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Articles, Christchurch uncovered

**TRIGGER WARNING: This blog talks of infant death and sex work**   Time forgives and forgets, dulling the harsh effects of first-hand accounts of shocking life events to a point where one can laugh at unfortunate events, or even become … Continue reading →

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the cordon on the Gloucester Street bridge near Cambridge Terrace. Wire fencing has been placed across the bridges with signs reading, "Extreme danger, keep out" and "Warning, no public access beyond this point".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the cordon on the Gloucester Street bridge near Cambridge Terrace. Wire fencing has been placed across the bridges with signs reading, "Extreme danger, keep out" and "Warning, no public access beyond this point".

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Recent global tsunami events have highlighted the importance of effective tsunami risk management strategies (including land-use planning, structural and natural defences, warning systems, education and evacuation measures). However, the rarity of tsunami means that empirical data concerning reactions to tsunami warnings and tsunami evacuation behaviour is rare when compared to findings about evacuations to avoid other sources of hazard. To date empirical research into tsunami evacuations has focused on evacuation rates, rather than other aspects of the evacuation process. More knowledge is required about responses to warnings, pre-evacuation actions, evacuation dynamics and the return home after evacuations. Tsunami evacuation modelling has the potential to inform evidence-based tsunami risk planning and response. However to date tsunami evacuation models have largely focused on timings of evacuations, rather than evacuation behaviours. This Masters research uses a New Zealand case study to reduce both of these knowledge gaps. Qualitative survey data was gathered from populations across coastal communities in Banks Peninsula and Christchurch, New Zealand, required to evacuate due to the tsunami generated by the November 14th 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake. Survey questions asked about reactions to tsunami warnings, actions taken prior to evacuating and movements during the 2016 tsunami evacuation. This data was analysed to characterise trends and identify factors that influenced evacuation actions and behaviour. Finally, it was used to develop an evacuation model for Banks Peninsula. Where appropriate, the modelling inputs were informed by the survey data. Three key findings were identified from the results of the evacuation behaviour survey. Although 38% of the total survey respondents identified the earthquake shaking as a natural cue for the tsunami, most relied on receiving official warnings, including sirens, to prompt evacuations. Respondents sought further official information to inform their evacuation decisions, with 39% of respondents delaying their evacuation in order to do so. Finally, 96% of total respondents evacuated by car. This led to congestion, particularly in more densely populated Christchurch city suburbs. Prior to this research, evacuation modelling had not been completed for Banks Peninsula. The results of the modelling showed that if evacuees know how to respond to tsunami warnings and where and how to evacuate, there are no issues. However, if there are poor conditions, including if people do not evacuate immediately, if there are issues with the roading network, or if people do not know where or how to evacuate, evacuation times increase with there being more bottlenecks leading out of the evacuation zones. The results of this thesis highlight the importance of effective tsunami education and evacuation planning. Reducing exposure to tsunami risk through prompt evacuation relies on knowledge of how to interpret tsunami warnings, and when, where and how to evacuate. Recommendations from this research outline the need for public education and engagement, and the incorporation of evacuation signage, information boards and evacuation drills. Overall these findings provide more comprehensive picture of tsunami evacuation behaviour and decision making based on empirical data from a recent evacuation, which can be used to improve tsunami risk management strategies. This empirical data can also be used to inform evacuation modelling to improve the accuracy and realism of the evacuation models.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The state of emergency in Christchurch has just been extended until midday on Wednesday. In latest developments Canterbury Civil Defence is now warning people to prepare for potential flooding, only two days after the major earthquake that caused widespread damage to much of the region.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

The driveway has collapsed into a large sink hole in front of the Shirley Burger King. Warning tape cordons off the area. The photographer comments, "These photos show our old house in River Rd and recovery work around Richmond and St Albans. Shirley Burger King has driveway issues".

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

The cartoon shows a man, a woman and a dog all yelling with fright. Refers to the series of severe aftershocks that again rocked Christchurch on January 2nd. The largest was a magnitude-5.5 shake shortly before 6am. All were centred at sea off New Brighton. Mayor Bob Parker said that fear that larger quakes could be triggered had been raised by residents, but the tsunami threat was "highly unlikely". Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the site of a demolished building on the corner of Manchester and Hereford Streets. To the right, the Treehouse Bar can be seen. Bricks from the façade have crumbled and fallen onto the street. Road cones have been placed in front as a warning.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A notice nailed to a tree near the river reads, "Health warning, contaminated water. Due to sewage overflows this water is unsafe for human contact and activity and is a public health risk. Please keep all people and pets out of contact with the water and do not consume any seafood or shellfish collected from this area".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to River Road in Richmond. The road is badly cracked and buckled, and is partly blocked off with road cones and warning tape. In the background is a truck carrying more road cones and signs. The photographer comments, "Major slumps and cracks along River Rd. Near 381 River Rd, looking towards the Banks Ave - Dallington Terrace corner".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to River Road in Richmond. The road is badly cracked and has slumped towards the river. Road cones and warning tape block off the road to vehicles. The photographer comments, "The end of River Rd, at the corner of Banks Ave-McBratneys Rd-Dallington Tce. Morons in 4WDs kept wanting to drive through here".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A damaged driveway bridge over Dudley Creek has been blocked off with warning tape. The sides of the bridge have slumped, and the driveway surface has buckled and cracked. In the background, the gates to the property are misaligned. The photographer comments, "The bridge to a large mansion on a huge section was displaced by half a metre".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A damaged driveway bridge over Dudley Creek has been blocked off with warning tape. The sides of the bridge have slumped, and the driveway surface has buckled and cracked. In the background, the gates to the property are misaligned. The photographer comments, "The bridge into the mansion in Banks Avenue is as broken as the mansion itself".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A damaged driveway bridge over Dudley Creek has been blocked off with warning tape. The sides of the bridge have slumped, and the driveway surface has buckled and cracked. In the background, the gates to the property are misaligned. The photographer comments, "The bridge to a large mansion on a huge section was displaced by half a metre".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A Christchurch City Council/Canterbury District Health Board/ECan sign on a tree next to the Heathcote River reads, "Warning, contaminated water. Due to sewage overflows this water is unsafe for human contact and activity and is a public health risk. Please keep all people and pets out of contact with the water and do not consume any seafood or shellfish collected from this area.".

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Victorian Authorities are warning residents of significant aftershocks following on from the magnitude 5.8 earthquake which shook Melbourne around 9am yesterday, causing significant structural damage across the city. The University of Melbourne's Dr Mark Quigley is a professor of tectonics, who became a familiar voice and face through the Christchurch quakes. Our producer Matthew Theunissen asked him how yesterday's quake compared to those he experienced in Christchurch.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch residents will gather today to mark the tenth anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake. The 6.2 magnitude quake killed 185 people and caused widespread destruction across the city. It hit at 12.51pm while many people were in the city centre, working, shopping or enjoying their lunch in the sunshine. This is where our coverage began. A warning this is confronting audio of events that day.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a large trench at the entrance to a street in Christchurch. There is water and liquefaction in the trench. Road cones have been placed around it as a warning. In the background, two personnel from the New Zealand Army are guarding the entrance to the street. They are wearing their army uniforms and high-visibility vests.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A new office building in central Christchurch has multiple flaws in its earthquake design that the city council was warned about almost two years ago. Construction of the seven-storey building above the busy shopping precinct at 230 High Street, continued even after those warnings in December 2017. Three leading engineering firms have found critical faults - the latest are detailed in a Government-ordered report that's been leaked to RNZ. Phil Pennington joins Corin Dann with the details.