Press Release & Public Submissions
Many Benefits from Upgrading the GeoHazards Monitoring Network
The New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering is delighted at the
announcement that the GeoHazards Monitoring Network will be significantly
upgraded through a funding package from the Earthquake Commission.
Earthquake Engineering Society president David Brunsdon explained that
in addition to enabling a much quicker and clearer picture of the affected
area after a major earthquake than is currently available, the new equipment
and associated technology would directly enhance the level of scientific
information available to researchers.
"It is interesting to reflect on progress on earthquake mitigation and
preparedness since the devastating Napier earthquake, which occurred seventy
years ago this month," said Mr Brunsdon. This magnitude 7.8 earthquake
took 256 lives on 3 February 1931.
In terms of the built environment, New Zealand has been at the international
forefront of the development of codes for earthquake resistant design.
"We are as confident as we can be regarding the life safety performance
of our modern buildings in a major earthquake", comments Mr Brunsdon.
However he cautions that there are many buildings constructed after Napier
but before modern codes became fully developed in the 1970s that could
perform poorly in such an event. The Society has assisted the Building
Industry Authority in preparing changes to the Building Act to address
this area of earthquake risk.
Detailed studies of NZ's historical earthquakes and physical trenching
of major faults have led to a much clearer understanding of the seismic
hazard across the country. The most significant recent finding was that
the southern half of the Alpine Fault, which in total runs from the Milford
Sound to Blenheim, has a 65% probability of rupturing in the next 50 years
- much greater than the more anticipated Wellington Fault at 10% in the
next 50 years. The greatly improved instrumentation that will result from
EQC's funding package will enable researchers to develop an even better
understanding of the mechanisms involved and their frequencies of occurrence.
It is however very thought-provoking to realise that while the frequency
of earthquakes of greater than 7 on the Richter scale has essentially
remained uniform over the past 150 years, none of the four events of this
size in the past 50 years have affected an urban area. This is reflected
in the fact that there have only been nine lives lost due to earthquakes
since Napier.
"Ironically, this 'good fortune' has obscured the true level of risk
that parts of New Zealand face", observes Mr Brunsdon. "In turn, this
has led to a lack of urgency towards earthquake mitigation and preparedness
work in some sectors. There are no grounds for complacency".
The NZ Society for Earthquake Engineering believes that despite the considerable
progress in understanding earthquakes over the 70 years since the Napier
event, much more effort is required in earthquake mitigation and preparedness.
The major upgrade of the GeoHazards Monitoring Network will provide an
enhanced platform from which to pursue this objective.
Further information: David
Brunsdon Phone - 04 472 2261
Or Andrew King Phone - 04 238 1386
