christchurch gcse geography case study

Christchurch Case study

The Christchurch earthquake of February 2011

• The earthquake occurred on New Zealand’s South Island 10km to the West of Christchurch, Canterbury. It lasted only 10 seconds.
• The earthquake happened on a conservative plate margin between the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate.
• The epicentre of the quake was just 2km west of the port town of Lyttelton
• It measured 6.3 on the Richter Magnitude scale.
• Christchurch is New Zealand’s second largest city and suffered extensive damage
• Killed 185 people
• The earthquake was only 5 km deep
• The earthquake struck at 12:51 pm on Tuesday, 22 February, 2011
• 6 months earlier on 4th September 2010 another massive magnitude 7.1 earthquake caused significant damage to Christchurch and the central Canterbury region, but with no direct fatalities.

Tectonic setting & Cause

The earthquake was created along a conservative plate margin where the Pacific Plate slid past the Australian Plate in the opposite direction. Where the plates move like this strain energy builds up as the plates lock in place, it reaches a critical level then is breaks, releasing seismic energy. The earthquake occurred on a fault running off this major plate boundary. It was a strike slip event along the fault, mostly horizontal movement with some vertical movement upwards. The earthquake generated its own significant aftershocks;

• 2 Hours after the main earthquake - Largest aftershock of magnitude 5.9
• The first week post event - 361+ aftershocks (magnitude 3+ foreshocks) in the first week

EFFECTS OF THE FEBRUARY 2011 EARTHQUAKE

Primary effects (caused directly by the earthquake)

• 185 people were killed in the earthquake. Over half of the deaths occurred in the six-storey Canterbury Television (CTV) Building, which collapsed and caught fire in the quake.
• 3,129 people injured
• April 2013, the total estimated cost had ballooned to $40 billion
• Significant liquefaction affected the eastern suburbs, producing around 400,000 tonnes of silt
• Building damage to the central city and eastern suburbs of Christchurch. The damage was made worse by buildings and infrastructure already being weakened by the 4 September 2010 earthquake and its aftershock. Up to 100,000 buildings were damaged and about 10,000 buildings needed to be demolished.
• 3.5 m tsunami waves in Tasman Lake, following quake-triggered glacier calving from Tasman Glacier
• Water pipes, roads, bridges, power lines, cell phone towers and ordinary phone lines were broken or damaged.
• 50% + of Central City buildings severely damaged including the city’s cathedral which lost its spire

Secondary effects (things that happen after the primary effects but often as a result of them)

• Some economists have estimated it will take the New Zealand economy 50 to 100 years to completely recover.
• 80% of the water and sewerage system was severely damaged
• An additional 1,293 people were injured in the aftermath
• Psychological impacts – in a survey post event (2013) 80% of respondents stated their lives had changed significantly since the earthquakes. Almost a third said the earthquakes had caused them financial problems, while 64% said they felt guilty that other Cantabrians were more affected by the earthquakes.
• Outmigration of a fifth of the city population
• The population, which had been growing for decades, declined in the years after the quake 
• Damage to roads through liquefaction made it difficult for people and emergency services to move around
• Christchurch could no longer host Rugby World Cup matches so lost the benefits, e.g. tourism and income
• Schools had to join together

• Rescue crews from all over the world came to help. There were crews from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Australia and other countries.
• Aid money poured in – Australia gave $5 million (Aus $) in aid.
• The government declared a state of national emergency, which stayed in force until 30 April 2011
• Domestic help was available - The Farmy Army was made up of 800 farmers who brought their farm machines and muscle to help clean up the city.
• The most vulnerable people were cared for and people were kept safe away from dangerous buildings
• Chemical toilets were provided for 30,000 residents
• The Red Cross and other charities supplied aid workers
• More than 300 Australian police officers flew into Christchurch three days after the earthquake.
• The government provided temporary housing and ensured all damaged housing was kept water tight
• Water and sewerage was restored for all residents by August
• Roads and houses were cleared of silt from liquefaction by August and 80% of roads & 50% of footpaths were repaired
• Many Non-government organisations including Save the Children helped with long term recovery efforts
• Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority was created to organise the REBUILD of the region. It had special powers to change planning laws and regulations.

    Green Zone land was undamaged and could be built on again.     Orange Zone more checks were needed before the land could be built on.     White Zone was the area that had not been checked at all yet.     Red Zone areas were very unstable: building on it safely would be difficult.

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Case Study: Christchurch, New Zealand Earthquake

Earthquake case study - christchurch, new zealand.

Two earthquakes hit the city of Christchurch, on New Zealand's south-east coast, in late 2010/early 2011. The second one hit the city centre, killing 185 and destroying much of the CBD.

1st earthquake (4/9/10)

• Magnitude 7.1.
• People were asleep and the streets mostly empty.
• Buildings were weakened, which became an issue in the 2nd earthquake.
• E.g. 'Turtle safe' - an earthquake safety resource aimed at preschool children which encourages them to act like a turtle during an earthquake.

2nd earthquake (22/2/11) facts

• Magnitude 6.3, hit closer to the CBD than the first earthquake.
• Thousands of people were out and about at work and school.
• The city centre was busy.
• 130 deaths caused by the collapsing of the Canterbury TV and Pyne Gould Corporation buildings.

