher and Paykel and individuals. Portable shower units were also established in the eastern suburbs.
Many companies assisted with transport, particularly Air New Zealand
, who operated extra flights of Boeing 747
aircraft to/from Auckland and Boeing 737
/Airbus A320
/Boeing 777
aircraft to/from Wellington to move people and supplies in and out of Christchurch. The airline also offered flights to and from Christchurch for NZ$ 50 one way from any New Zealand, Australian and Pacific Island Airport, for Christchurch residents, and NZ$400 one way from other international destinations for affected family members.
Fundraising and support efforts were established throughout the country, with many individuals, community groups and companies providing food and services to the city, for welfare and clean up. Many impromptu initiatives gained significant traction. Thousands of people helped with the clean-up efforts—involving the removal of over 200,000 tonnes of liquefaction silt—including Canterbury University's Student Volunteer Army (created after the September quake but significantly enlarged) and the Federated Farmers
' "Farmy Army". The "Rangiora Earthquake Express" provided over 250 tonnes of water, medical supplies, and food, including hot meals, from nearby Rangiora by helicopter and truck.
. Of the 181 victims, 172 have been formally identified. More than 100 people were lost in the Canterbury Television building
alone. Due to the injuries sustained by some individuals, it is possible some bodies might remain unidentified. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people have been treated for minor injuries, and Christchurch Hospital
alone has treated 220 major trauma
cases connected to the quake.
Rescue efforts continued for over a week, then shifted into recovery mode. The last survivor was pulled from the rubble the day after the quake.
At 5 pm local time on the day of the earthquake, Radio New Zealand reported that 80% of the city had no power. Water and wastewater services have been disrupted throughout the city, with authorities urging residents to conserve water and collect rainwater. It is expected that the State of Emergency Level 3, the highest possible in a regional disaster, would last for at least five days. Medical staff from the army
were deployed.
Road and bridge damage occurred and hampered rescue efforts. Soil liquefaction
and surface flooding also occurred. Road surfaces were forced up by liquefaction, and water and sand were spewing out of cracks. A number of cars were crushed by falling debris. In the central city, two buses were crushed by falling buildings. As the earthquake hit at the lunch hour, some people on the pavements were buried by collapsed buildings.
The nationalities of the deceased are:-
agencies reported that many pets were lost or distressed following the earthquake. SPCA rescue manager Blair Hillyard said his 12-strong team assisted urban search and rescue teams that encountered aggressive dogs while conducting house-to-house checks. The team also worked with animals in areas where humans had been evacuated and distributed animal food and veterinary supplies to families in need.
Hillyard said that the situation for animals had been "deteriorating because of time issues" and was forcing concerned animal owners to break through police cordons to search for their pets. "That is really one of the common problems of why people break the cordon. It's not to go and do burglaries ... it's to go and retrieve their pets."
ChristChurch Cathedral lost its spire. The spire's tip had also fallen in earthquakes in 1888 and 1901, but much more fell during the 22 February earthquake. Although police initially believed up to 22 people died in the collapse of the cathedral's tower, a thorough search of the rubble confirmed no fatalities occurred there.
Christchurch Hospital
was partly evacuated due to damage in some areas, but remained open throughout to treat the injured. The New Zealand defence forces were called in to assist in evacuating the central business district.
The six-storey Canterbury Television (CTV) building
collapsed leaving only its lift shaft standing, which caught fire. The building housed the TV station, a medical clinic and an English language school. The school—King's Education—catered to students from Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Korea. On 23 February police decided that the damage was not survivable, and rescue efforts at the building were suspended. Initially more than 100 people were believed have died in the building. Fire-fighting and recovery operations resumed that night, later joined by a Japanese search and rescue squad. Thirteen Japanese students from the Toyama College of Foreign Languages are missing, with some feared trapped in the rubble. Of the 166 confirmed dead by 12 March 2011, 94 were recovered from the CTV building.
The four-storey PGC House on Cambridge Terrace, headquarters of Pyne Gould Corporation, collapsed, and thirty of the building's two hundred workers were still believed to be trapped within as night fell. On Wednesday morning, 22 hours after the quake, a survivor was pulled from the rubble. The reinforced concrete
building had been constructed in 1963–1964.
The Forsyth Barr building survived the earthquake structurally, but many occupants were trapped after the collapse of the stairwells, forcing some to abseil out after the quake. Search of the building was technically difficult for USAR teams, requiring the deconstruction of 4-tonne stair sets, but the building was cleared with no victims discovered.
On 23 February, Hotel Grand Chancellor
, Christchurch's tallest hotel, was reported to be on the verge of collapse. The 26-storey building was displaced by half a metre in the quake and had dropped by 1 metre on one side; parts of the emergency stairwells collapsed. The building was thought to be irreparably damaged and have the potential to bring down other buildings if it falls; an area of a two-block radius around the hotel was thus evacuated. The building was eventually stabilised and, on 4 March it was decided the building would be demolished over the following six months, so that further work could be done with the buildings nearby. The 21-storey PricewaterhouseCoopers building, the city's tallest office tower, is among the office buildings to be demolished.
The historic Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings
were severely damaged, with the Stone Chamber completely collapsing.
Our City
, the second civic offices of Christchurch City Council, was already damaged in the September earthquake and is heavily braced following the February event. The Civic
, the council's third home, was heavily damaged in February and is due to be demolished. Both buildings are on the register of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
.
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
was also severely damaged, with the towers falling. A decision was made to remove the dome because the supporting structure was weakened, although at 30 March the eventual fate of the overall building remained uncertain. Several other churches have been seriously damaged, including: Knox Presbyterian Church, St Luke's Anglican Church, Durham Street Methodist Church
, St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Presbyterian Church, Oxford Terrace Baptist Church
, Holy Trinity Avonside
and Holy Trinity, Lyttelton. Sydenham Heritage Church
and the Beckenham Baptist Church were heavily damaged, and then demolished days after the earthquake. Concrete block construction fared badly, leaving many modern iconic buildings damaged.
Carlton Hotel
, a listed heritage building, was undergoing repairs from September 2010 earthquake damage when the February 2011 earthquake damaged the building further. It was deemed unstable and demolished in April 2011. St Elmo Courts
has been damaged in the September 2010 earthquake and the owner intended to repair the building, but further damage caused by the February 2011 event resulted in a decision to demolish, which was done the following month.
While damage occurred to many older buildings, particularly those with unreinforced masonry
and those built before stringent earthquakes codes were introduced, high rises built within the past twenty to thirty years performed well. On 28 February 2011, the Prime Minister announced that there would be an inquiry into the collapse of buildings that had been signed off as safe after the 4 September earthquake, "to provide answers to people about why so many people lost their lives."
said that around 10,000 houses would need to be demolished, and liquefaction damage meant that some parts of Christchurch could not be rebuilt on.
Lyttelton
Buildings in Lyttelton
sustained widespread damage, with a fire officer reporting that 60% of the buildings in the main street had been severely damaged. No lives were believed to be lost in the town, but two people died on local walking tracks after being hit by rockfalls. The town's historic Timeball Station
was extensively damaged, adding to damage from the preceding earthquake in September 2010
. The New Zealand Historic Places Trust
is planning to dismantle it, with the possibility of reconstruction. The tower later collapsed during an aftershock on 13 June 2011
.
Sumner
Landslides occurred in Sumner
, crushing buildings. Parts of Sumner were evacuated during the night of 22 February after cracks were noticed on a nearby hillside. Three deaths were reported in the Sumner area, according to the Sumner Chief Fire Officer. The Shag Rock
, a notable landmark, was reduced to half of its former height.
Redcliffs
In contrast to the September 2010 earthquake, Redcliffs
and the surrounding hills suffered severe damage. The cliff behind Redcliffs School collapsed on to the houses below. Large boulders were found on the lawns of damaged houses.
Twelve streets in Redcliffs were evacuated on Thursday night (24 February) after some cliffs and hills surrounding Redcliffs were deemed unstable. However, the cordon actually in place the following morning only included parts of six streets, so many residents outside the reduced cordon returned home immediately. The remaining cordon was removed twelve days later.
and as far south as Invercargill
, where the 111 emergency network was rendered out of service. The earthquake may have been felt at Scott Base
.
At the Tasman Glacier
some 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) from the epicentre, around 30 million tonne
s (33 ST) of ice tumbled off the glacier into Tasman Lake
, hitting tour boats with tsunami waves 3.5 metres (11 ft) high.
By the evening of 22 February, KiwiRail
reported that the TranzAlpine
service was terminating at Greymouth
and the TranzCoastal terminating at Picton
. The TranzAlpine was cancelled until 4 March, to allow for personnel resources to be transferred to repairing track and related infrastructure, and moving essential freight into Christchurch, while the TranzCoastal has been cancelled until mid-August. KiwiRail also delayed the 14 March departure of its Interislander
ferry Aratere
to Singapore for a 30-metre extension and refit prior to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. With extra passenger and freight movements over Cook Strait
following the earthquake, the company would have been unable to cope with just two ships operating on a reduced schedule so soon after the earthquake, so pushed back the departure to the end of April.
New Zealand and American research operations in Antarctica have been badly affected by the earthquake, which occurred close to the end of the summer season. Christchurch acts as the major supply and transportation base for both Scott Base
and McMurdo Sound
research stations, and would normally be the initial destination for scientists returning from the summer season (the bases operate with reduced numbers in the dark Antarctic winter). The problems are exacerbated by the unusual break-up of sheet ice which is normally used for runways in the Antarctic. Several researchers linked to US Antarctic Research are among those missing in Christchurch as a result of the earthquake.
is located 12 km (7 mi) northwest of the city centre and was largely unaffected by the earthquake. Flight crews from the U.S. Air National Guard
were at the airport, making preparations to return to America, when the quake struck and reported to their Air Wing commander that they were safe and unharmed, and that the airport had water and electricity. 26 members of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing are currently deployed to the airport, in support of "Operation Deep Freeze
" (the U.S. Air Force's military support to U.S. research operations in Antarctica).
The Christchurch-based national air traffic control organisation, Airways New Zealand
, closed New Zealand airspace for a short time while they inspected their facilities. Christchurch International Airport was closed to all but military and emergency traffic.
's offices were damaged by the earthquake. Some matches needed to be rescheduled.
The Super Rugby Round 2 match between the Crusaders and Hurricanes scheduled for 26 February 2011 at Westpac Stadium
in Wellington
was abandoned by agreement of both sides and SANZAR
due to the earthquake. The match was declared a draw, with both sides earning 2 competition points. The Crusaders' first two home matches of the season, originally to be played in Christchurch, were moved to Trafalgar Park
in Nelson
. Ultimately, the Crusaders were forced to play their entire home schedule away from Christchurch, including one game against the Sharks moved to Twickenham
in London and the return match against the Hurricanes moved to Westpac Stadium.
