Guest Work • Jan 09, 2017 •
In this guest post University of Auckland Geologist Dr Julie Rowland reflects on the 14 November M7.8 Kaikoura earthquake. Let’s be clear – it was huge. When you see houses shunted sideways 10 m or lifted up by 8, you know you are dealing with a big one. The drone imagery and photographs that have been doing the media rounds paint … Read More
Guest Work • Nov 23, 2016 •
By James Goff, UNSW Australia Parts of Japan were on tsunami alert yesterday following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake off the east coast of the country. This was the first real test for Japan since the 2011 earthquake which led to a deadly tsunami. The destruction led to a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Paul … Read More
John Kerr • Nov 20, 2016 •
The tsunami generated by last week’s 7.8 earthquake was not expected as the quake was initially centered on land, not offfshore. In the week since the quake there has been a lot of public debate over the efficacy of New Zealand’s national and local tsunami warning systems. The Science Media Centre has collated much of the coverage here. A key point … Read More
Guest Work • Nov 17, 2016 •
Karen Nimmo Earthquakes. Aftershocks. Floods, slips, torn-up roads, wrecked houses and businesses: how much more natural disaster can we take? New Zealand has been struck hard this week by nature’s forces. Sadly lives were lost, but we were shaken by the realisation that, had the magnitude 7.8 Quake hit … Read More
Guest Work • Nov 15, 2016 •
By Jane Cunneen, Curtin University The tsunami warnings from the latest New Zealand earthquake show how important it is for people to be prepared for such an event. The early messages from New Zealand’s Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM) on its Twitter account @NZcivildefence said it was “assessing whether there is any tsunami threat”, … Read More
Guest Work • Nov 15, 2016 •
Brendan Duffy, University of Melbourne and Mark Quigley, University of Melbourne At least two people have died in the magnitide 7.5 earthquake that struck New Zealand’s South Island early on Monday, local time. Preliminary modelling suggests that the earthquake was caused by a rupture of a northeast-striking fault that projects to the surface … Read More
John Kerr • Nov 14, 2016 •
In the aftermath of this morning’s 7.5-magnitude earthquake there has been a solid effort by researchers and authorities to provide timely information to an understandably worried New Zealand public. The most up-to-date source of information on the situation is GeoNet, which is providing updates on aftershock sequences and likelihood estimates of future scenarios. In the most recent news update on the GeoNet … Read More
Peter Griffin • Nov 14, 2016 •
I’ve experienced a lot of earthquakes in my eleven years in Wellington, but nothing as scary as last night’s quake which lasted for over a minute and shook people out of bed all in the Capital and all over the country. *latest quake and aftershock updates are available on Geonet. As I write this at … Read More
Guest Work • Sep 17, 2016 •
Jane Cunneen, Curtin University The recent magnitude 7.1 earthquake and subsequent tsunami warning in northern New Zealand reminds us that tsunamis are unpredictable and can strike any time. If you live in a tsunami risk zone then you’re probably aware of what to do when a tsunami strikes. But if you’re a traveller or a visitor from … Read More
Erica Mather • May 06, 2016 •
BREAKING: Scientists from New Zealand and overseas have recorded a slow-motion earthquake below the seafloor off the coast of Gisborne. This unprecedented study contributes crucial information to the understanding of earthquake and tsunami risk for New Zealand and worldwide. For the first time, scientists have recorded detailed, centimeter-level movement beneath the seafloor in area called the Hikurangi subduction zone. Read More