These research papers explore the concept of vulnerability in international human rights law. In the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes of 2010-2011, this research focuses on how "vulnerability" has been used and developed within the wider human rights discourse. They also examine jurisprudence of international human rights bodies, and how the concept of "vulnerability" has been applied. The research also includes a brief investigation into the experiences of vulnerable populations in disaster contexts, focusing primarily on the experiences of "vulnerable persons" in the Christchurch earthquakes and their aftermath.
A photograph of a member of the Wellington Emergency Management Office Emergency Response Team taking photograph through a car window. In the distance is the earthquake-damaged tower of the ChristChurch Cathedral.
Laura, Nicola, and Debra watch a sand volcano build in the Wyn Street gutter.
A video of a presentation by Professor David Johnston during the fourth plenary of the 2016 People in Disasters Conference. Johnston is a Senior Scientist at GNS Science and Director of the Joint Centre for Disaster Research in the School of Psychology at Massey University. The presentation is titled, "Understanding Immediate Human Behaviour to the 2010-2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, Implications for injury prevention and risk communication".The abstract for the presentation reads as follows: The 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquake sequences have given us a unique opportunity to better understand human behaviour during and immediately after an earthquake. On 4 September 2010, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred near Darfield in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. There were no deaths, but several thousand people sustained injuries and sought medical assistance. Less than 6 months later, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurred under Christchurch City at 12:51 p.m. on 22 February 2011. A total of 182 people were killed in the first 24 hours and over 7,000 people injured overall. To reduce earthquake casualties in future events, it is important to understand how people behaved during and immediately after the shaking, and how their behaviour exposed them to risk of death or injury. Most previous studies have relied on an analysis of medical records and/or reflective interviews and questionnaire studies. In Canterbury we were able to combine a range of methods to explore earthquake shaking behaviours and the causes of injuries. In New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Corporation (a national health payment scheme run by the government) allowed researchers to access injury data from over 9,500 people from the Darfield (4 September 2010) and Christchurch (22 February 2011 ) earthquakes. The total injury burden was analysed for demography, context of injury, causes of injury, and injury type. From the injury data inferences into human behaviour were derived. We were able to classify the injury context as direct (immediate shaking of the primary earthquake or aftershocks causing unavoidable injuries), and secondary (cause of injury after shaking ceased). A second study examined people's immediate responses to earthquakes in Christchurch New Zealand and compared responses to the 2011 earthquake in Hitachi, Japan. A further study has developed a systematic process and coding scheme to analyse earthquake video footage of human behaviour during strong earthquake shaking. From these studies a number of recommendations for injury prevention and risk communication can be made. In general, improved building codes, strengthening buildings, and securing fittings will reduce future earthquake deaths and injuries. However, the high rate of injuries incurred from undertaking an inappropriate action (e.g. moving around) during or immediately after an earthquake suggests that further education is needed to promote appropriate actions during and after earthquakes. In New Zealand - as in US and worldwide - public education efforts such as the 'Shakeout' exercise are trying to address the behavioural aspects of injury prevention.
Imagined landscapes find their form in utopian dreaming. As ideal places, utopias are set up according to the ideals of their designers. Inevitably, utopias become compromised when they move from the imaginary into the actual. Opportunities to create utopias rely largely on a blank slate, a landscape unimpeded by the inconveniences of existing occupation – or even topography. Christchurch has seen two utopian moments. The first was at the time of European settlement in the mid-nineteenth century, when imported ideals provided a model for a new city. The earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 provided a second point at which utopian dreaming spurred visions for the city. Christchurch’s earthquakes have provided a unique opportunity for a city to re-imagine itself. Yet, as is the fate for all imaginary places, reality got in the way.
A photograph of volunteers from the Wellington Emergency Management Office standing on a pile of bricks from an earthquake-damaged building in the Christchurch central city.
A sign on the side of one of the containers in Re:Start mall reads, "Re:Start, proudly supported by Christchurch Earthquake Appeal. Tomorrow starts here".
A photograph of an earthquake damaged building in the Christchurch central city. Some of the windows have broken and have been covered with plastic and tape.
A photograph of volunteers from the Wellington Emergency Management Office standing on a pile of bricks from an earthquake-damaged building in the Christchurch central city.
A photograph of emergency management personnel walking through Latimer Square. In the background, portaloos, supplies, and tents have been set up for the emergency management teams working in Christchurch after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
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.
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-003.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-005.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-007.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken in Lyttelton on April 20 showing the demolitions on London Street following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-04-20-Lyttelton-Demolitions-P1120071 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-002.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-004.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-008.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken in Lyttelton on April 20 showing the demolitions on London Street following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-04-20-Lyttelton-Demolitions-P1120095 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-001.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Photos taken at Gap Filler fair on April 9 following the February 22 earthquake. www.gapfiller.org.nz/ File reference: CCL-2011-04-08-Addington-Gapfiller-006.jpg From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
A photograph of a car parked off Montreal Street which has been crushed by bricks falling from an earthquake-damaged building.
A photograph of a car parked off Montreal Street which has been crushed by bricks falling from an earthquake-damaged building.
INTRODUCTION This project falls under the Flagship 3: Wellington Coordinated Project. It supports other projects within FP3 to create a holistic understanding of risks posed by collapsed buildings due to future earthquake/s and the secondary consequences of cordoning in the short, mid and long term. Cordoning of the Christchurch CBD for more than two years and its subsequent implications on people and businesses had a significant impact on the recovery of Christchurch. Learning from this and experiences from the Kaikōura earthquake (where cordons were also established around selected buildings, Figure 3) have highlighted the need to understand the effects of cordons and plan for it before an earthquake occurs
An entry from Jennifer Middendorf's blog for 30 August 2014 entitled, "A photographic tour of Christchurch".
Photos taken in Lyttelton on April 19 showing the demolition of buildings on London Street, Lyttelton, following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-04-19-London-Street-Demolition-IMG_0195 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Photos taken in Lyttelton on April 19 showing the demolition of buildings on London Street, Lyttelton, following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-04-19-London-Street-Demolition-IMG_0180 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Photos taken in Lyttelton on April 19 showing the demolition of buildings on London Street, Lyttelton, following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-04-19-London-Street-Demolition-IMG_0164 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Photos taken in Lyttelton on April 19 showing the demolition of buildings on London Street, Lyttelton, following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-04-19-London-Street-Demolition-IMG_0196 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Photos taken in Lyttelton on April 19 showing the demolition of buildings on London Street, Lyttelton, following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-04-19-London-Street-Demolition-IMG_0199 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.