In the ANZ Netball Championship
, the earthquake caused significant damage to the Canterbury Tactix's main home venue, CBS Canterbury Arena, and the franchise's head office at Queen Elizabeth II Park
. The team's round 3 match against the Northern Mystics
in Auckland was postponed, while their round 4 home match against the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic was moved to the Energy Events Centre
in Rotorua
.
AMI Stadium was going to host the rugby league
ANZAC Test
; however, on 4 March it was announced the match would be moved to Skilled Park on the Gold Coast
. The 2012 match is now tentatively scheduled to be hosted by AMI Stadium; however, Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder
stated during the 2011 Super Rugby finals that discussions were ongoing regarding the future of the stadium, and that there was a possibility that the venue may be completely written off. The Canterbury Rugby League
cancelled their pre-season competition. The CRL's headquarters, Rugby League Park
, was damaged during the earthquake and is currently closed.
Christchurch was set to host five pool matches and two quarter finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
. However, damage to AMI Stadium, as well as infrastructure, hotels and training grounds put this in doubt. The International Rugby Board
and the New Zealand Rugby World Cup organisers quickly confirmed all matches will still be held in New Zealand, but required structural reports and assessments of Christchurch facilities before deciding whether the games could go ahead in Christchurch. An announcement was made on 16 March that the city would be unable to host the cup matches; the quarter finals would be moved to Auckland, while other South Island locations would be considered for the pool games.
said that 22 February "may well be New Zealand's darkest day", and Mayor of Christchurch
Bob Parker warned that New Zealanders are "going to be presented with statistics that are going to be bleak". Key added that "All Civil Defence
procedures have now been activated; the Civil Defence bunker
at parliament is in operation here in Wellington." The New Zealand Red Cross
launched an appeal to raise funds to help victims.
The Queen said she was "utterly shocked" and her "thoughts were with all those affected". Her son and heir to the New Zealand throne, The Prince of Wales
, also said to New Zealand's governor-general
and prime minister: "My wife and I were horrified when we heard the news early this morning... The scale of the destruction all but defies belief when we can appreciate only too well how difficult it must have been struggling to come to terms with last year's horror ... Our deepest sympathy and constant thoughts are with you and all New Zealanders." Other members of the Royal Family signed the condolence book at New Zealand House in London.
offered John Key any assistance he may request.
The Australian Government has also pledged A$
5 million (NZ$
6.7 million) to the Red Cross Appeal. On the 1 March, it was announced that the New South Wales Government
would be donating A$1 million (NZ$1.3 million) to the victims of the Christchurch Earthquake.
The UN and the European Union
offered assistance. Kamalesh Sharma
, Commonwealth Secretary-General
, sent a message of support to the Prime Minister and stated "our heart and condolences go immediately to the bereaved." He added that the "thoughts and prayers" of the Commonwealth were with the citizens of New Zealand, and Christchurch especially.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
released a statement saying: "The thoughts and prayers of Canadians are with all those affected by the earthquake. Canada is standing by to offer any possible assistance to New Zealand in responding to this natural disaster."
David Cameron
, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, issued a statement as well as his texting his fellow Commonwealth
prime ministers. In his formal statement, he commented that the loss of life was "dreadful" and the "thoughts and prayers of the British people were with them".
Ban Ki-Moon
, Secretary-General of the United Nations, issued a statement on behalf of the UN expressing his "deep sadness" and stressed the "readiness of the United Nations to contribute to its efforts in any way needed".
China gave US$500,000 to the earthquake appeal, and Chinese Premier
Wen Jiabao
expressed his deep condolences to New Zealand. Twenty Chinese students were reported missing following the quake.
Barack Obama
, President of the United States, issued a statement from the White House Press Office on the disaster by way of an official announcement that "On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to the people of New Zealand and to the families and friends of the victims in Christchurch, which has suffered its second major earthquake in just six months... As our New Zealand friends move forward, may they find some comfort and strength in knowing that they will have the enduring friendship and support of many partners around the world, including the United States." The President also made a call to Prime Minister Key.
Pope Benedict XVI
issued an announcement on the earthquake in a statement during his Wednesday audience on 23 February, stating that he was praying for the dead and the injured victims of the devastating earthquake, and encouraging those involved in the rescue efforts.
, featuring ex-New Zealand internationals, All Blacks and actors from The Hobbit, which raised more than $500,000.
New Zealand cricket team captain Daniel Vettori
put his personal memorabilia up for auction.
All Black Sonny Bill Williams
and Sky both made large donations from Williams' fourth boxing bout which was dubbed "The Clash For Canterbury".
Numerous musical concerts have been performed, both in New Zealand and overseas, to raise money for the affected. Notable events of this nature include a previously unscheduled visit to New Zealand by American rock group Foo Fighters
, who performed a Christchurch benefit concert in Auckland on 22 March 2011.
, coinciding with a one-off provincial holiday
for Canterbury, which required the passing of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Act 2011 to legislate. Prince William, making a two-day trip to the country to tour the areas affected by the earthquake, attended on the Queen's behalf and made an address during the service. New Zealand's governor-general, Sir Anand Satyanand, attended, along with John Key, Bob Parker, and a number of local and international dignitaries. Australia's official delegation included Governor-General
Quentin Bryce
, Prime Minister Julia Gillard
, and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott
.
judge Mark Cooper, for a report back in twelve months; a preliminary report would be required in six months.
s would be located on sites across the city including Canterbury Agricultural Park and Riccarton Racecourse. The Department of Building and Housing also released a plan for the construction of 500 modular homes. While emergency repairs were performed on damaged houses by Fletcher Construction
, rebuilding would be delayed by the need for full land assessments, with the possibility that some of the worst-affected areas in the eastern suburbs might need to be abandoned due to land depression and severe liquefaction, with the residents offered relocation to new subdivisions under their EQC insurance policies.
163 primary and secondary schools were affected by the earthquake, most of which were closed for three weeks; 90 had full structural clearance and were able to reopen, 24 had reports indicating further assessment and 11 were seriously damaged. Site-sharing plans were made to enable affected schools to relocate, while 9 "learning hubs" were established throughout the city to provide resources and support for students needing to work from home. Some students relocated to other centres – by 5 March, a total of 4879 Christchurch students had enrolled in other schools across New Zealand. Wanaka
Primary School alone had received 115 new enrolments as Christchurch families moved to their holiday homes in the town.
Due to the extensive damage of a number of secondary schools, many were forced to share with others, allowing one school to use the ground in the morning and the other in the afternoon. This included Shirley Boys High School sharing with Papanui High School
, Linwood College sharing with Cashmere High School
and Avonside Girls High School sharing with Burnside High School
and Marian College sharing with St Bedes College. Linwood College and Shirley Boys' High School moved back to their original sites on 1 August (the first day of Term 3), and 13 September 2011 respectively. Avonside Girls' High School is not expected to be back on its original site until the start of the 2012 school year in early February. Marian College will not return to their site in Shirley but will instead move to a site at Cathedral College on Barbadoes Street.
, advised that the effects of the 2011 quake were likely to be more costly than the September 2010 quake. His advice was that the 2011 earthquake was a "new event" and that EQC's reinsurance cover was already in place after the previous 2010 event. New Zealand's Earthquake Commission
(EQC), a government organisation, levies policyholders to cover a major part of the earthquake risk. The EQC further limits its own risk by taking out cover with a number of large reinsurance
companies, for example Munich Re
.
The EQC pays out the first NZ$1.5 billion in claims, and the reinsurance
companies are liable for all amounts between NZ$1.5 billion and NZ$4 billion. The EQC again covers all amounts above NZ$4 billion. EQC chief executive Ian Simpson said that the $4 billion cap for each earthquake is unlikely to be exceeded by the costs of residential building and land repairs, so $3 billion would be left in the EQC's Natural Disaster Fund after payouts.
Claims from the 2010 shock were estimated at NZ$2.75–3.5 billion. Prior to the 2010 quake, the EQC had a fund of NZ$5.93 billion according to the EQC 2010 Annual Report, with NZ$4.43 billion left prior to the 2011 quake, after taking off the NZ$1.5 billion cost.
EQC cover for domestic premises entitles the holder to up to NZ$100,000 plus tax (GST) for each dwelling, with any further amount above that being paid by the policyholder's insurance company. For personal effects, EQC pays out the first NZ$20,000 plus tax. It also covers land damage within 8 metres of a home; this coverage is uncapped.
Commercial properties are not insured by the EQC, but by private insurance companies. These insurers underwrite their commercial losses to reinsurers, who will again bear the brunt of these claims. JPMorgan Chase & Co say the total overall losses related to this earthquake may be US$12 billion. That would make it the third most costly earthquake event in history, after the 2011 Japan
and 1994 California earthquakes.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee
echoed that fewer claims were expected through the EQC than for 2010. In the 2010 earthquake, 180,000 claims were processed as opposed to the expected 130,000 claims for the 2011 aftershock. The total number of claims for the two events was expected to be 250,000, as Brownlee explained that many of the claims were "overlapping".
The Accident Compensation Corporation
(ACC) announced it would be the largest single event they had paid out for, with an estimated 7,500 injury claims costing over $200 million.
On 2 March, John Key said he expected an interest rate
cut to deal with the earthquake. The reaction to the statement sent the New Zealand dollar
down.
, Geoff Bascand
, announced on 25 February that the national census planned for 8 March 2011 would not take place due to the disruption and displacement of people in the Canterbury region, and also the damage sustained by Statistics New Zealand's buildings in Christchurch, which was scheduled to process much of the census. The cancellation required an amendment to the Statistics Act 1975, which legally requires a census to be taken in 2011, and a revocation by The Queen. It is the third time the census has been cancelled in New Zealand; the other occasions occurred in 1931, due to the Great Depression
, and in 1941 due to World War II
. Most of the NZ$90 million cost of the census has been written off.
The census will now take place in March 2013. Government Statistician Geoff Bascand
and Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson
will decide the exact day in March for the 2013 Census, and the required legislation authorising it will go to Parliament
later this year.
Scientific and engineering reports
News
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
6.3 (ML) earthquake that struck the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
at on local time (23:51 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
), The earthquake was centred 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the town of Lyttelton
Lyttelton, New Zealand
Lyttelton is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour close to Banks Peninsula, a suburb of Christchurch on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand....
, and 10 kilometres (6 mi) south-east of the centre of Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand's second-most populous city. It followed nearly six months after the magnitude 7.1 4 September 2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
, which caused significant damage to Christchurch and the central Canterbury region, but no direct fatalities.
