At 12.51 p.m. on Tuesday 22 February 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake caused severe damage in Christchurch and Lyttelton, killing 185 people and injuring several thousand.
The earthquake which struck at 4.35 a.m. on a Saturday morning was felt by many people in the South Island and southern North Island. There was considerable damage in central Canterbury, especially in Christchurch, but no loss of life.
At 4.35 a.m. on 4 September 2010, the Canterbury region was struck by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake. It shook Cantabrians, their properties, their land and their lives.
A paper prepared for the Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, Vol. 44, no. 4, December 2011.
A paper which details earthquake expectation data, supplied to SCIRT by GNS Science.
A PDF copy of a page on the EQ Recovery Learning site which linked to a YouTube video. In 2015, Christchurch hosted the biggest international cricket tournament ever to be played in New Zealand - the ICC Cricket World Cup. Take a look behind the scenes and through the eyes of some of Canterbury's most passionate cricketers as cricket makes its epic return to the Hagley Oval.
The Canterbury earthquakes destroyed the Christchurch CBD and caused massive disruption to business across the region. There was an urgent need to support business survival and foster economic recovery. Recover Canterbury is a hub providing seamless support for businesses affected by the earthquakes, giving them easy access to government and commercial expertise in a one-stop shop.
A copy of Empowered Christchurch's submission on CERA's Draft Transition Recovery Plan, Greater Christchurch Earthquake Recovery: transition to regeneration.
A PDF document which discusses the lessons learned by the Christchurch Migrant Inter-Agency group after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. The group was set up to support migrants and refugees following the February 22 earthquake in 2011, and has now been dis-established. However, the Christchurch Migrant Centre continues to co-ordinate services and help migrants settle into life in Christchurch. The purpose of the report is to provide a record of key events and responses of the group in the immediate aftermath of the February 22 earthquake, and to offer some candid discussion and insight with respect to their success or otherwise.
A PDF copy of a page on the EQ Recovery Learning site which linked to a YouTube video. This short video provides an insight into the design and location of the Canterbury Earthquake Memorial, due to be completed in February 2017. We meet its designer Grega Vezjak, who shares his vision for the Memorial
A pdf copy of the One Voice Te Reo Kotahi organising group's submission on the Greater Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Plan: Transition to Regeneration.
Canterbury Earthquakes Symposium - Ōtautahi creative spaces: Strengthening the recovery context through a collective arts-based approach This panel discussion was presented by Dr Catherine Savage, Director (Ihi Research) and Kim Morton, Director (Ihi Research) The Canterbury Earthquakes Symposium, jointly hosted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Christchurch City Council, was held on 29-30 November 2018 at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. The purpose of the event was to share lessons from the Canterbury earthquakes so that New Zealand as a whole can be better prepared in future for any similar natural disasters. Speakers and presenters included Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister, Hon Dr Megan Woods, Christchurch Mayor, Lianne Dalziel, Ngāi Tahu chief executive, Arihia Bennett, head of the public inquiry into EQC, Dame Sylvia Cartwright, urban planner specialising in disaster recovery and castrophe risk management, Dr Laurie Johnson; Christchurch NZ chief executive and former Press editor, Joanna Norris; academic researcher and designer, Barnaby Bennett; and filmmaker, Gerard Smyth. About 300 local and national participants from the public, private, voluntary sectors and academia attended the Symposium. They represented those involved in the Canterbury recovery effort, and also leaders of organisations that may be impacted by future disasters or involved in recovery efforts. The focus of the Symposium was on ensuring that we learn from the Canterbury experience and that we can apply those learnings.
An authority granted by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, providing the authority to carry out earthquake repair work that may affect archaeological sites within the Christchurch City area.
An entry from Deb Robertson's blog for 7 May 2013 entitled, "My Thoughts on the Rebuild of Christchurch".
A paper which outlines SCIRT's approach to asset assessment, design and repair of damaged retaining walls, and presents a case study of a retaining wall rebuild, on Cunningham Terrace, Lyttelton.
A conference paper about the Pipe Damage Assessment Tool (PDAT).
A document which outlines SCIRT's post-earthquake asset assessment process.
A pdf copy of a PowerPoint presentation made for the Water Services Association of Australia conference, about SCIRT's approach to asset investigation after the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.
An article from the Media Studies Journal of Aotearoa New Zealand Volume 14, Number 1. The article is titled, "Social Media, Crisis Mapping and the Christchurch Earthquakes of 2011". It was written by Abi Beatson, Angi Buettner, and Tony Schirato.
A copy of a letter from Empowered Christchurch which was sent to Gerry Brownlee, Minsiter for the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, on 15 April 2014. The letter lodges an Official Information Act request about Imminent Loss claims settled by the EQC since September 2010.
Canterbury Earthquakes Symposium - Social Recovery 101 – Waimakariri District Council's social recovery framework and lessons learnt from the Greater Christchurch earthquakes This panel discussion was presented by Sandra James, Director (Connecting People) The Canterbury Earthquakes Symposium, jointly hosted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Christchurch City Council, was held on 29-30 November 2018 at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. The purpose of the event was to share lessons from the Canterbury earthquakes so that New Zealand as a whole can be better prepared in future for any similar natural disasters. Speakers and presenters included Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister, Hon Dr Megan Woods, Christchurch Mayor, Lianne Dalziel, Ngāi Tahu chief executive, Arihia Bennett, head of the public inquiry into EQC, Dame Sylvia Cartwright, urban planner specialising in disaster recovery and castrophe risk management, Dr Laurie Johnson; Christchurch NZ chief executive and former Press editor, Joanna Norris; academic researcher and designer, Barnaby Bennett; and filmmaker, Gerard Smyth. About 300 local and national participants from the public, private, voluntary sectors and academia attended the Symposium. They represented those involved in the Canterbury recovery effort, and also leaders of organisations that may be impacted by future disasters or involved in recovery efforts. The focus of the Symposium was on ensuring that we learn from the Canterbury experience and that we can apply those learnings.
A copy of a letter from Empowered Christchurch which was sent to Gerry Brownlee, Minsiter for the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, on 15 April 2014. The letter lodges an Official Information Act request about the remediation of land that is subject to liquefaction and flooding.
A paper which outlines the observed damage to Christchurch City Council-owned retaining walls and the repair solutions developed.
A consent granted by the Christchurch City Council, providing consent to carry out earthquake repair work that may affect protected vegetation.
A paper prepared for the Ozwater 2013 conference detailing the story of the damage to, and subsequent repair of, Huntsbury Reservoir.
A pdf copy of a PowerPoint presentation prepared for the Ozwater 2013 conference detailing the story of the damage to, and subsequent repair of, Huntsbury Reservoir.
An entry from Jennifer Middendorf's blog for 30 August 2014 entitled, "A photographic tour of Christchurch".
A paper published in the Journal of Structural Integrity and Maintenance, 2016, Vol. 1, No. 2, 88-93, which outlines the importance of asset registers and level of service in the wake of a disaster.
A variation to the consent granted by the Christchurch City Council, providing consent to carry out earthquake repair work that may affect protected vegetation.
A PDF copy of a proposal prepared by Anglican Advocacy (formerly the Anglican Life Social Justice Unit) and Te Whare Roimata to MBIE and CERA in 2012. The report outlines how social housing could look in Christchurch's Inner City East following the Christchurch earthquakes.