Exploring the 'megathrust' risk of the Hikurangi: The East Coast LAB is educating New Zealand communities

After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, scientists around the world began collective research to be better prepared internationally for tsunami activity.

One of the places they turned to was New Zealand - which led to the East Coast LAB (Life at the Boundary). The LAB, a collaborative project, brings together scientists and emergency experts to educate the community about the natural hazards that can affect us.

It focuses on the Hikurangi subduction zone, a massive fault line running from Marlborough and right past the East Coast where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates collide.

It is potentially the largest source of "megathrust" earthquake and tsunami hazards in New Zealand, and scientists say there is still much to learn about it. 

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