The earthquake caused widespread damage across Christchurch, especially in the central city and eastern suburbs, with damage exacerbated by buildings and infrastructure already being weakened by the 4 September 2010 earthquake and its aftershocks. Significant liquefaction
Liquefaction
Liquefaction may refer to:* Liquefaction, the general process of becoming liquid* Soil liquefaction, the process by which sediments become suspended* Liquefaction of gases in physics, chemistry, and thermal engineering* Liquefactive necrosis in pathology...
affected the eastern suburbs, producing around 400,000 tonnes of silt. The earthquake was reported to be felt across the South Island and the lower and central North Island.
In total, 181 people were killed in the earthquake, making the earthquake the second-deadliest natural disaster recorded in New Zealand (after the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake
1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake
The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, also known as the Napier earthquake, occurred in New Zealand at 10:47 am on Tuesday 3 February 1931, killing 256 and devastating the Hawke's Bay region. It remains New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster...
), and fourth-deadliest disaster of any kind recorded in New Zealand, with nationals from more than 20 countries among the victims. Over half of the deaths occurred in the six-storey Canterbury Television (CTV) Building
CTV Building
The CTV Building was the headquarters of Canterbury Television and other companies. Located in the Christchurch Central City on the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets, it became one of the symbols of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake...
, which collapsed and caught fire in the quake. The government declared a state of national emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
, which stayed in force until 30 April 2011.
It has been estimated that the total cost of rebuilding to insurers to be around NZ$20–30 billion, making it by far New Zealand's costliest natural disaster, and the third-costliest earthquake (nominally) worldwide.
The earthquake would ultimately be one of three major earthquakes in a year-long earthquake swarm affecting the Christchurch area, and was followed by a large aftershock on 13 June 2011
June 2011 Christchurch earthquake
The June 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a shallow magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake that occurred on 13 June 2011 at 14:20 NZST . It was centred at a depth of 6.0 km , about 13 km from Christchurch, which had previously been devastated by the February 2011 magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake...
, which caused considerable additional damage.
Geology
The 6.3 quake was part of a series of earthquakes and aftershockAftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
s in the region following the 7.1-magnitude 4 September 2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
. While New Zealand's GNS Science
GNS Science
GNS Science is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. It focuses on geology, geophysics , and nuclear science ....
describe it as "technically an aftershock" of the earlier event, other seismologists, including those from USA and Geoscience Australia
Geoscience Australia
Geoscience Australia is an agency of the Australian federal government. It carries out geoscientific research.On a user pays basis it produces geospatial products such as topographic maps and satellite imagery.-History:...
, consider it a separate event, given its location on a separate fault system. It occurred on a single faultline, which appears to have no underground connection to the four-part Greendale fault responsible for the September quake. It has generated a significant series of its own aftershocks, many of which are considered big for a 6.3 quake. 361+ aftershocks (3+ foreshocks incl) were experienced in the first week, the largest measuring magnitude 5.9, occurring just under 2 hours after the main shock. A 5.3-magnitude aftershock on 16 April, the largest for several weeks, caused further damage, including power cuts and several large rock falls. Another aftershock hit the Christchurch region on 10 May 2011 from the Greendale fault measuring 5.3 magnitude. It cut power for a few minutes and caused further damage to buildings in the city centre. No deaths or injuries were reported. It was felt as far away as Dunedin and Greymouth. On 6 June, a large aftershock occurred, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale. The shake was felt as far away as Kaikoura
Kaikoura
Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 180 km north of Christchurch.Kaikoura became the first local authority to reach the Green Globe tourism certification standard....
and Oamaru
Oamaru
Oamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
.
A series of aftershocks occurred on 13 June. A tremor of 5.7 was felt at 1 pm NZT, with depth of 9 km and an epicentre at Taylors Mistake, followed by a 6.3 tremor just over an hour later, with a depth of 6 km, located 10 km east of the city. Power was cut to around 54,000 homes, with further damage and liquefaction in already weakened areas. The Lyttelton Timeball Station
Lyttelton Timeball Station
The Lyttelton Timeball Station was a heritage-registered timeball station and prominent local landmark in Lyttelton, New Zealand. The station was significantly damaged by a series of earthquakes and aftershocks in 2010 and 2011, and finally collapsed on the 13 June 2011 after a magnitude 6.3...
collapsed and Christchurch Cathedral sustained more damage. At least 46 people were reported injured.
Initial reports suggest the earthquake occurred at a depth of 5 kilometres (3 mi); further analysis of seismic data might result in a revision of that depth. Early reports suggested that it occurred on a previously unknown faultline running 17 km east-west from Scarborough Hill in South Eastern Christchurch to Halswell
Halswell
Halswell is a satellite town of Christchurch, New Zealand, located in open country nine kilometres southwest of the city centre on State Highway 75...
, at depths of 3–12 km, but the Institute of Professional Engineers have since stated that "GNS Science believe that the earthquake arose from the rupture of an 8 x 8 km fault running east-northeast at a depth of 1–2 km depth beneath the southern edge of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary and dipping southwards at an angle of about 65 degrees from the horizontal beneath the Port Hills." Although the rupture was subsurface (i.e. did not break the surface), satellite images indicate the net displacement of the land south of the fault was 50 cm westwards and upwards; the land movement would have been greater during the quake. Land movement is varied around the area horizontally—in both east and west directions—and vertically; the Port Hills have been raised by 40 cm.
The quake was a "strike-slip event with oblique motion"—mostly horizontal movement with some vertical movement—with reverse thrust (i.e. vertical movement upwards). The vertical acceleration was far greater than the horizontal acceleration.
The intensity felt in Christchurch was MM VIII. The peak ground acceleration
Peak ground acceleration
Peak ground acceleration is a measure of earthquake acceleration on the ground and an important input parameter for earthquake engineering, also known as the design basis earthquake ground motion...
(PGA) in central Christchurch exceeded 1.8g (i.e. 1.8 times the acceleration of gravity), with the highest recording 2.2g, at Heathcote Valley
Heathcote Valley
-Location:The suburb is dominated by the approaches to the Lyttelton road tunnel, a major arterial that passes through the Port Hills. The road is part of the State Highway 74 network...
Primary School, a shaking intensity equivalent to MM X+. This is the highest PGA ever recorded in New Zealand; the highest reading during the September 2010 event was 1.26g, recorded near Darfield. The PGA is also one of the greatest ever ground accelerations recorded in the world, and was unusually high for a 6.3 quake. and the highest in a vertical direction. The central business district (CBD) experienced PGAs in the range of 0.574 and 0.802 g. In contrast, the 7.0 Mw
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
had an estimated PGA of 0.5g. The acceleration occurred mainly in a vertical direction, with eyewitness accounts of people being tossed into the air. The upwards (positive acceleration) was greater than the downwards, which had a maximum recording of 0.9g; the maximum recorded horizontal acceleration was 1.7g The force of the quake was "statistically unlikely" to occur more than once in 1000 years, according to one seismic engineer, with a PGA greater than many modern buildings were designed to withstand. New Zealand building codes require a building with a 50-year design life to withstand predicted loads of a 500-year event; initial reports by GNS Science
GNS Science
GNS Science is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. It focuses on geology, geophysics , and nuclear science ....
suggest ground motion "considerably exceeded even 2500-year design motions", beyond maximum considered events (MCE). By comparison, the 2010 quake—in which damage was predominantly to pre-1970s buildings—exerted 65% of the design loading on buildings. The acceleration experienced in February 2011 would "totally flatten" most world cities, causing massive loss of life; in Christchurch, New Zealand's stringent building codes limited the disaster. However, the most severe shaking lasted only 12 seconds, which perhaps prevented more extensive damage.
It is also possible that "seismic lensing" contributed to the ground effect, with the seismic waves rebounding off the hard basalt of the Port Hills
Port Hills
The Port Hills form the northern rim of the ancient Lyttelton volcano, separating the port of Lyttelton from the city of Christchurch in Canterbury, New Zealand...
back into the city. Geologists reported liquefaction
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid....
was worse than the 2010 quake. The quake also caused significant landslips and rockfalls on the Port Hills.
Although smaller in magnitude than the 2010 quake, the earthquake was more damaging and deadly for a number of reasons. The epicentre was closer to Christchurch, and shallower at 5 kilometres (3 mi) underground, whereas the September quake was measured at 10 kilometres (6 mi) deep. The February earthquake occurred during lunchtime on a weekday when the CBD was busy, and many buildings were already weakened from the previous quakes. The PGA was extremely high, and simultaneous vertical and horizontal ground movement was "almost impossible" for buildings to survive intact. Liquefaction was significantly greater than that of the 2010 quake, causing the upwelling of more than 200,000 tonnes of silt which needed to be cleared. The increased liquefaction caused significant ground movement, undermining many foundations and destroying infrastructure, damage which "may be the greatest ever recorded anywhere in a modern city". 80% of the water and sewerage system was severely damaged.
While both the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes occurred on "blind" or unknown faults, New Zealand's Earthquake Commission
Earthquake Commission
The Earthquake Commission provides primary natural disaster insurance to the owners of residential properties in New Zealand. The Government-owned Crown entity manages assets of $5.93 billion NZD...
had, in a 1991 report, predicted moderate earthquakes in Canterbury with the likelihood of associated liquefaction.
According to GNS Science
GNS Science
GNS Science is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. It focuses on geology, geophysics , and nuclear science ....
seismologists, the energy released in Christchurch was equivalent to a magnitude 6.7 earthquake.
On 13 June 2011, two major aftershocks measuring 5.7 and 6.3 struck the region, causing further damage, liquefaction and 10 injuries in and around Christchurch. These were followed by a magnitude 5.4 quake at a depth of 8 km and centred 10 km south-west of Christchurch at 10:34 pm on 21 June 2011.
Main aftershocks since 22 February 2011
Below is a list of all aftershocks of richter magnitude 5.0 and above that have hit Christchurch since the 22 February 2011 earthquake.June 2011 Christchurch earthquake
The June 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a shallow magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake that occurred on 13 June 2011 at 14:20 NZST . It was centred at a depth of 6.0 km , about 13 km from Christchurch, which had previously been devastated by the February 2011 magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake...
have been upgraded.
