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Images, Canterbury Museum

One red and black fabric quilt comprised of pieced and appliquéd block work with both hand and machine stitching; machine quilted with embellishments and a one piece bordered back; an image of the ChristChurch Cathedral is in the centre and features pen work. Designed and quilted by the Coast Quilters of Whangaroa from fabric sent in by listener...

Images, Canterbury Museum

One red and black fabric quilt comprised of pieced and appliquéd block work with both hand and machine stitching; machine quilted with embellishments and a one piece bordered back; an image of the ChristChurch Cathedral is in the centre and features pen work. Designed and quilted by the Coast Quilters of Whangaroa from fabric sent in by listener...

Videos, UC QuakeStudies

A video of an interview with Robin Judkins, Canterbury personality and Coast to Coast founder, about his experiences during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, and the changes to Christchurch. This video is part of The Press's 'Christchurch, one year after February 22, 2011' series.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Liquefaction is a phenomenon that results in a loss of strength and stability of a saturated soil mass due to dynamic excitation such as that imposed by an earthquake. The granular nature of New Zealand soils and the location of many of our cities and towns on fluvial foundations are such that the effects of liquefaction can be very important. Research was undertaken to build on the past work undertaken at the University of Canterbury studying the effects of the 1929 Murchison earthquake, the 1968 Inangahua earthquake and the 1991 Hawks Crag earthquakes on the West Coast. Additional archival information has been gathered from newspapers and reports and from discussions with people who experienced one or all of these large earthquakes that occurred on the West Coast during the 20th Century. Further, some twenty Cone Penetrometer Tests were carried out, with varying success, in Greymouth and Karamea using the Department of Civil Engineering's Drilling Rig. These, combined with the basic site investigation information, consolidate and add to the liquefaction case history data bank at the University of Canterbury. Many of the sites have liquefied in some but not all of the three earthquakes and thus provide both upper and lower bounds for the calibration of empirical models. While a lack of knowledge of the 1929 source location reduces the value of information from that event, the data form a useful set of liquefaction case histories and will become more so as further earthquakes occur. A list of critical sites for checking of the future earthquakes is provided and recommendations are made for the installation of downhole arrays of accelerometers and pore water pressure transducers at a number of sites.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Coastal and river environments are exposed to a number of natural hazards that have the potential to negatively affect both human and natural environments. The purpose of this research is to explain that significant vulnerabilities to seismic hazards exist within coastal and river environments and that coasts and rivers, past and present, have played as significant a role as seismic, engineering or socio-economic factors in determining the impacts and recovery patterns of a city following a seismic hazard event. An interdisciplinary approach was used to investigate the vulnerability of coastal and river areas in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, following the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, which began on the 4th of September 2010. This information was used to identify the characteristics of coasts and rivers that make them more susceptible to earthquake induced hazards including liquefaction, lateral spreading, flooding, landslides and rock falls. The findings of this research are applicable to similar coastal and river environments elsewhere in the world where seismic hazards are also of significant concern. An interdisciplinary approach was used to document and analyse the coastal and river related effects of the Canterbury earthquake sequence on Christchurch city in order to derive transferable lessons that can be used to design less vulnerable urban communities and help to predict seismic vulnerabilities in other New Zealand and international urban coastal and river environments for the future. Methods used to document past and present features and earthquake impacts on coasts and rivers in Christchurch included using maps derived from Geographical Information Systems (GIS), photographs, analysis of interviews from coastal, river and engineering experts, and analysis of secondary data on seismicity, liquefaction potential, geology, and planning statutes. The Canterbury earthquake sequence had a significant effect on Christchurch, particularly around rivers and the coast. This was due to the susceptibility of rivers to lateral spreading and the susceptibility of the eastern Christchurch and estuarine environments to liquefaction. The collapse of river banks and the extensive cracking, tilting and subsidence that accompanied liquefaction, lateral spreading and rock falls caused damage to homes, roads, bridges and lifelines. This consequently blocked transportation routes, interrupted electricity and water lines, and damaged structures built in their path. This study found that there are a number of physical features of coastal and river environments from the past and the present that have induced vulnerabilities to earthquake hazards. The types of sediments found beneath eastern Christchurch are unconsolidated fine sands, silts, peats and gravels. Together with the high water tables located beneath the city, these deposits made the area particularly susceptible to liquefaction and liquefaction-induced lateral spreading, when an earthquake of sufficient size shook the ground. It was both past and present coastal and river processes that deposited the types of sediments that are easily liquefied during an earthquake. Eastern Christchurch was once a coastal and marine environment 6000 years ago when the shoreline reached about 6 km inland of its present day location, which deposited fine sand and silts over this area. The region was also exposed to large braided rivers and smaller spring fed rivers, both of which have laid down further fine sediments over the following thousands of years. A significant finding of this study is the recognition that the Canterbury earthquake sequence has exacerbated existing coastal and river hazards and that assessments and monitoring of these changes will be an important component of Christchurch’s future resilience to natural hazards. In addition, patterns of recovery following the Canterbury earthquakes are highlighted to show that coasts and rivers are again vulnerable to earthquakes through their ability to recovery. This city’s capacity to incorporate resilience into the recovery efforts is also highlighted in this study. Coastal and river areas have underlying physical characteristics that make them increasingly vulnerable to the effects of earthquake hazards, which have not typically been perceived as a ‘coastal’ or ‘river’ hazard. These findings enhance scientific and management understanding of the effects that earthquakes can have on coastal and river environments, an area of research that has had modest consideration to date. This understanding is important from a coastal and river hazard management perspective as concerns for increased human development around coastlines and river margins, with a high seismic risk, continue to grow.

