The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck North Canterbury, on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island on 14 November 2016 had significant impacts and implications for the community of Kaikōura and surrounding settlements. The magnitude and scope of this event has resulted in extensive and ongoing geological and geophysical research into the event. The current paper complements this research by providing a review of existing social science research and offering new analysis of the impact of the earthquake and its aftermath on community resilience in Kaikōura over the past five years. Results demonstrate the significant economic implications for tourism, and primary industries. Recovery has been slow, and largely dependent on restoring transportation networks, which helped catalyse cooperation among local hospitality providers. Challenges remain, however, and not all sectors or households have benefited equally from post-quake opportunities, and long-term recovery trajectories continue to be hampered by COVID-19 pandemic. The multiple ongoing and future stressors faced by Kaikōura require integrated and equitable approaches in order to build capability and capacity for locally based development pathways to ensure long-term community resilience.
At 00:02 on 14 November, 2016 a destructive 7.8 Mw earthquake struck the North Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island. Prior to and following the earthquake, natural and social scientists conducted a significant amount of research on the resilience processes and recovery efforts in North Canterbury. This thesis examines community resilience in Kaikōura, a small town and district greatly impacted by the earthquake. Community resilience has been widely used in disaster risk reduction research, policy, and practice to describe how a group of individuals within a boundary respond to events, hazards, and shifts in their everyday life. Using exploratory inquiry, this thesis adopts qualitative research methods including document analysis, 24 semi-structured interviews, and participant observation to explore the idea that the recent scholarly emphasis on resilience has come at the expense of critical engagement with the complexities of communities. I draw on the idea of ‘collectives’ (comprising community-based organisations or less formal social networks with a shared purpose) as a lens to consider how, when unexpected life events happen, collectives can be regarded as a resource for change or constancy. The examination of collectives following a disaster can lend insight into the many elements of community as they bring people together in collaboration or drive them apart in conflict. This thesis therefore contributes to an enhanced practical and theoretical understanding of both community and resilience.
A video of a presentation by Garry Williams during the fourth plenary of the 2016 People in Disasters Conference. Williams is the Programme Manager of the Ministry of Education's Greater Christchurch Education Renewal Programme. The presentation is titled, "Education Renewal: A section response to the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake".The abstract for this presentation reads as follows: The Canterbury earthquakes caused a disaster recovery situation unparalleled in New Zealand's history. In addition to widespread damage to residential dwellings and destruction of Christchurch's central business district, the earthquakes damaged more than 200 schools from Hurunui in the north, to the Mackenzie District in the east, and Timaru in the south. The impact on education provision was substantial, with the majority of early childhood centres, schools and tertiary providers experiencing damage or subsequent, with the majority of early childhood centres, schools and tertiary providers experiencing damage or subsequent operational issues caused by the ensuing migration of people. Following the February earthquake, over 12,000 students had left the school they had been attending and enrolled elsewhere - often at a school outside the region. Shortened school days and compression of teaching into short periods meant shift-sharing students engaged in the curriculum being delivered in more diverse ways. School principals and staff reported increased fatigue and stress and changes in student behaviours, often related to repeated exposure to and ongoing reminders of the trauma of the earthquakes. While there has been a shift from direct, trauma-related presentations to the indirect effects of psychological adversity and daily life stresses, international experiences tells us that psychological recovery generally lags behind the immediate physical recovery and rebuilding. The Ministries of Health and Education and the Canterbury District Health Board have developed and implemented a joint action plan to address specifically the emerging mental health issues for youth in Canterbury. However, the impact of vulnerable and stressed adults on children's behaviour contributes to the overall impact of ongoing wellbeing issues on the educational outcomes for the community. There is substantial evidence supporting the need to focus on adults' resilience so they can support children and youth. Much of the Ministry's work around supporting children under stress is through supporting the adults responsible for teaching them and leading their schools. The education renewal programme exists to assist education communities to rebuild and look toward renewal. The response to the earthquakes provides a significant opportunity to better meet the needs and aspirations of children and youth people. All the parents want to see their children eager to learn, achieving success, and gaining knowledge and skills that will, in time, enable them to become confident, adaptable, economically independent adults. But this is not always the case, hence our approach to education renewal seeks to address inequities and improve outcome, while prioritising actions that will have a positive impact on learners in greatest need of assistance.
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Tributes left on Colombo Street at the bus stop between St Asaph and Tuam Streets where nine people died on the bus and four on the pavement on 22 February 2011".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Two of the many the tributes left on Colombo Street between St Asaph and Tuam Streets where 13 people died on 22 February 2011".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "One of the many the tributes left on Colombo Street between St Asaph and Tuam Streets where 13 people died on 22 February 2011".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "One of the many the tributes left on Colombo Street between St Asaph and Tuam Streets where 13 people died on 22 February 2011".
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A tribute left on the Colombo Street bus stop between St Asaph and Tuam Streets where nine people died on the bus and four on the pavement on 22 February 2011".
An entry from Deb Robertson's blog for 29 December 2014 entitled, "What I can promise my child for 2015..."The entry was downloaded on 3 November 2016.
An entry from Deb Robertson's blog for 26 November 2011 entitled, "It's been a long twelve months.... or keeping it real parenting teenagers".
A cross on the fence near Worcester Street, seen from Latimer Square, Christchurch File reference: CCL-2012-04-06-LatimerSquare-April-2012-DSC_0873.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Friday 22 February 2013. Official Supported Site for River of Flowers: Horseshoe Lake Riverbank on Lake Terrace Road, opposite the bus stop between Oregon and Tangmere Places Hosted by: Burwood Primary School and Community. File reference: CCL-2013-02-22-River-of-FlowersDSC_03401.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries. ...
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_013.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_004.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_003.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_010.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_007.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_005.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_014.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_017.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Shipping containers against the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_008.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
A photograph of the Civil Suite at the University of Canterbury after the 4 September 2010 earthquake. The photograph was taken on the day when the staff were allowed to return to the building.
A heart has been drawn in chalk on the wall of a residential property on Cannon Hill Crescent, Mt Pleasant. The time and date of the 22 February 2011 earthquake have been written inside.
Crowds gather in front of a large screen to watch Prime Minister John Key give a speech at the memorial service held in Latimer Square on the anniversary of the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
A photograph of the damaged Provincial Council Chambers on Durham Street. The building's roof and walls have collapsed, as has the scaffolding which was erected to repair it after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a shop on the corner of Manchester Street and Struthers Lane, near Sol Square. The inside walls, now visible from the street, have been decorated with graffiti.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the east side of the Cranmer Courts on the corner of Montreal and Kilmore Streets. The masonry of the gable has crumbled exposing the wooden structure beneath.
A photograph of two workers walking down Gloucester Street. To the right, the earthquake-damaged Canterbury Times and Star Building can be seen. A car parked in front has been crushed by falling debris.
Members of the public in Cranmer Square, the meeting point for many businesses after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Two people at the front of the photo are wearing dressing gowns and wheeling luggage.
A photograph of a group of tents set up in Latimer Square next to the USAID tent. The tents were used as temporary accommodation for emergency management personnel after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.