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Earthquakes

About earthquakes in Canterbury

Cantabrians are no strangers to earthquakes. Straddling two colliding tectonic plates, the land is squeezed and twisted, creating our stunning mountains but also earthquakes. Māori and early pākehā settlers experienced major earthquakes, both before written records and later in 1888, 1901, 1922, 1929 and more recently in 2010/11 and 2016.

Earthquakes in Canterbury have caused widespread ground shaking, fault rupture, (ripping and warping of the land along a fault where it meets the ground surface), liquefaction, landslides and tsunamis.

Earthquakes and faults

This map shows all earthquake fault data for the Canterbury region, including mapped fault traces, mapped fault ruptures from the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, and fault avoidance zones for the Hanmer, Ashley, Greendale and Ostler faults. Click on the map to view feature information or head to the Canterbury Maps website for a closer look at the earthquake fault map.

(Source: GNS, Environment Canterbury and USGS Recent Earthquakes and shake intensity.)

Potential impacts of an earthquake

Disruption to electricity
Disruption to electricity
Loss of communication
Loss of communication
Disruption to water
Disruption to water
Damaged home or workplace
Damaged home or workplace

What's it like to live through an earthquake?

What you can do

BEFORE - Top 3 things you can do to prepare for an earthquake
  1. Work out what things you might need if you are stuck at home with no power, communication or water.
  2. Make an emergency plan so that everyone in your household knows what to do and where to go if an earthquake happens – remember, you might not be at home when it happens.
  3. Make your home or workplace safer by making sure objects that could fall and hurt are either placed somewhere else or are fixed and fastened. Head to www.eqc.govt.nz to find out how to reduce the risk around your home.
DURING - How to keep yourself safe when an earthquake happens
  • Drop, Cover and Hold. It stops you being knocked over, makes you a smaller target for falling and flying objects and protects your head, neck and vital organs.
  • Do not run outside. You risk getting hit by falling masonry and glass.
  • If you are in bed, stay there as you are less likely to be injured. Pull the blankets over you and use your pillow to protect your head.
  • If you are outside, move only as far as you need to be away from buildings, trees, streetlights and power lines, then Drop, Cover and Hold.
  • If you are driving, pull over to a clear location, stop and stay there with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Once the shaking stops, proceed with caution and avoid bridges or ramps as they may have been damaged.
  • If you use a walker or wheelchair, Lock, Cover and Hold.  Lock your wheels (if applicable). If using a walker carefully get as low as possible. Bend over and Cover your head and neck as best you can. Then Hold on until the shaking stops.
  • If you use a cane, Drop, Cover and Hold or sit on a chair or bed, etc, and cover your head and neck with both hands. Keep your cane near you so it can be used when the shaking stops.
  • If the earthquake was longer than a minute or strong enough to make it difficult to stand, and you are near the coast, you should evacuate out of the red and orange tsunami evacuation zones in Canterbury.  If you don't know where the red and orange tsunami evacuation zones are, you should move to higher ground or inland as far as you can.
AFTER - What to do once the dust settles

First things first

  • Check yourself for injuries and get first aid if necessary. 
  • Do not run outside. It is frightening to stay in a building immediately after an earthquake but it is much safer than immediately going outside. An earthquake is not like a fire. You do not have to evacuate a building straight away unless it is showing obvious signs of distress. 
  • If available, put on long trousers, a long-sleeved top, sturdy shoes and heavy-duty gloves to protect yourself from injury by broken objects. 
  • Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, Drop, Cover and Hold. Aftershocks can occur minutes, days, weeks, months and even years following an earthquake. 
  • Check in on neighbours and people nearby who may need help.

Look for damage

  • Look quickly for damage around you, particularly in buildings where furniture and fittings may have become hazardous. 
  • Look for small fires and, if possible and safe to do so, extinguish them. 
  • If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window, get everyone out quickly and turn off the gas if you can. 
  • If you see sparks, broken wires or evidence of electrical system damage, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box if it is safe to do so.


If your property is damaged

  • Contact your insurance company as soon as possible. 
  • If you rent your property, contact your landlord and your contents insurance company as soon as possible. 
  • Take photos of any damage. It will help speed up assessments of your claims. 
  • Do not do anything that puts your safety at risk or causes more damage to your property.


If you are not at home

  • If you are in a store, unfamiliar commercial building or on public transport, follow the instructions of those in charge. 
  • Watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines, and stay out of damaged areas.


Pets

  • Emergencies and stress are hard on pets too.  Keep control of your pets; protect them from hazards and protect other people from your animals. Read more on caring for pets.


Keeping in touch and up to date

  • Check in on your whānau and friends.  Use social media or text messages, if available, instead of calling to keep phone lines clear for emergency calls. 
  • Stay informed by listening to the radio or following your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group and city or district council online.

How ready are you?

Home ready
Work ready
Community ready

Other hazards

  • Floods
  • Tsunamis
  • Pandemics
  • Storms
  • Fires
  • Landslides
  • Infrastructure failure

Find out more

  • Environment Canterbury earthquake information
  • GeoNet - earthquake monitoring
  • Earthquake Commission
  • GNS Science
  • Canterbury liquefaction storymap
  • Alpine Fault Magnitude 8 Project
  • What’s On Our Plates storymap

Canterbury Maps

Earthquake fault information

Visit website

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