The 1st tremor of that day has been upgraded from 5.7 to 5.9
The 2nd tremor of that day has been upgraded from 6.3 to 6.4>
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
Emergency management
In the immediate moments following the quake, rescue and response was offered by ordinary citizens and those emergency services on duty. Although communication was initially difficult, and it took many hours for a full picture of the devastation to be obtained, a full emergency managementEmergency management
Emergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the continuance of the...
structure was in place within two hours, with national coordination operated from the National Crisis Management Centre
National Crisis Management Centre
The National Crisis Management Centre , also known as the Beehive Bunker, is the New Zealand government crisis management command centre situated under the Beehive....
bunker in the Beehive in Wellington. Regional emergency operations command was established in the Christchurch Art Gallery, a modern earthquake-proofed building in the centre of the city which had sustained only minor damage. On 23 February the Minister of Civil Defence, John Carter
John Carter (New Zealand)
John McGregor Carter is a New Zealand politician, and member of the National Party. He represented the Bay of Islands, Far North and Northland electorates from 1987 until June 2011...
declared the situation a state of national emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
, the country's first for a civil defence emergency (the only other one was for the 1951 waterfront dispute
1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute
The 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute was the largest and most widespread industrial dispute in New Zealand history. During the time, up to twenty thousand workers went on strike in support of waterfront workers protesting financial hardships and working conditions. Thousands more refused to...
). As per the protocols of New Zealand's Coordinated Incident Management System
Coordinated Incident Management System
The New Zealand Coordinated Incident Management System is New Zealand's system for managing the response to an incident involving multiple responding agencies...
and the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act, the Civil Defence
Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (New Zealand)
The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management is New Zealand's central government agency responsible for emergency management.- External links :* The Ministry's website: http://www.civildefence.govt.nz...
became lead agency—with Air Vice Marshal John Hamilton as National Controller—supported by New Zealand Police, Fire Service, Defence Force and many other agencies and organisations. One experienced international USAR
Urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to natural disasters, structural collapse, transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.USAR teams in different countries may be organised in a...
team member described the response as "the best-organised emergency" he had witnessed.
The Government response was immediate and significant, with many departments and ministries involved. Cabinet Minister Gerry Brownlee
Gerry Brownlee
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Brownlee is a New Zealand politician. He served from 17 November 2003 to 27 November 2006 as deputy-leader of the National Party – during that period the second-largest party in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus forming the core of the Opposition...
's regular portfolios were distributed amongst other cabinet ministers, so he could focus solely on earthquake recovery. After a brief sitting, when a National Emergency was declared, Parliament was adjourned until 8 March so cabinet could work on earthquake recovery. Prime Minister John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
and other ministers regularly visited Christchurch, supporting Christchurch mayor Bob Parker, who was heavily involved in the emergency management and became the face of the city, despite his own injuries and family concerns.
Both COGIC (French Civil Protection) and the American USGS requested the activation of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters
International Charter on Space and Major Disasters
The International Charter on Space and Major Disasters is a charter which provides for the charitable retasked acquisition of and transmission of space satellite data to relief organizations in the event of major disasters...
on the behalf of MCDEM New Zealand, thus readily providing satellite imagery for aid and rescue services.
Police
Christchurch Police were supplemented by staff and resources from around the country, along with a 300-strong contingent of Australian Police, who were sworn in as New Zealand Police on their arrival, bringing the total officers in the city to 1200. Alongside regular duties, the police provided security cordons, organised evacuations, supported search and rescue teams, missing persons and family liaison, and organised media briefings and tours of the affected areas. They also provided forensic analysis and evidence gathering at fatalities and Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) teams, working closely with pathologists, forensic dentists and scientists, and the coroner at the emergency mortuary established at Burnham Military Camp. They were aided by DVI teams from Australia, UK, Thailand Taiwan and Israel. They follow international best practice for victim identification after disasters—which is extremely thorough to ensure correct identification—and have assistance from the InterpolInterpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
DVI chair.
New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
requested 300 police from Australia for non-rescue tasks such as traffic control, general policing duties and to prevent looting. The contingent was formed by 200 from the New South Wales Police Force, 50 from the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
and others from Queensland, Victoria and South Australia state police forces. In total, 323 Australian police, including DVI officers, were sent. Following their arrival on 25 February, they were briefed on New Zealand law and procedure and the emergency regulations before being sworn in as temporary constables, giving them complete New Zealand policing powers. Many of them received standing ovations from appreciative locals as they walked through Christchurch Airport upon arrival. The first contingent remained in New Zealand for two weeks, after which they were replaced by a further contingent. While serving in New Zealand, the Australian officers would not carry guns, since New Zealand police are a routinely unarmed force; the officers would instead be equipped with standard New Zealand issue batons and capsicum spray. It was the first time in 170 years that Australian police have patrolled in New Zealand. Following a rotation of staff, police were present from all Australian states and territories as well as Federal Police, the first time representatives from all Australian forces have worked together on a single operation.
Search and rescue
The New Zealand Fire ServiceNew Zealand Fire Service
The New Zealand Fire Service is New Zealand's national fire fighting body. While its founding legislation, the Fire Service Act 1975, only provides for this role, the organisation has assumed responsibility for several other areas.-Strategic Direction:The New Zealand Fire Service has defined for...
coordinated search and rescue, particularly the Urban Search and Rescue
Urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to natural disasters, structural collapse, transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.USAR teams in different countries may be organised in a...
(USAR) teams from New Zealand and Australia, UK, USA, Japan, Taiwan, China and Singapore, totalling 150 personnel from New Zealand and 429 from overseas. They also responded to fires, serious structural damage reports, and land slips working with structural engineers, seismologists and geologists, as well as construction workers, crane and digger operators and demolition experts.
A team of 72 urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to natural disasters, structural collapse, transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.USAR teams in different countries may be organised in a...
specialists from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia was sent to Christchurch on a RAAF
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
, arriving 12 hours after the quake, with another team of 70 (along with three sniffer dogs) from Queensland sent the following day. A team of 55 Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team
Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team
The Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team is an elite team within the Singapore Civil Defence Force , formed in 1990 to handle complex rescue and fire fighting incidents, such as urban search and rescue; prolonged fire fighting; height and confined space operations; and water rescue.One of the very...
members from the Singapore Civil Defence Force
Singapore Civil Defence Force
The Singapore Civil Defence Force is the main agency in charge of the provision of emergency services in Singapore during peacetime and emergency.A uniformed organisation under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the main role of SCDF is to provide...
were sent. The United States sent Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2 or CA-TF2 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Los Angeles County, California...
, a 74-member heavy rescue team consisting of firefighters and paramedics from the Los Angeles County Fire Department
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of...
, doctors, engineers and 26 tons of pre-packaged rescue equipment.
Japan sent 70 search-and-rescue personnel including specialists from the coastguard, police and fire fighting service, as well as three sniffer dogs. The team left New Zealand earlier than planned due to the 9.0 earthquake
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
which struck their homeland on 11 March. The United Kingdom sent a 53 strong search and rescue team including 9 Welsh firefighters who had assisted the rescue effort during the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Taiwan sent a 22-member team from the National Fire Agency
National Fire Agency
National Fire Agency is a statutory agency under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China. The agency provides emergency medical, fire prevention, firefighting and disaster rescue service as well as protecting civilian lives, property and safety. It was established in March 1995...
, along with 2 tons of specialist search and rescue equipment. China sent a 10-member specialist rescue team.
Defence forces
The New Zealand Defence ForceNew Zealand Defence Force
The New Zealand Defence Force consists of three services: the Royal New Zealand Navy; the New Zealand Army; and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the NZDF is His Excellency Rt. Hon...
—staging their largest operation on New Zealand soil— provided logistics, equipment, transport, airbridges, evacuations, supply and equipment shipments, survey of the Port and harbour, and support to the agencies, including meals; they assisted the Police with security, and provided humanitarian aid particularly to Lyttleton, which was isolated from the city in the first days. Over 1400 Army, Navy and Air Force personnel were involved, and Territorials (Army Reserve) were called up. They were supplemented by 116 soldiers from the Singapore Army
Singapore Army
The Singapore Army is the branch of the Singapore Armed Forces responsible for land operations. It is the largest of the three armed services and heavily reliant on a conscript army, comprising the majority of Singapore's Operationally Ready National Servicemen .-Capabilities:The mission of the...
, in Christchurch for a training exercise at the time of the earthquake, who assisted in the cordon of the city.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
provided an air bridge
Airbridge (logistics)
An airbridge is the route and means of delivering material from one place to another by an airlift.An airbridge is the means by which an airhead is kept supplied by overflying enemy held territory...
between Christchurch and Wellington using a Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
and two C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
,and bringing in emergency crews and equipment and evacuating North Island residents and tourists out of Christchurch. Three RNZAF Bell UH-1 'Hueys' were also used to transport Police, VIP's and aid to locations around Christchurch. RNZAF Beech King Air aircraft were also used to evacuate people from Christchurch.
The crew of the Navy ship Canterbury, in Lyttelton harbour at the time of the earthquake, provided meals for 1,000 people left homeless in that town, and accommodation for a small number of locals. The Royal Australian Air Force also assisted with air lifts. On one of their journeys, an RAAF Hercules sustained minor damage in an aftershock.
The army also operated desalination plants to provide water to the eastern suburbs.
Medical response
St John Ambulance provided and coordinated emergency medical response, and triage stations immediately following the quake, as well as medics to support USAR teams. The Canterbury District Health Board coordinated health and medical support across the city, cancelling elective surgery and outpatients, and evacuating existing patients from the hospitals to other centres to increase capacity. They managed primary care facilities (pharmacies and general practice) to ensure city-wide coverage, and organised evacuations from damaged aged care and disabled care facilities to other regions. They were supported by medical staff from around New Zealand, and Australia, particularly the Australian field hospital brought in within days. Public Health issues (such as contamination and infection control) were also managed by the Health Board.Australia's foreign minister Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
told Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
that New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...
Murray McCully
Murray McCully
Murray Stuart McCully is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for the Rugby World Cup.-Early life:...
had asked for further help from Australia. He said Australia would send counsellors over and a disaster medical assistance team comprising 23 emergency and surgical personnel. A field hospital providing 75 beds arrived 24 February. Set up in the badly affected eastern suburbs, it was equipped to provide triage, emergency care, maternity, dentistry and isolation tents for gastroenteritis, and also provide primary care since most general practices in the area were unable to open.
Humanitarian and welfare
Humanitarian support and welfare were provided by various agencies, in particular the New Zealand Red CrossNew Zealand Red Cross
The New Zealand Red Cross was created by nurse Beth Charpentier in 1914 shortly after the beginning of World War I generally for the purpose of responding to natural disasters or man-made disasters and also helping out vulnerable or needy people both in New Zealand and abroad.The organization is...
and the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. Welfare Centres and support networks were established throughout the city. Government Departments, such as WINZ and Housing New Zealand established contact with as many people as possible and provided grants and assistance. Many church and community-led projects also became established. The scale of the disaster meant many people went some days without official contact, so neighbourhoods and streets were encouraged to attend to those around them. Official visitation teams were organised by Civil Defence, with aim of visiting every household; the teams, which assessed homes and welfare needs, and passed on official information, included structural engineers or assessors from EQC. LandSAR assisted with the patrols.
