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2010 Canterbury earthquake

Coordinates: 43°33′S 172°11′E / 43.55°S 172.18°E / -43.55; 172.18
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2010 Canterbury earthquake
center is located in New Zealand
center
UTC time??
Magnitude7.1 Mw[1][2]
Depth10 km (6.2 mi)[2]
Epicenter43°33′S 172°11′E / 43.55°S 172.18°E / -43.55; 172.18, near Darfield, Canterbury, New Zealand
Areas affected New Zealand
Max. intensityMM 9[1]
Casualties2 seriously injured, no reported deaths.[3]

The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake,[1][2] which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am September 4, 2010 local time (16:35 3 September UTC).[1] It caused widespread damage and several power outages, particularly in the city of Christchurch,[4][5] and two residents were seriously injured.[5] Its epicentre was 40 km west of Christchurch, near the town of Darfield, at a depth of 10 km.[1] Strong aftershocks were reported,[5][6] including ones of magnitude 5.3.[7][8] The main quake was felt widely across the South Island, and in the North Island as far north as New Plymouth.[9]

A state of emergency was declared by Civil Defence for Christchurch and Selwyn District.[10] Selwyn District, Waimakariri and Timaru activated their emergency operation centers.[11] As the earthquake was centred away from the coast, there was no tsunami.[12]

Geologic setting

The main quake occurred as a result of strike-slip faulting within the crust of the Pacific plate, near the eastern foothills of the Southern Alps at the western edge of the Canterbury Plains.[13] The earthquake epicenter is located about 80–90 km to the south and east of the current expression of the Australia-Pacific plate boundary through the island (the Alpine and Hope Faults).[13] Though removed from the plate boundary itself, the earthquake likely reflects right-lateral motion on one of a number of regional faults related to the overall relative motion of these plates and may be related to the overall southern propagation of the Marlborough Fault System in recent geologic time.[13]

Casualties and damages

Building damage in Worcester Street, corner Manchester Street, with ChristChurch Cathedral in the background.
Shops in Beckenham damaged by the quake.

Most of the damage was concentrated on the area surrounding the epicentre and the nearby city of Christchurch, though there was report of minor damage from as far away as Dunedin, 350 kilometres to the south.[14]

Effects in Christchurch

Christchurch, New Zealand's second largest urban area with a population of 386,000, was the largest urban area close to the earthquake, at 30 km from the epicentre at Darfield.

Sewerage systems were extensively damaged, with spills of sewage in some streets.[15] Additionally, gas and water lines were broken, and power to some sections of the city was disrupted.[16]

Christchurch Hospital experienced a power cut, requiring the use of emergency generators. Patients were asked to attend their general practitioner for minor injuries.

Rail networks across the South Island, with the exception of Dunedin, were closed for inspection.[17] Some of the rail lines in Christchurch were badly damaged. An evacuation of New Brighton in Christchurch and areas of the Christchurch CBD are being considered by police and Civil Defense.[18]

Christchurch International Airport was closed following the earthquake and flights in and out of it cancelled. It reopened at 1:30 pm following inspection of the main runway. [19]

An evacuation of New Brighton in Christchurch and areas of the Christchurch CBD are being considered by Police and Civil Defence.

Effects outside Christchurch

The quake's epicentre was around Darfield, around 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Christchurch.[20]

In many towns outside Christchurch there has been significant liquefacation and selective loss of water supplies. The state of sewage systems outside of Christchurch has yet to be determined.

The quake caused damage to historic buildings in Lyttelton, near Christchurch, including cracks in a church and the destruction of parts of a hotel. Business in the town was closed the day after the quake.[20]

Cost of damages has been estimated going up as far as $2 billion (NZD)[21]

Relief efforts

At about 11:45 a.m., a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules C-130 transport plane with 20 search and rescue personnel onboard departed Whenupai air base bound for Christchurch to assist in search and rescue operations.[22] There are a large number of police and engineers present in the disaster areas. The New Zealand Army is on standby in the region if assisstance is necessary.[23]

Media coverage

TV One interrupted their daily schedule to bring special all day One News coverage of the earthquake.[24] Radio New Zealand National interrupted their Saturday morning programming to bring a special edition of their morning news programme Morning Report,[25] which normally only airs on weekdays. This was followed up with a Midday Report half-hour special. The earthquake made headlines in the Sydney Morning Herald, BBC, the Guardian, CNN,[26] FOX News and MSNBC.[27]

References

Wikinews has related news:
  1. ^ a b c d e "New Zealand earthquake report - Sep 4, 2010 at 4:35 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Earthquake Commission and GNS Science. September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "Magnitude 7.0 - South Island of New Zealand: Details". United States Geological Survey. September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  3. ^ "Massive 7.4 quake hits Christchurch". Stuff. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  4. ^ "Strong earthquake rocks New Zealand's South Island". BBC News. September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c "Massive 7.4 quake hits South Island". Stuff.co.nz. September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  6. ^ "New Zealand Earthquake 2010: Strong Quake Shakes Christchurch". The Huffington Post. September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  7. ^ "New Zealand Earthquake Report - Sep 4 2010 at 4:56 am (NZST)". GeoNet. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  8. ^ "New Zealand Earthquake Report - Sep 4 2010 at 11:12 am (NZST)". GeoNet. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  9. ^ Van Der Heide, Maike (4 September 2010). "Marlborough, Kaikoura escape worst of quake". The Marlborough Express. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  10. ^ "State of emergency declared in Canterbury". Radio New Zealand. September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.948
  11. ^ Published: 9:25AM Saturday September 4, 2010. "Latest updates: Canterbury earthquake | NATIONAL News". Tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2010-09-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Sep 4, 2010 - Darfield earthquake damages Canterbury". GeoNet. Earthquake Commission and GNS Science. September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  13. ^ a b c "Magnitude 7.0 - South Island of New Zealand: Summary". United States Geological Survey. September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  14. ^ "New Zealand earthquake report - Sep 4, 2010 at 4:35 am (NZST): Shaking maps". GeoNet. Earthquake Commission and GNS Science. September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  15. ^ "New Zealand Quake Victims Say 'It was terrifying'". The Epoch Times. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  16. ^ "Powerful 7.1 quake hits New Zealand's South Island". Houston Chronicle. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  17. ^ "Government supports quake-hit Canterbury". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  18. ^ "Mayor: Quake hit city 'like an iceberg' - Christchurch earthquake". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  19. ^ http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/state-emergency-declared-airport-reopens-3759948
  20. ^ a b "Quake timeline". Stuff.co.nz. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  21. ^ [httphttp://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4094986/Massive-7-4-quake-hits-South-Island "Quake Casualties"]. Stuff.co.nz. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  22. ^ "Christchurch Earthquake : PM on way to quake-hit region". Radionz.co.nz. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  23. ^ "Latest News: Christchurch earthquake". Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  24. ^ Published: 7:59AM Saturday September 4, 2010 (September 4, 2010). "ONE News live from Christchurch throughout the day". TVNZ. Retrieved September 4, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Morning Report Special". Radio New Zealand. September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  26. ^ "No deaths reported after powerful quake strikes New Zealand". CNN.com. September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  27. ^ Johnson, Alex (2010-04-09). "Crews search for people trapped in New Zealand rubble". MSNBC. Retrieved 2010-09-04.


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