Christchurch Case Study

Question 1

What type of boundary and fault line does New Zealand lie on?

Answer 1

Conservative boundary and a slip strike fault line

Question 2

What two plates caused the Christchurch earthquakes?

Answer 2

The indo-Australian plate and the Pacific plate

Question 3

What is New Zealand’s GDP per capita?

Answer 3

$41,000

Question 4

Is Christchurch New Zealand’s biggest city?

Answer 4

No, it’s the third biggest city in New Zealand

Question 5

What is Christchurch built on which makes it vulnerable to soil liquefaction?

Answer 5

It is built on alluvial sediment

Question 6

How often are New Zealand’s strict building codes reviewed?

Answer 6

Every 10 years

Question 7

What fault ruptured on the 4th September 2010 in New Zealand and how strong was the resulting earthquake?

Answer 7

The Greendale fault ruptured causing a M7.1 earthquake

Question 8

How deep was the focus of the 4th September quake?

Answer 8

10 km

Question 9

How far away was the 4th September quake’s focus from the main built up area of Christchurch?

Answer 9

40km

Question 10

Did the 4th September quake cause any casualties?

Answer 10

Nah

Question 11

When was the ‘main event’ in Christchurch and what magnitude and time was this?

Answer 11

22nd February 2011 M6.3 12:30 pm

Question 12

How deep was the focus of the 22nd Feb 2011 quake?

Answer 12

5km located 10km SE of Christchurch in Lyttleton

Question 13

What were the effects of the 2011 quake?

Answer 13

1. A large amount of infrastructure was broken or damaged
2. Buildings damaged in 2010 quake were brought down, heritage buildings were damaged, Christchurch’s tallest building, the Hotel Grand Chancellor was destroyed
3. Liquefaction was extensive
4. There was confusion and panic, the sheer amount of people trying to contact their families jammed the phone lines

Question 14

How many people were killed as a result of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and how many were seriously injured?

Answer 14

185 killed- 164 seriously injured

Question 15

How many people died in the Canterbury television building collapse?

Answer 15

115

Question 16

How many people were killed in the collapse of the Pyne Gould Corporation building?

Answer 16

18

Question 17

How many people died in the central city and then in the other areas of Christchurch?

Answer 17

Central city: 169

Other parts of Christchurch: 16

Question 18

What did New Zealand’s government activate immediately after the 2011 quake?

Answer 18

The national crisis management centre and a state of emergency. Countries such as the UK, Japan sent specialist rescue teams

Question 19

By June 2011 what had been drawn up in New Zealand?

Answer 19

A land use zone map

Question 20

How long did Christchurch’s CBD remain closed for after the quake?

Answer 20

2 years

Question 21

How long did it take for electricity to be restored to 75% of the city?

Answer 21

3 days

Question 22

How long did it take for water and sewage systems to be restored in areas which experienced liquefaction?

Answer 22

Several years

Question 23

How many are believed to have left Christchurch as a result of the 2010-11 seismic activity? Which town experienced a 20% swell in its population size?

Answer 23

Around 70,00 and Timaru, 157km south of Christchurch. Many have returned to Christchurch as conditions improved but many more moved away permanently

Question 24

How many buildings has to be demolished in Christchurch?

Answer 24

Over 1000

Question 25

What is Christchurch like now?

Answer 25

It is still somewhat of a ghost town, with many people waiting for insurance pay outs etc.

Question 26

What have some volunteers done in Christchurch?

Answer 26

Charities such as ‘Greening the rubble’ have created ‘pop up’ parks on the sites of demolished buildings

Question 27

What is there a lot of in Christchurch now?

Answer 27

Despondency and frustration at the rate of recovery