1. Home
  2. Collections: Topic guides
Last updated 15 May 2023

New Zealand: Christchurch and Canterbury earthquakes 2010-2011

Upload your content
Image
christchurch and canterbury earthquakes
tmpr / Shutterstock

Introduction

Christchurch earthquakes of 2010–11 are a series of tremors that occurred within and near the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, and the Canterbury Plains region from early September 2010 to late December 2011. The severest of those events was the earthquake (magnitude from 7.0 to 7.1) that struck on September 4, 2010, and the large, destructive aftershock (magnitude 6.3) that occurred on February 22, 2011.

The principal event, sometimes referred to as the Darfield earthquake, struck at 4:35 am on September 4, 2010. The earthquake’s epicentre was located some 25 miles (40 km) west of Christchurch near the town of Darfield, and the focus was located about 6 miles (10 km) beneath the surface. It was caused by right-lateral movement along a previously unknown regional strike-slip fault in the western section of the Canterbury Plains. The fault, later named the Greendale Fault, appeared about 50 to 56 miles (80 to 90 km) southeast of the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, and part of the fault became visible at the surface because of the earthquake. Thousands of smaller aftershocks occurred in the months that followed.

The severest aftershock occurred at 12:51 pm on February 22, 2011. The Mw6.2 (ML6.3) earthquake struck the Canterbury Region in the South Island, centred 6.7 kilometres (4.2 mi) south-east of the central business district. It caused widespread damage across Christchurch, killing 185 people in New Zealand's fifth-deadliest disaster.

Hazards
Earthquake
Country and region
New Zealand

Knowledge base

Yellow building collapsed after an earthquake.
Research briefs
Next steps in seismic hazard reduction after the Turkey earthquakes

After Christchurch earthquakes, the engineering community was alarmed at the performance failures of modern buildings. One design initiative to come from the destruction and loss in New Zealand was to build structures with functional recovery in mind.

Temblor
Update
Understanding the aftershock cloud: 10 Years on since the Christchurch earthquakes

Since the year 2000, only one city located in an advanced market economy has been severely impacted by an earthquake.

Risk Management Solutions
Update
Preparing for a 1-in-1,000 year loss: Insurance resilience 10 years after the Christchurch earthquake

The CES is the world’s second-costliest insured earthquake loss in history and supports the New Zealand regulator’s 1-in-1,000-year capital requirement.

Risk Management Solutions
Documents and publications
The utility of earth science information in post-earthquake land-use decision-making: the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence in Aotearoa New Zealand

This study investigates land-use decision-making practices in Christchurch, New Zealand and the surrounding region in response to the mass movement (e.g., rockfall, cliff collapses) and ground surface fault rupture hazards incurred during the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence (CES). Rockfall fatality risk models combining hazard, exposure and vulnerability data were co-produced by earth scientists and decision-makers and formed primary evidence for risk-based land-use decision-making with adaptive capacity.

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, the
Documents and publications
When the earth doesn’t stop shaking: How experiences over time influenced information needs, communication, and interpretation of aftershock information during the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, New Zealand

This research aimed to improve understanding of aftershock information needs for agencies and the public, and how people interpreted and responded to such information.

Elsevier
Documents and publications
Evaluation of the Canterbury earthquake appeal and recovery programme

This is the report of findings of the formal and independent evaluation of the New Zealand Red Cross Earthquake Recovery Programme for greater Christchurch.

New Zealand Red Cross
Update
New Zealand: Type and timing of insurance pay-outs after the Canterbury earthquakes were significant in the recovery of residential areas and businesses

Research into Earthquake Commission insurance pay-outs after the Canterbury earthquakes shows that insurance types and timing affected whether residential areas and businesses were able to recover. Cash payments contributed more to local recovery than the managed repair programme, while delayed insurance payments contributed less.

Resilience to Nature's Challenges
Documents and publications
Measuring the impact of insurance on urban recovery with light: the 2010-2011 New Zealand earthquakes

This paper measures the longer-term effect of a major earthquake on the local economy, using night-time light intensity measured from space, and investigate whether insurance claim payments for damaged residential property affected the local recovery process. It focuses on the destructive Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) 2010-2011 in New Zealand as a case study.

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Documents and publications
Recipe for disaster: Building policy on shaky ground

This report tallies the successes and failures of the recovery effort after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand, with the aim of improving future preparedness and recovery initiatives. It provides a number of policy recommendations for disaster preparedness and post-disaster response.

New Zealand Initiative, The
Research briefs
Christchurch shifts from concrete to steel in post-earthquake rebuild

A new report details the reconstruction of Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, following the 2010-11 earthquake series. The document examines the types of structural systems used during the reconstruction of the city, and some of the technical, sociological and political choices associated with those decisions.

University at Buffalo