New Zealand, The Most Dangerous Hazard

New Zealand is a beautiful place, full of unique qualities that no other place on earth can match. However, it also unmatched in seismic activity, with only a few other places on earth reporting close to the same numbers. This is because the country lies on two tectonic plates, the northern island rests on the Pacific plate, also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, and the southern island rests on the Indo-Australian plate. These two plate boundaries are convergent plate boundaries, “where one plate dives beneath another or two collide” (Keller and DeVecchio 48). The image shows the Pacific plate diving under the Indo-Australian plate just below the northern island (indicated by bold arrows pointing northwest, dividing the two plates), where the subduction changes directions. Following the Marlborough fault system and the Alpine fault, the Indo-Australian plate begins to sink below the Pacific plate (indicated by bold arrows pointing south-west).

These fault systems are what links these two plates together. The high-risk areas are those that skirt the fault lines, which almost split the islands down the middle. The farther away from the fault lines the least likely the area is to receive seismic activity. With that being said, the safest place to build a house, thereby having the best chance at avoiding an earthquake is on the north island, north of Auckland. The farther north and away from the plate boundaries and the fault lines the safer the area.

It is important to note a single earthquake does not accurately represent the seismic activity common in the region. Since the early 1900’s, there have been 15 other M7.5+ earthquakes, making the Indo-Australian plate one of the most seismically active in the world. When scaling back and looking at the total amount of earthquakes it becomes clear the majority have a relatively small magnitude; with more shallow seismic activity occurring compared to deeper activity. The below live map covers the last 12 years of seismic activity, and its clear to see why this hazard needs to be mitigated. An earthquake can cause side effects like landslides, tsunamis, etc. These hazards have almost become a part of life for any of those living in the country, that being said, New Zealand has taken many proactive measures to ensure preparedness.

First is the number of seismographs placed to detect an event. Second, the government has passed legislation that requires buildings be up to a certain standard, ensuring that when an earthquake does occur it would cause minimal damage. Long term projections of plate movements can also help prepare those native to the region. The most helpful of all is community outreach. There are numerous apps, websites, and other local forums that help inform the community and provide information on who is most at risk and what should be done in during an event. On top of what is already in place, I would recommend updating the seismographs to link to an app. That way if there is an earthquake in the area it will send users information on the earthquake and what should be done if anything. Some might be so small that changing the daily routine might not be necessary.

Sources: 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/100611311/heres-what-a-decade-of-nz-quakes-looks-like-in-20-seconds

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2005/0032/latest/DLM313976.html?search=ts_regulation_building_resel&p=1.

http://www.seismicresilience.org.nz/topics/seismic-science-and-site-influences/seismicity-in-new-zealand/.

https://www.otago.ac.nz/geology/research/structural-geology/alpine-fault/nz-tectonics.html

Keller, A. Edward, and Duane E. DeVecchio. Natural Hazards, Earth's Processes as Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes. 4th ed., Pearson Education, 2015. Print.