Infrastructure and support
Businesses and organisations contributed massively to the initial rescue, recovery and emergency infrastructure. OrionOrion New Zealand Limited
Orion New Zealand Limited is an electricity distribution company, based in Christchurch, New Zealand.The company was formed under its current name in December 1998.Orion is owned by Christchurch City Council and Selwyn District Council...
, Christchurch's electricity distribution
Electricity distribution
File:Electricity grid simple- North America.svg|thumb|380px|right|Simplified diagram of AC electricity distribution from generation stations to consumers...
lines company, assisted by other lines companies from New Zealand, worked constantly to restore power. This included the erection of a new 66 kV
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
overhead line between Bromley and New Brighton to get power into the eastern suburbs, a project which would usually take six or seven weeks but was completed in 2½ days, with the resource consent process taking only 20 minutes. Power had been restored to 82% households within five days, and to 95% within two weeks. Generators were donated, and telephone companies established emergency communications and free calls. Water provision was worked on by companies and contractors, while Fonterra
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
provided milk tankers to bring in water, the Army provided desalination plants, and bottled supplies sent in by volunteers and companies. Mains water supply was reestablished to 70% households within one week. Waste water and sewerage systems had been severely damaged, so households had to establish emergency latrines. Over 2000 portaloos
Portable toilet
Portable toilet are simple portable enclosures containing a chemical toilet which are typically used as a temporary toilet for construction sites and large gatherings and events. Most of the portable toilets have black open-front-U-shaped toilet seat with cover...
and 5,000 chemical toilet
Chemical toilet
A chemical toilet is a toilet which uses chemicals to deodorize the waste instead of simply storing it in a hole, or piping it away to a sewage treatment plant. Common types include aircraft lavatory, some passenger train toilets and the portable toilets used on construction sites and at large...
s from throughout New Zealand and overseas were brought in, with 20,000 more chemical toilets placed on order from the manufacturers. Community laundries were set up in affected suburbs by Fisher and Paykel and individuals. Portable shower units were also established in the eastern suburbs.
Many companies assisted with transport, particularly Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
, who operated extra flights of Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
aircraft to/from Auckland and Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
/Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
/Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
aircraft to/from Wellington to move people and supplies in and out of Christchurch. The airline also offered flights to and from Christchurch for NZ$ 50 one way from any New Zealand, Australian and Pacific Island Airport, for Christchurch residents, and NZ$400 one way from other international destinations for affected family members.
Fundraising and support efforts were established throughout the country, with many individuals, community groups and companies providing food and services to the city, for welfare and clean up. Many impromptu initiatives gained significant traction. Thousands of people helped with the clean-up efforts—involving the removal of over 200,000 tonnes of liquefaction silt—including Canterbury University's Student Volunteer Army (created after the September quake but significantly enlarged) and the Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers of New Zealand Incorporated is an organisation in New Zealand which lobbies on behalf of its member farmers.It has a network of 24 provinces and seven industry groups. Federated Farmers provides a locally based, democratic organisation that lobbies on farming issues both...
' "Farmy Army". The "Rangiora Earthquake Express" provided over 250 tonnes of water, medical supplies, and food, including hot meals, from nearby Rangiora by helicopter and truck.
Casualties, damage, and other effects
As of 3 May, the New Zealand Police believed 181 people had died as a result of the earthquake, while another four deaths that may have been due to the earthquake had been referred to the coronerCoroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
. Of the 181 victims, 172 have been formally identified. More than 100 people were lost in the Canterbury Television building
CTV Building
The CTV Building was the headquarters of Canterbury Television and other companies. Located in the Christchurch Central City on the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets, it became one of the symbols of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake...
alone. Due to the injuries sustained by some individuals, it is possible some bodies might remain unidentified. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people have been treated for minor injuries, and Christchurch Hospital
Christchurch Hospital
Christchurch Hospital is the largest tertiary hospital in the South Island of New Zealand. The public hospital is in the centre of Christchurch city, on the edge of Hagley Park, and serves the wider Canterbury Region. It has the busiest emergency department in Australasia, and is one of four main...
alone has treated 220 major trauma
Trauma (medicine)
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
cases connected to the quake.
Rescue efforts continued for over a week, then shifted into recovery mode. The last survivor was pulled from the rubble the day after the quake.
At 5 pm local time on the day of the earthquake, Radio New Zealand reported that 80% of the city had no power. Water and wastewater services have been disrupted throughout the city, with authorities urging residents to conserve water and collect rainwater. It is expected that the State of Emergency Level 3, the highest possible in a regional disaster, would last for at least five days. Medical staff from the army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
were deployed.
Road and bridge damage occurred and hampered rescue efforts. Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid....
and surface flooding also occurred. Road surfaces were forced up by liquefaction, and water and sand were spewing out of cracks. A number of cars were crushed by falling debris. In the central city, two buses were crushed by falling buildings. As the earthquake hit at the lunch hour, some people on the pavements were buried by collapsed buildings.
Casualties
As of 7 April 2011, New Zealand Police had formally identified and released the names of 172 of the deceased. In the list are people from fifteen different nationalities, including New Zealand, and the ages of the victims range from 5 weeks to 87 years.The nationalities of the deceased are:-
| Country | Casualties |
|---|---|
 New Zealand – Christchurch Christchurch Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of... – Waimakariri Waimakariri District The Waimakariri District is a political district of New Zealand, located in the South Island, on the eastern coast of north Canterbury. It is north of Christchurch and the Waimakariri River and is a part of the greater Canterbury region. The name is Māori for cold river.The district was established... & Selwyn Selwyn District The Selwyn District is a predominantly rural area in central Canterbury, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Selwyn River, which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn, the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who, in 1843 and 1844, travelled the length of... – Lyttelton Lyttelton, New Zealand Lyttelton is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour close to Banks Peninsula, a suburb of Christchurch on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand.... – Wellington Wellington Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range... – Other/Unknown |
97 86 8 1 1 1 |
 Japan |
28 |
 Mainland China |
23 |
 Philippines |
9 |
 Thailand |
6 |
 Israel |
3 |
 South Korea |
2 |
 Canada  Republic of Ireland  Malaysia  Republic of China (Taiwan)  Kingdom of Romania  Serbia  Turkey  United States |
1 each |
| Total | 176 |
Animal casualties
Animal welfareAnimal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
agencies reported that many pets were lost or distressed following the earthquake. SPCA rescue manager Blair Hillyard said his 12-strong team assisted urban search and rescue teams that encountered aggressive dogs while conducting house-to-house checks. The team also worked with animals in areas where humans had been evacuated and distributed animal food and veterinary supplies to families in need.
Hillyard said that the situation for animals had been "deteriorating because of time issues" and was forcing concerned animal owners to break through police cordons to search for their pets. "That is really one of the common problems of why people break the cordon. It's not to go and do burglaries ... it's to go and retrieve their pets."
Buildings affected
Of the 3,000 buildings inspected within the Four Avenues of the central city by 3 March, 45% had been given red or yellow stickers to restrict access because of the safety problems. Many heritage buildings were given red stickers after inspections. One thousand of the 4000 buildings within the Four Avenues were expected to be demolished.ChristChurch Cathedral lost its spire. The spire's tip had also fallen in earthquakes in 1888 and 1901, but much more fell during the 22 February earthquake. Although police initially believed up to 22 people died in the collapse of the cathedral's tower, a thorough search of the rubble confirmed no fatalities occurred there.
Christchurch Hospital
Christchurch Hospital
Christchurch Hospital is the largest tertiary hospital in the South Island of New Zealand. The public hospital is in the centre of Christchurch city, on the edge of Hagley Park, and serves the wider Canterbury Region. It has the busiest emergency department in Australasia, and is one of four main...
was partly evacuated due to damage in some areas, but remained open throughout to treat the injured. The New Zealand defence forces were called in to assist in evacuating the central business district.
The six-storey Canterbury Television (CTV) building
CTV Building
The CTV Building was the headquarters of Canterbury Television and other companies. Located in the Christchurch Central City on the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets, it became one of the symbols of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake...
collapsed leaving only its lift shaft standing, which caught fire. The building housed the TV station, a medical clinic and an English language school. The school—King's Education—catered to students from Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Korea. On 23 February police decided that the damage was not survivable, and rescue efforts at the building were suspended. Initially more than 100 people were believed have died in the building. Fire-fighting and recovery operations resumed that night, later joined by a Japanese search and rescue squad. Thirteen Japanese students from the Toyama College of Foreign Languages are missing, with some feared trapped in the rubble. Of the 166 confirmed dead by 12 March 2011, 94 were recovered from the CTV building.
The four-storey PGC House on Cambridge Terrace, headquarters of Pyne Gould Corporation, collapsed, and thirty of the building's two hundred workers were still believed to be trapped within as night fell. On Wednesday morning, 22 hours after the quake, a survivor was pulled from the rubble. The reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
building had been constructed in 1963–1964.
The Forsyth Barr building survived the earthquake structurally, but many occupants were trapped after the collapse of the stairwells, forcing some to abseil out after the quake. Search of the building was technically difficult for USAR teams, requiring the deconstruction of 4-tonne stair sets, but the building was cleared with no victims discovered.
On 23 February, Hotel Grand Chancellor
Hotel Grand Chancellor, Christchurch
The Hotel Grand Chancellor was a major five star hotel in the centre of Christchurch in New Zealand, one of eleven Hotel Grand Chancellor establishments across Australia and New Zealand. The city's tallest building at 26 storeys, it is located on Cashel Street, close to the city's City Mall central...
, Christchurch's tallest hotel, was reported to be on the verge of collapse. The 26-storey building was displaced by half a metre in the quake and had dropped by 1 metre on one side; parts of the emergency stairwells collapsed. The building was thought to be irreparably damaged and have the potential to bring down other buildings if it falls; an area of a two-block radius around the hotel was thus evacuated. The building was eventually stabilised and, on 4 March it was decided the building would be demolished over the following six months, so that further work could be done with the buildings nearby. The 21-storey PricewaterhouseCoopers building, the city's tallest office tower, is among the office buildings to be demolished.
The historic Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings
Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings
The Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings were the buildings of the Canterbury Provincial Council that administered the Canterbury Province from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The buildings are the only purpose-built provincial government buildings in New Zealand still...
were severely damaged, with the Stone Chamber completely collapsing.
Our City
Our City, Christchurch
Our City, or more formally Our City O-Tautahi, is on the corner of Worcester Street and Oxford Terrace in the Christchurch Central City. It is a Category I heritage building registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust...
, the second civic offices of Christchurch City Council, was already damaged in the September earthquake and is heavily braced following the February event. The Civic
Civic, Christchurch
The Civic in Manchester Street, Christchurch Central City, was one of the former civic buildings of Christchurch City Council . Built in 1900, it was first used as an exhibition hall, a cinema and then a theatre. It burned down in 1917. The northern part of the building was purchased by CCC and...
