Restless Earth - Christchurch Flashcards
1
Q
What is Christchurch the case study for?
A
MEDC earthquake
2
Q
Where is Christchurch?
A
South Island of New Zealand
3
Q
When was the Christchurch earthquake?
A
22nd February 2011, 12:51pm
4
Q
What was the magnitude of the Christchurch earthquake?
A
6.3 on the Richter Scale. Aftershock of a 2010 earthquake
5
Q
Where was the epicentre of the Christchurch earthquake in relation to Christchurch?
A
10km South East
6
Q
What was the focus of the Christchurch earthquake?
A
5km deep = very shallow!
7
Q
What were the primary effects of Christchurch?
A
- 181 people killed
- Half of all buildings (more than 100,00) were destroyed/severly damaged
- Canterbury television building (6 storeys) collapsed killing 85 people
- PGC House (6 storeys) collapsed killing 18 people
- School closed
- Grand Chancellor Hotel (26 storeys, the biggest building in Christchurch) was displaced by 0.5 metres
- Power and telephone lines were knocked out, pipes burst and deluged streets with water
8
Q
What were the secondary effects of Christchurch?
A
- Money lost as businesses closed until buildings were confirmed safe
- Buildings took months to be repaired/rebuilt
- Lots of insurance claims
- £13 billion cost of reconstruction
- 10,000 people migrated away from Christchurch (total population is 380,000)
9
Q
What were the short-term responses of Christchurch?
A
- Military was mobilised to help rescue effort
- Government accepted offer of specialist help from Australia
- Fire, ambulance crews and other rescue services searched for survivors
10
Q
What were the long-term responses of Christchurch?
A
- Government set up the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to coordinate reconstruction of Christchurch
- City divided into 4 zones - red, orange, green, white
11
Q
How were Christchurch prepared?
A
- GeoNet (a New Zealand project to monitor geological hazards) detected the earthquake and provided information to emergency services
- Government funding provides earthquake insurance
- Public information programmes encourages New Zealanders to “quake safe” their homes
- A building code set up in 1953
- Only older buildings in the North were reinforced, Christchurch was more vulnerable