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

The cartoon is headed 'Whitebait - How to spot the difference.' Below are two frames; the one on the left shows a brown fish wearing goggles and breathing apparatus, it is from the East Coast and is described as 'drab brown' and 'tastes like dung'; the one on the right is pink and wears a sun hat and sunglasses, it is from the West Coast and is described as 'lightly tanned' and 'tastes like coconut'. Context: The whitebait from the east coast has been contaminated by the Canterbury earthquakes. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Videos, NZ On Screen

‘Moa's Ark' set sail 80 million years ago. David Bellamy becomes an ancient mariner and retraces the voyage of the islands of New Zealand (using contemporary science as his guide). In this first episode he finds out why New Zealand is called the Shaky Isles, gets face to face with the "living fossil" the tuatara, is inspired by meat pies, and discovers geography as he competes in the annual Coast to Coast race over the Southern Alps — with directional and gorse eradication aid coming from legendary race organiser Robin Judkins.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Motoko Kakubayashi joins us from Toyko where they are also about to mark a significant anniversary. A few weeks after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit the east coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that destroyed large parts of the coast, including damage to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. More than 15,000 lives were lost, more than 2000 still remain missing. In one afternoon, half a million people became homeless, and the search for family and friends at evacuation shelters began.

Videos, NZ On Screen

This documentary, made by TVNZ’s Natural History Unit (now NHNZ), charts the progress of the nor'west wind from its formation in the Tasman Sea across the Southern Alps to the Canterbury Plains and the east coast of the South Island. Along the way it dumps metres of precipitation on West Coast rain forest and snow on the Alps, then transforms to a dry, hot wind racing across the Plains. The film shows the wind's impact on the ecosystem and farming and muses on the mysterious effect it can have on humans. It screened as part of the beloved Wild South series.  

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Shows a happy crowd playing in the sea and sand in the Christchurch Square. Bishop Victoria Matthews is seen balancing on the Wizard of Christchurch who has turned himself into a surfboard. Context: refers to a proposal by Bishop of Christchurch Victoria Matthews that the earthquake-damaged Square could be made "welcoming and engaging" again by transforming it into an artificial beach with large movie screens. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Text at top reads 'Some Christchurch suburbs to move?... The cartoon shows three complete suburbs that have been dug up and are now being flown by helicopters attached to tall towers to their new spots on the Australian Gold Coast. Someone in one of the houses on the move yells 'Woohoo! Yeehaa! Well... As NZ and Ozzie are such great mates... Gold Coast here we come!' Context - In some cases where whole communities have to move because the earthquakes have made it impossible for them to remain in their present locations, many in the community have elected to try to move and relocate together in order to retain their old neighbours and community spirit. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Plumbers say EQC paying bills too slowly, Earthquake Commission defends its claim process, Events centre, not stimulus package, for West Coast, Harawira calls meeting to consider forming new party, Government, Auckland council split over development, Search work in Christchurch central city nears completion, Power in South Christchurch threatened by cut cable.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Engineers from ECAN and other areas in New Zealand have been inspecting the Waimakariri River stop banks on the coast side of State Highway 1 after the September earthquake. Brian McIndoe, ECAN Waimakariri Area Engineer, inspects one of the cracks which is causing concern on the stop bank".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Engineers from ECAN and other areas in New Zealand have been inspecting the Waimakariri River stop banks on the coast side of State Highway 1 after the September earthquake. Brian McIndoe, ECAN Waimakariri Area Engineer, inspects one of the cracks which is causing concern on the stop bank".