, the council's third home, was heavily damaged in February and is due to be demolished. Both buildings are on the register of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
.
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, located in the city centre of Christchurch, New Zealand, commonly known as the Christchurch Basilica, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch and seat of the Bishop of Christchurch...
was also severely damaged, with the towers falling. A decision was made to remove the dome because the supporting structure was weakened, although at 30 March the eventual fate of the overall building remained uncertain. Several other churches have been seriously damaged, including: Knox Presbyterian Church, St Luke's Anglican Church, Durham Street Methodist Church
Durham Street Methodist Church
The Durham Street Methodist Church in Christchurch was the earliest stone church constructed in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand. It is registered as a "Historic Place – Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust....
, St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Presbyterian Church, Oxford Terrace Baptist Church
Oxford Terrace Baptist Church
Oxford Terrace Baptist Church is located in the Christchurch Central City on a prominent corner property fronting the Avon River, the main building was significantly damaged in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake and collapsed in the subsequent February 2011 Christchurch earthquake...
, Holy Trinity Avonside
Holy Trinity Avonside
Holy Trinity Avonside was a heritage-listed Anglican church located in Linwood, Christchurch, New Zealand. It is registered as a "Historic Place – Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust...
and Holy Trinity, Lyttelton. Sydenham Heritage Church
Sydenham Heritage Church
Sydenham Heritage Church, originally known as the Colombo Street Methodist Church or Colombo Street Wesleyan Church or Colombo Road Wesleyan Church was a heritage-listed stone church building located in Sydenham, an inner suburb Christchurch, New Zealand...
and the Beckenham Baptist Church were heavily damaged, and then demolished days after the earthquake. Concrete block construction fared badly, leaving many modern iconic buildings damaged.
Carlton Hotel
Carlton Hotel, Christchurch
The Carlton Hotel in Christchurch was an historic pub on the corner of Papanui Road and Bealey Avenue. Built in 1906 for the New Zealand International Exhibition, it was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category II heritage building...
, a listed heritage building, was undergoing repairs from September 2010 earthquake damage when the February 2011 earthquake damaged the building further. It was deemed unstable and demolished in April 2011. St Elmo Courts
St Elmo Courts
St Elmo Courts was a residential high rise building constructed in 1930 in the city centre of Christchurch, New Zealand. Used mainly as an office building in later years, it had a Category II heritage listing by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust...
has been damaged in the September 2010 earthquake and the owner intended to repair the building, but further damage caused by the February 2011 event resulted in a decision to demolish, which was done the following month.
While damage occurred to many older buildings, particularly those with unreinforced masonry
Unreinforced masonry building
An Unreinforced masonry building is a type of building where load bearing walls, non-load bearing walls or other structures, such as chimneys are made of brick, cinderblock, tiles, adobe or other masonry material, that is not braced by reinforcing beams...
and those built before stringent earthquakes codes were introduced, high rises built within the past twenty to thirty years performed well. On 28 February 2011, the Prime Minister announced that there would be an inquiry into the collapse of buildings that had been signed off as safe after the 4 September earthquake, "to provide answers to people about why so many people lost their lives."
Suburbs
On 7 March, Prime Minister John KeyJohn Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
said that around 10,000 houses would need to be demolished, and liquefaction damage meant that some parts of Christchurch could not be rebuilt on.
Lyttelton
Buildings in Lyttelton
Lyttelton, New Zealand
Lyttelton is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour close to Banks Peninsula, a suburb of Christchurch on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand....
sustained widespread damage, with a fire officer reporting that 60% of the buildings in the main street had been severely damaged. No lives were believed to be lost in the town, but two people died on local walking tracks after being hit by rockfalls. The town's historic Timeball Station
Lyttelton Timeball Station
The Lyttelton Timeball Station was a heritage-registered timeball station and prominent local landmark in Lyttelton, New Zealand. The station was significantly damaged by a series of earthquakes and aftershocks in 2010 and 2011, and finally collapsed on the 13 June 2011 after a magnitude 6.3...
was extensively damaged, adding to damage from the preceding earthquake in September 2010
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
. The New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
is planning to dismantle it, with the possibility of reconstruction. The tower later collapsed during an aftershock on 13 June 2011
June 2011 Christchurch earthquake
The June 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a shallow magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake that occurred on 13 June 2011 at 14:20 NZST . It was centred at a depth of 6.0 km , about 13 km from Christchurch, which had previously been devastated by the February 2011 magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake...
.
Sumner
Landslides occurred in Sumner
Sumner, New Zealand
Sumner is a coastal seaside suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand and was surveyed and named in 1849 in honour of John Bird Sumner, the then newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury and president of the Canterbury Association...
, crushing buildings. Parts of Sumner were evacuated during the night of 22 February after cracks were noticed on a nearby hillside. Three deaths were reported in the Sumner area, according to the Sumner Chief Fire Officer. The Shag Rock
Rapanui Rock
Rapanui, better known as The Shag Rock or simply "Shag Rock" was a notable sea stack which stood at the entrance of the Avon Heathcote Estuary near Christchurch, New Zealand. The boating channel into the estuary lies on the northern side of the rock. Although not used as a shipping port, the...
, a notable landmark, was reduced to half of its former height.
Redcliffs
In contrast to the September 2010 earthquake, Redcliffs
Redcliffs
Redcliffs is an outer coastal suburb of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.-Location :The suburb is most directly accessed from the city centre by a causeway that crosses the Avon Heathcote Estuary and is the suburb immediately before Sumner. Alternatively, Redcliffs can be accessed through...
and the surrounding hills suffered severe damage. The cliff behind Redcliffs School collapsed on to the houses below. Large boulders were found on the lawns of damaged houses.
Twelve streets in Redcliffs were evacuated on Thursday night (24 February) after some cliffs and hills surrounding Redcliffs were deemed unstable. However, the cordon actually in place the following morning only included parts of six streets, so many residents outside the reduced cordon returned home immediately. The remaining cordon was removed twelve days later.
Beyond Christchurch
The quake was felt as far north as TaurangaTauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
and as far south as Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, where the 111 emergency network was rendered out of service. The earthquake may have been felt at Scott Base
Scott Base
Scott Base is a research facility located in Antarctica and is operated by New Zealand. It was named after Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Royal Navy, leader of two British expeditions to the Ross Sea area of Antarctica...
.
At the Tasman Glacier
Tasman Glacier
The Tasman Glacier is the largest of several glaciers which flow south and east towards the Mackenzie Basin from the Southern Alps in New Zealand's South Island. It is New Zealand's longest glacier.-Geography:...
some 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) from the epicentre, around 30 million tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s (33 ST) of ice tumbled off the glacier into Tasman Lake
Tasman Lake
Tasman Lake is a proglacial lake formed by the recent retreat of the Tasman Glacier in New Zealand's South Island.In the early 1970s, there were several small meltwater ponds on the Tasman Glacier. By 1990, these ponds had merged into Tasman Lake....
, hitting tour boats with tsunami waves 3.5 metres (11 ft) high.
By the evening of 22 February, KiwiRail
KiwiRail
KiwiRail Holdings Limited is the rail operations subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which trades as KiwiRail. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand. Since July 2010 John Spencer has been the Chairman...
reported that the TranzAlpine
TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
service was terminating at Greymouth
Greymouth
Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
and the TranzCoastal terminating at Picton
Picton, New Zealand
Picton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. The population was 2928 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 72 from 2001...
. The TranzAlpine was cancelled until 4 March, to allow for personnel resources to be transferred to repairing track and related infrastructure, and moving essential freight into Christchurch, while the TranzCoastal has been cancelled until mid-August. KiwiRail also delayed the 14 March departure of its Interislander
Interislander
The Interislander is a road and rail ferry service across New Zealand's Cook Strait, owned and operated by state-owned rail operator KiwiRail.The Interislander travels between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island, forming a road and rail link between New Zealand's two main...
ferry Aratere
Aratere (ferry)
The DEV Aratere is a roll-on roll-off rail and vehicle ferry in service for Interislander in New Zealand. The ferry was built for Tranz Rail, now KiwiRail, in 1998 to replace the aging MV Aratika...
to Singapore for a 30-metre extension and refit prior to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. With extra passenger and freight movements over Cook Strait
Cook Strait
Cook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
following the earthquake, the company would have been unable to cope with just two ships operating on a reduced schedule so soon after the earthquake, so pushed back the departure to the end of April.
New Zealand and American research operations in Antarctica have been badly affected by the earthquake, which occurred close to the end of the summer season. Christchurch acts as the major supply and transportation base for both Scott Base
Scott Base
Scott Base is a research facility located in Antarctica and is operated by New Zealand. It was named after Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Royal Navy, leader of two British expeditions to the Ross Sea area of Antarctica...
and McMurdo Sound
McMurdo Sound
The ice-clogged waters of Antarctica's McMurdo Sound extend about 55 km long and wide. The sound opens into the Ross Sea to the north. The Royal Society Range rises from sea level to 13,205 feet on the western shoreline. The nearby McMurdo Ice Shelf scribes McMurdo Sound's southern boundary...
research stations, and would normally be the initial destination for scientists returning from the summer season (the bases operate with reduced numbers in the dark Antarctic winter). The problems are exacerbated by the unusual break-up of sheet ice which is normally used for runways in the Antarctic. Several researchers linked to US Antarctic Research are among those missing in Christchurch as a result of the earthquake.
Christchurch International Airport
Christchurch International AirportChristchurch International Airport
-Facts & figures:As the gateway for Christchurch and the South Island, Christchurch International Airport is New Zealand’s second largest airport.5,908,077 passengers travelled in and out of Christchurch International Airport from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009...
is located 12 km (7 mi) northwest of the city centre and was largely unaffected by the earthquake. Flight crews from the U.S. Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
were at the airport, making preparations to return to America, when the quake struck and reported to their Air Wing commander that they were safe and unharmed, and that the airport had water and electricity. 26 members of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing are currently deployed to the airport, in support of "Operation Deep Freeze
Operation Deep Freeze
Operation Deep Freeze is the codename for a series of United States missions to Antarctica, beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze I" in 1955–56, followed by "Operation Deep Freeze II", "Operation Deep Freeze III", and so on...
" (the U.S. Air Force's military support to U.S. research operations in Antarctica).
The Christchurch-based national air traffic control organisation, Airways New Zealand
Airways New Zealand
Airways New Zealand is the sole Air Traffic Service provider in New Zealand.The company was created 1987 as a State-Owned Enterprise having formerly being a division of the Ministry of Transport, a government department. This followed the recommendations of the 1986 Mason-Morris Review...
