ANALYSING New Zealand Earthquake 2011

RESEARCH INFORMATION ABOUT A RECENT EARTHQUAKE. IF AN EARTHQUAKE OF THAT MAGNITUDE WERE TO OCCUR IN ROCKHAMPTON, WHAT PRECAUTIONS WOULD PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE TO REMAIN SAFE? RECORD YOUR INFORMATION ON THE EARTHQUAKE AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN A POWERPOINT. QUESTION

THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE  22 nd February 2011 at 12.51pm, magnitude 6.3 earthquake, 15 kilometre long fault line (did not break the surface)  185 deceased people  National Crisis Management Centre activated, National State of Emergency Declared  70,000 people left the city due to uninhabitable homes, lack of basic services and continuing aftershocks  Water pipes, roads, bridges, power lines, cell phone towers, and ordinary phone lines were broken or damaged  Liquefaction (when underwater ground water in the soil comes to the surface) causing buildings/structures to sink  2 multi-story buildings collapsed – up to 100,000 buildings were damaged/10,000 buildings were to be demolished  Children were allowed to go to different schools  Rescue crews from all over the world – the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia etc. (The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 2012) (NZ History, 2012) (Christchurch City Libraries, 2012)

ROCKHAMPTON EARTHQUAKE What would happen in Rockhampton if a 6.3 magnitude earthquake were to hit?  There would be confusion and panic  House foundations would crack and buckle  Buildings would collapse – specifically old heritage listed buildings  Liquefaction would cause buildings/structures to sink  Roads, footpaths, schools and houses could possibly be damaged  Water and sewage pipes would be damaged  Bridges would possibly fall – if not, they would be unsafe to use without inspections  Rockhampton CBD would have the most damage as it has the greater amount of older buildings and multi-story buildings  There would be possible deaths (The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 2012) (NZ History, 2012) (Christchurch City Libraries, 2012)

BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE  Stockpile water and food  Discuss disaster plans with family  Fasten shelves securely to walls – brace overhead light fixtures  Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves  Mirrors, picture frames, hanging items should be secured with closed hooks  Secure electronics (computers, televisions, microwaves) with flexible nylon objects  Install flexible pipe fittings to avoid gas or water leaks  Repair any cracks in ceilings or foundations  Professional help to assess the building’s structure (Ready, 2014) (Achi Prefectural Government Office, 2007)

DURING AN EARTHQUAKE If Indoors  Drop to hands and knees  Cover head and neck with arms  Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls,  Electricity may go out, sprinkler systems/fire alarms may turn on If Outdoors  Move away from buildings, streetlights and utility wires If in a Moving Vehicle  Stop as quickly as safety permits – avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires (Ready, 2014) (Achi Prefectural Government Office, 2007)

AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE If Trapped Under Debris  Do not move about or kick dust, or light a match  Cover mouth with clothing  Tap on a pipe and wall (shout only as a last option) When Shaking Stops  Expect aftershocks  Check for injuries, gas leaks, for electrical damage, sewage and water line damage  Look for and extinguish fires  Stay away from damaged areas  Put on long clothing for protection  Clean up spilled liquids  Listen to radios (Ready, 2014) (Achi Prefectural Government Office, 2007)

REFERENCES  Achi Prefectural Government Office. (2007). Precautions for earthquakes. Retrieved from  Christchurch City Libraries. (2012). New Zealand disasters – Christchurch earthquake. Retrieved from Earthquakes/22-February-2011/. Earthquakes/22-February-2011/  NZ History. (2012). Christchurch earthquake kills 185. Retrieved from  Primary Connections. (2009). Earthquake explorers year 6 earth and space sciences. Australian Academy of Science: Canberra, ACT.  The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. (2012). Story: historic earthquakes – the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and other recent earthquakes. Retrieved from  Ready. (2014). Earthquakes. Retrieved from