, closed New Zealand airspace for a short time while they inspected their facilities. Christchurch International Airport was closed to all but military and emergency traffic.
Sport
New Zealand CricketNew Zealand Cricket
New Zealand Cricket, formerly the New Zealand Cricket Board, is the governing body for professional cricket in New Zealand. Cricket is the most popular and highest profile summer sport in New Zealand....
's offices were damaged by the earthquake. Some matches needed to be rescheduled.
The Super Rugby Round 2 match between the Crusaders and Hurricanes scheduled for 26 February 2011 at Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
was abandoned by agreement of both sides and SANZAR
SANZAR
SANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, formed in 1996.Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two...
due to the earthquake. The match was declared a draw, with both sides earning 2 competition points. The Crusaders' first two home matches of the season, originally to be played in Christchurch, were moved to Trafalgar Park
Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Trafalgar Park is a large sports ground within the heart of the city of Nelson, in New Zealand's South Island. The stadium now has a capacity of 20,080, following upgrades completed for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It takes its name from the Battle of Trafalgar.It is one of the home grounds for Air...
in Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
. Ultimately, the Crusaders were forced to play their entire home schedule away from Christchurch, including one game against the Sharks moved to Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
in London and the return match against the Hurricanes moved to Westpac Stadium.
In the ANZ Netball Championship
ANZ Championship
The ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...
, the earthquake caused significant damage to the Canterbury Tactix's main home venue, CBS Canterbury Arena, and the franchise's head office at Queen Elizabeth II Park
Queen Elizabeth II Park
Queen Elizabeth II Park is a multi-use stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. The stadium has a capacity of 25,000 people. It was built in 1973, to host the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in which a temporary 15000 seat western stand was erected for the event taking capacity to 35000...
. The team's round 3 match against the Northern Mystics
Northern Mystics
The Northern Mystics are a New Zealand netball team based in Auckland that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of two teams from the National Bank Cup – the Northern Force and the Auckland Diamonds – after the competition was...
in Auckland was postponed, while their round 4 home match against the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic was moved to the Energy Events Centre
Energy Events Centre
The Energy Events Centre is a sports complex in Rotorua, New Zealand. The centre can hold up to 3,500 people and was finished in February 2007....
in Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
.
AMI Stadium was going to host the rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
ANZAC Test
ANZAC Test
The Anzac Test is an annual rugby league football test match . The test match is played annually between Australia and New Zealand on or around Anzac Day for the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy.-Origins:Australia and New Zealand had competed in Rugby League Tests since 1908...
; however, on 4 March it was announced the match would be moved to Skilled Park on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
. The 2012 match is now tentatively scheduled to be hosted by AMI Stadium; however, Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder
Todd Blackadder
Todd Julian Blackadder is a former professional New Zealand rugby union player and professional rugby coach. He served as Director of Rugby for the Tasman Rugby Union before being appointed to succeed Robbie Deans as coach of Super 14 team the Crusaders...
stated during the 2011 Super Rugby finals that discussions were ongoing regarding the future of the stadium, and that there was a possibility that the venue may be completely written off. The Canterbury Rugby League
Canterbury Rugby League
Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby league team which represents the region in New Zealand...
cancelled their pre-season competition. The CRL's headquarters, Rugby League Park
Rugby League Park
Rugby League Park is a rugby league stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. Formerly called the Addington Showgrounds, the ground is owned by the Canterbury Rugby League.-History:...
, was damaged during the earthquake and is currently closed.
Christchurch was set to host five pool matches and two quarter finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
. However, damage to AMI Stadium, as well as infrastructure, hotels and training grounds put this in doubt. The International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
and the New Zealand Rugby World Cup organisers quickly confirmed all matches will still be held in New Zealand, but required structural reports and assessments of Christchurch facilities before deciding whether the games could go ahead in Christchurch. An announcement was made on 16 March that the city would be unable to host the cup matches; the quarter finals would be moved to Auckland, while other South Island locations would be considered for the pool games.
Response
On the day of the quake, Prime Minister John KeyJohn Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
said that 22 February "may well be New Zealand's darkest day", and Mayor of Christchurch
Mayor of Christchurch
The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
Bob Parker warned that New Zealanders are "going to be presented with statistics that are going to be bleak". Key added that "All Civil Defence
Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (New Zealand)
The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management is New Zealand's central government agency responsible for emergency management.- External links :* The Ministry's website: http://www.civildefence.govt.nz...
procedures have now been activated; the Civil Defence bunker
National Crisis Management Centre
The National Crisis Management Centre , also known as the Beehive Bunker, is the New Zealand government crisis management command centre situated under the Beehive....
at parliament is in operation here in Wellington." The New Zealand Red Cross
New Zealand Red Cross
The New Zealand Red Cross was created by nurse Beth Charpentier in 1914 shortly after the beginning of World War I generally for the purpose of responding to natural disasters or man-made disasters and also helping out vulnerable or needy people both in New Zealand and abroad.The organization is...
launched an appeal to raise funds to help victims.
The Queen said she was "utterly shocked" and her "thoughts were with all those affected". Her son and heir to the New Zealand throne, The Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, also said to New Zealand's governor-general
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
and prime minister: "My wife and I were horrified when we heard the news early this morning... The scale of the destruction all but defies belief when we can appreciate only too well how difficult it must have been struggling to come to terms with last year's horror ... Our deepest sympathy and constant thoughts are with you and all New Zealanders." Other members of the Royal Family signed the condolence book at New Zealand House in London.
International
Australian Prime Minister Julia GillardJulia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
offered John Key any assistance he may request.
The Australian Government has also pledged A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
5 million (NZ$
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
6.7 million) to the Red Cross Appeal. On the 1 March, it was announced that the New South Wales Government
Government of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
would be donating A$1 million (NZ$1.3 million) to the victims of the Christchurch Earthquake.
The UN and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
offered assistance. Kamalesh Sharma
Kamalesh Sharma
H.E Kamalesh Sharma is the current Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations from 2008, having previously served as the High Commissioner for India in London....
, Commonwealth Secretary-General
Commonwealth Secretary-General
The Commonwealth Secretary-General is the head of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the central body which has served the Commonwealth of Nations since its establishment in 1965, and responsible for representing the Commonwealth publicly...
, sent a message of support to the Prime Minister and stated "our heart and condolences go immediately to the bereaved." He added that the "thoughts and prayers" of the Commonwealth were with the citizens of New Zealand, and Christchurch especially.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
released a statement saying: "The thoughts and prayers of Canadians are with all those affected by the earthquake. Canada is standing by to offer any possible assistance to New Zealand in responding to this natural disaster."
David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, issued a statement as well as his texting his fellow Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
prime ministers. In his formal statement, he commented that the loss of life was "dreadful" and the "thoughts and prayers of the British people were with them".
Ban Ki-Moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
, Secretary-General of the United Nations, issued a statement on behalf of the UN expressing his "deep sadness" and stressed the "readiness of the United Nations to contribute to its efforts in any way needed".
China gave US$500,000 to the earthquake appeal, and Chinese Premier
Premier of the People's Republic of China
The Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , sometimes also referred to as the "Prime Minister" informally, is the Leader of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , who is the head of government and holds the highest-ranking of the Civil service of the...
Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao is the sixth and current Premier and Party secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, serving as China's head of government and leading its cabinet. In his capacity as Premier, Wen is regarded as the leading figure behind China's economic policy...
expressed his deep condolences to New Zealand. Twenty Chinese students were reported missing following the quake.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, President of the United States, issued a statement from the White House Press Office on the disaster by way of an official announcement that "On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to the people of New Zealand and to the families and friends of the victims in Christchurch, which has suffered its second major earthquake in just six months... As our New Zealand friends move forward, may they find some comfort and strength in knowing that they will have the enduring friendship and support of many partners around the world, including the United States." The President also made a call to Prime Minister Key.
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
issued an announcement on the earthquake in a statement during his Wednesday audience on 23 February, stating that he was praying for the dead and the injured victims of the devastating earthquake, and encouraging those involved in the rescue efforts.
Fundraising and charity events
Various sporting events were set up to raise money for those affected, such as the "Fill the Basin" cricket match at the Basin ReserveBasin Reserve
The Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand...
, featuring ex-New Zealand internationals, All Blacks and actors from The Hobbit, which raised more than $500,000.
New Zealand cricket team captain Daniel Vettori
Daniel Vettori
Daniel Luca Vettori ONZM is a cricketer for the New Zealand cricket team. He is the eighth player in Test history to take 300 wickets and score 3,000 runs. He is the youngest player to have represented New Zealand in Test cricket, having made his debut in 1996–97 at the age of 18...
put his personal memorabilia up for auction.
All Black Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny William 'Sonny Bill' Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player and former rugby league player. He is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league. In rugby union he usually plays as a centre...
and Sky both made large donations from Williams' fourth boxing bout which was dubbed "The Clash For Canterbury".
Numerous musical concerts have been performed, both in New Zealand and overseas, to raise money for the affected. Notable events of this nature include a previously unscheduled visit to New Zealand by American rock group Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, who performed a Christchurch benefit concert in Auckland on 22 March 2011.
Memorial services
A national memorial service was held on 18 March at North Hagley ParkHagley Park
Hagley Park is the largest urban open space in Christchurch, New Zealand, and was created in 1855 by the Provincial Government. According to the government's decree at that time, Hagley Park is "reserved forever as a public park, and shall be open for the recreation and enjoyment of the public."...
, coinciding with a one-off provincial holiday
Public holidays in New Zealand
Holidays in New Zealand can refer to publicly observed holidays or to a holiday period.-National Public holidays:In New Zealand there are two types of national public holidays, those that are 'Mondayised' and those that are not....
for Canterbury, which required the passing of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Act 2011 to legislate. Prince William, making a two-day trip to the country to tour the areas affected by the earthquake, attended on the Queen's behalf and made an address during the service. New Zealand's governor-general, Sir Anand Satyanand, attended, along with John Key, Bob Parker, and a number of local and international dignitaries. Australia's official delegation included Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland....
, Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
, and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott
Tony Abbott
Anthony John "Tony" Abbott is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election...
.
Commission of Inquiry
On 14 March, Prime Minister John Key announced a Royal Commission of Inquiry would be held into the earthquake devastation, covering the building collapses and consequent loss of life, damage to key buildings, and general building standards and codes. It would complement the investigations by the Department of Building and Housing. The commission would be chaired by High CourtHigh Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
judge Mark Cooper, for a report back in twelve months; a preliminary report would be required in six months.
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
On 29 March 2011, John Key and Bob Parker announced the creation of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), which would lead the earthquake recovery, cooperating with the government, local councils and residents, under chief executive John Ombler. Anticipated to last five years, the authority's operations would be reviewed annually.Housing
With an estimated 10,000 houses requiring demolition and over 100,000 damaged, plans were developed for moderate-term temporary housing. Approximately 450 fully serviced mobile homeMobile home
Mobile homes or static caravans are prefabricated homes built in factories, rather than on site, and then taken to the place where they will be occupied...
s would be located on sites across the city including Canterbury Agricultural Park and Riccarton Racecourse. The Department of Building and Housing also released a plan for the construction of 500 modular homes. While emergency repairs were performed on damaged houses by Fletcher Construction
Fletcher Construction
Fletcher Construction Limited is a leading New Zealand construction company. It is owned by Fletcher Building Limited and has three main divisions:*Building and interiors *South Pacific...
, rebuilding would be delayed by the need for full land assessments, with the possibility that some of the worst-affected areas in the eastern suburbs might need to be abandoned due to land depression and severe liquefaction, with the residents offered relocation to new subdivisions under their EQC insurance policies.
Schools and universities
Canterbury University partially reopened on 14 March, with many lectures held in tents and marquees while work was carried out on university buildings. All courses expected to resume by 28 March, with plans for the April break to be shortened by two weeks to make up for lost time.163 primary and secondary schools were affected by the earthquake, most of which were closed for three weeks; 90 had full structural clearance and were able to reopen, 24 had reports indicating further assessment and 11 were seriously damaged. Site-sharing plans were made to enable affected schools to relocate, while 9 "learning hubs" were established throughout the city to provide resources and support for students needing to work from home. Some students relocated to other centres – by 5 March, a total of 4879 Christchurch students had enrolled in other schools across New Zealand. Wanaka
Wanaka
Wanaka is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, adjacent to the outflow of the lake to the Clutha River. It is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Wanaka is primarily a resort town but has both summer and winter...
Primary School alone had received 115 new enrolments as Christchurch families moved to their holiday homes in the town.
Due to the extensive damage of a number of secondary schools, many were forced to share with others, allowing one school to use the ground in the morning and the other in the afternoon. This included Shirley Boys High School sharing with Papanui High School
Papanui High School
Papanui High School is a secondary school in Papanui, a suburb of Christchurch city, New Zealand.Papanui High School is a coeducational secondary school, located between Northlands Mall and Firestone tyre factory, opposite the Christchurch Sanitarium Health Food Company factory...
, Linwood College sharing with Cashmere High School
Cashmere High School
Cashmere High School is a large co-educational state secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. The 2008 roll was approximately 1800 making it the second-largest school in Christchurch, after Burnside High School.The School has a Conductive Education Unit....
and Avonside Girls High School sharing with Burnside High School
Burnside High School
Burnside High School is the second largest high school in New Zealand with over 2600 students, and is located in the suburb of Burnside in Christchurch, New Zealand.-History:...
and Marian College sharing with St Bedes College. Linwood College and Shirley Boys' High School moved back to their original sites on 1 August (the first day of Term 3), and 13 September 2011 respectively. Avonside Girls' High School is not expected to be back on its original site until the start of the 2012 school year in early February. Marian College will not return to their site in Shirley but will instead move to a site at Cathedral College on Barbadoes Street.
Economic impact
New Zealand Finance Minister, Bill EnglishBill English
Simon William "Bill" English is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure of New Zealand.English entered parliament in 1990 as a National party MP representing the Wallace electorate...
, advised that the effects of the 2011 quake were likely to be more costly than the September 2010 quake. His advice was that the 2011 earthquake was a "new event" and that EQC's reinsurance cover was already in place after the previous 2010 event. New Zealand's Earthquake Commission
Earthquake Commission
The Earthquake Commission provides primary natural disaster insurance to the owners of residential properties in New Zealand. The Government-owned Crown entity manages assets of $5.93 billion NZD...
(EQC), a government organisation, levies policyholders to cover a major part of the earthquake risk. The EQC further limits its own risk by taking out cover with a number of large reinsurance
Reinsurance
Reinsurance is insurance that is purchased by an insurance company from another insurance company as a means of risk management...
companies, for example Munich Re
Munich Re
Munich Re Group is a reinsurance company based in Munich, Germany. It is one of the world’s leading reinsurers. ERGO, a Munich Re subsidiary, is the Group’s primary insurance arm....
.
The EQC pays out the first NZ$1.5 billion in claims, and the reinsurance
Reinsurance
Reinsurance is insurance that is purchased by an insurance company from another insurance company as a means of risk management...
companies are liable for all amounts between NZ$1.5 billion and NZ$4 billion. The EQC again covers all amounts above NZ$4 billion. EQC chief executive Ian Simpson said that the $4 billion cap for each earthquake is unlikely to be exceeded by the costs of residential building and land repairs, so $3 billion would be left in the EQC's Natural Disaster Fund after payouts.
Claims from the 2010 shock were estimated at NZ$2.75–3.5 billion. Prior to the 2010 quake, the EQC had a fund of NZ$5.93 billion according to the EQC 2010 Annual Report, with NZ$4.43 billion left prior to the 2011 quake, after taking off the NZ$1.5 billion cost.
EQC cover for domestic premises entitles the holder to up to NZ$100,000 plus tax (GST) for each dwelling, with any further amount above that being paid by the policyholder's insurance company. For personal effects, EQC pays out the first NZ$20,000 plus tax. It also covers land damage within 8 metres of a home; this coverage is uncapped.
Commercial properties are not insured by the EQC, but by private insurance companies. These insurers underwrite their commercial losses to reinsurers, who will again bear the brunt of these claims. JPMorgan Chase & Co say the total overall losses related to this earthquake may be US$12 billion. That would make it the third most costly earthquake event in history, after the 2011 Japan
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
and 1994 California earthquakes.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee
Gerry Brownlee
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Brownlee is a New Zealand politician. He served from 17 November 2003 to 27 November 2006 as deputy-leader of the National Party – during that period the second-largest party in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus forming the core of the Opposition...
echoed that fewer claims were expected through the EQC than for 2010. In the 2010 earthquake, 180,000 claims were processed as opposed to the expected 130,000 claims for the 2011 aftershock. The total number of claims for the two events was expected to be 250,000, as Brownlee explained that many of the claims were "overlapping".
The Accident Compensation Corporation
Accident Compensation Corporation
The Accident Compensation Corporation is a New Zealand Crown entity responsible for administering the Accident Compensation Act 2001. The Act provides support to citizens, residents, and temporary visitors who have suffered personal injuries....
(ACC) announced it would be the largest single event they had paid out for, with an estimated 7,500 injury claims costing over $200 million.
On 2 March, John Key said he expected an interest rate
Interest rate
An interest rate is the rate at which interest is paid by a borrower for the use of money that they borrow from a lender. For example, a small company borrows capital from a bank to buy new assets for their business, and in return the lender receives interest at a predetermined interest rate for...
cut to deal with the earthquake. The reaction to the statement sent the New Zealand dollar
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
down.
Cancellation of 2011 census
The Chief Executive of Statistics New ZealandStatistics New Zealand
Statistics New Zealand is the national statistical office of New Zealand.-Organisation:New Zealand's Minister of Statistics is Maurice Williamson who serves as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and holds several other posts within government...
, Geoff Bascand
Geoff Bascand
Geoff Bascand is the Government Statistician of New Zealand and the Chief Executive of Statistics New Zealand. He was appointed to these positions on 22 May 2007.-Background:...
, announced on 25 February that the national census planned for 8 March 2011 would not take place due to the disruption and displacement of people in the Canterbury region, and also the damage sustained by Statistics New Zealand's buildings in Christchurch, which was scheduled to process much of the census. The cancellation required an amendment to the Statistics Act 1975, which legally requires a census to be taken in 2011, and a revocation by The Queen. It is the third time the census has been cancelled in New Zealand; the other occasions occurred in 1931, due to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and in 1941 due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Most of the NZ$90 million cost of the census has been written off.
The census will now take place in March 2013. Government Statistician Geoff Bascand
Geoff Bascand
Geoff Bascand is the Government Statistician of New Zealand and the Chief Executive of Statistics New Zealand. He was appointed to these positions on 22 May 2007.-Background:...
and Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson
Maurice Williamson
Maurice Donald Williamson is a New Zealand politician, representing Pakuranga in the House of Representatives as a member of the National Party...
will decide the exact day in March for the 2013 Census, and the required legislation authorising it will go to Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
later this year.
See also
- 2010 Canterbury earthquake2010 Canterbury earthquakeThe 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
- Earthquakes in New ZealandEarthquakes in New ZealandEarthquakes in New Zealand occur as the country forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is geologically active. About 20,000 earthquakes, most of them minor, are recorded each year. About 200 of these are strong enough to be felt...
- Geology of the Canterbury Region
- June 2011 Christchurch earthquakeJune 2011 Christchurch earthquakeThe June 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a shallow magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake that occurred on 13 June 2011 at 14:20 NZST . It was centred at a depth of 6.0 km , about 13 km from Christchurch, which had previously been devastated by the February 2011 magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake...
- List of New Zealand disasters by death toll
Further reading
-
- Creusons plus! » CHCH earthquake updates and stories in French from the French Blend
External links
Official response and recovery- Canterbury Earthquake – information for affected residents
- Canterbury earthquake recovery – New Zealand Government website
- Christchurch earthquake official statements at the New Zealand PoliceNew Zealand PoliceThe New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
- Christchurch Quake Map
- Google Crisis response including person finder
- Crowd source map
- Red zone streetcam from Terralink
Scientific and engineering reports
- Satellite radar images of earth deformation
- Earthquake information at Geonet (GNS ScienceGNS ScienceGNS Science is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. It focuses on geology, geophysics , and nuclear science ....
) - United States Geological Survey: Magnitude 6.3 – South Island of New Zealand
- Wikieducator learning resource . An inquiry into the earthquake developed for students aged 13–17.. (1.04 MB) Retrieved 5 March 2011
News
- Earthquake news at The PressThe PressThe Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is owned by Fairfax Media.- History :The Press was first published on 25 May 1861 from a small cottage in Montreal Street, making it the oldest surviving newspaper in the South Island of New Zealand. The first...
(Christchurch newspaper) - Earthquake photos at Stuff.co.nzStuff.co.nzStuff.co.nz is a New Zealand news website owned and operated by Fairfax New Zealand, a subsidiary of the Australian company Fairfax Media. Stuff hosts the websites for Fairfax's New Zealand newspapers, including the country's second and third highest circulation daily newspapers The Dominion Post...
- Christchurch earthquake page at TV3TV3 (New Zealand)TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
- Christchurch earthquake page at Radio LiveRadio LiveRadio Live and Radio Live Sport are nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sports radio networks owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand...
- Visual representation of Christchurch earthquakes since 4 September 2010
- Earthquake footage
- Videos at Educated Earth