2nd earthquake damage

• The Provincial Council Chambers and the Anglican Christchurch Cathedral were completely destroyed.
• Over half of the buildings in the central business district have been (intentionally) demolished since as they were no longer safe, including the Hotel Grand Chancellor.
• Liquefaction sludge moved upwards through cracks in residential streets.
• Water and sewage from broken pipes flooded the streets.
• Several thousand homes in the 'red zone' were demolished because they could no longer be safely inhabited.

2nd earthquake responses

• State of emergency declared by national government on 23rd February.
• Christchurch's CBD was cordoned off until June 2013 in some locations.
• 75% of power reinstated within 96 hours.
• Local residents and the creative community have been taking over the 'empty spaces' in the CBD with art installations and street art.

1 Geography Skills

1.1 Mapping

1.1.1 Map Making

1.1.2 OS Maps

1.1.3 Grid References

1.1.4 Contour Lines

1.1.5 Symbols, Scale and Distance

1.1.6 Directions on Maps

1.1.7 Describing Routes

1.1.8 Map Projections

1.1.9 Aerial & Satellite Images

1.1.10 Using Maps to Make Decisions

1.2 Geographical Information Systems

1.2.1 Geographical Information Systems

1.2.2 How do Geographical Information Systems Work?

1.2.3 Using Geographical Information Systems

1.2.4 End of Topic Test - Geography Skills

2 Geology of the UK

2.1 The UK's Rocks

2.1.1 The UK's Main Rock Types

2.1.2 The UK's Landscape

2.1.3 Using Rocks

2.1.4 Weathering

2.2 Case Study: The Peak District

2.2.1 The Peak District

2.2.2 Limestone Landforms

2.2.3 Quarrying

3 Geography of the World

3.1 Geography of America & Europe

3.1.1 North America

3.1.2 South America

3.1.3 Europe

3.1.4 The European Union

3.1.5 The Continents

3.1.6 The Oceans

3.1.7 Longitude

3.1.8 Latitude

3.1.9 End of Topic Test - Geography of the World

4 Development

4.1 Development

4.1.1 Classifying Development

4.1.3 Evaluation of GDP

4.1.4 The Human Development Index

4.1.5 Population Structure

4.1.6 Developing Countries

4.1.7 Emerging Countries

4.1.8 Developed Countries

4.1.9 Comparing Development

4.2 Uneven Development

4.2.1 Consequences of Uneven Development

4.2.2 Physical Factors Affecting Development

4.2.3 Historic Factors Affecting Development

4.2.4 Human & Social Factors Affecting Development

4.2.5 Breaking Out of the Poverty Cycle

4.3 Case Study: Democratic Republic of Congo

4.3.1 The DRC: An Overview

4.3.2 Political & Social Factors Affecting Development

4.3.3 Environmental Factors Affecting the DRC

4.3.4 The DRC: Aid

4.3.5 The Pros & Cons of Aid in DRC

4.3.6 Top-Down vs Bottom-Up in DRC

4.3.7 The DRC: Comparison with the UK

4.3.8 The DRC: Against Malaria Foundation

4.4 Case Study: Nigeria

4.4.1 The Importance & Development of Nigeria

4.4.2 Nigeria's Relationships with the Rest of the World

4.4.3 Urban Growth in Lagos

4.4.4 Population Growth in Lagos

4.4.5 Factors influencing Nigeria's Growth

4.4.6 Nigeria: Comparison with the UK

5 Weather & Climate

5.1 Weather

5.1.1 Weather & Climate

5.1.2 Components of Weather

5.1.3 Temperature

5.1.4 Sunshine, Humidity & Air Pressure

5.1.5 Cloud Cover

5.1.6 Precipitation

5.1.7 Convectional Precipitation

5.1.8 Frontal Precipitation

5.1.9 Relief or Orographic Precipitation

5.1.10 Wind

5.1.11 Extreme Wind

5.1.12 Recording the Weather

5.1.13 Extreme Weather

5.2 Climate

5.2.1 Climate of the British Isles

5.2.2 Comparing Weather & Climate London

5.2.3 Climate of the Tropical Rainforest

5.2.4 End of Topic Test - Weather & Climate

5.3 Tropical Storms

5.3.1 Formation of Tropical Storms

5.3.2 Features of Tropical Storms

5.3.3 The Structure of Tropical Storms

5.3.4 Tropical Storms Case Study: Katrina Effects

5.3.5 Tropical Storms Case Study: Katrina Responses

6 The World of Work

6.1 Tourism

6.1.1 Landscapes

6.1.2 The Growth of Tourism

6.1.3 Benefits of Tourism

6.1.4 Economic Costs of Tourism

6.1.5 Social, Cultural & Environmental Costs of Tourism

6.1.6 Tourism Case Study: Blackpool

6.1.7 Ecotourism

6.1.8 Tourism Case Study: Kenya

7 Natural Resources

7.1.1 What are Rocks?

7.1.2 Types of Rock

7.1.4 The Rock Cycle - Weathering

7.1.5 The Rock Cycle - Erosion

7.1.6 What is Soil?

7.1.7 Soil Profiles

7.1.8 Water

7.1.9 Global Water Demand

7.2 Fossil Fuels

7.2.1 Introduction to Fossil Fuels

7.2.2 Fossil Fuels

7.2.3 The Global Energy Supply

7.2.5 What is Peak Oil?

7.2.6 End of Topic Test - Natural Resources

8.1 River Processes & Landforms

8.1.1 Overview of Rivers

8.1.2 The Bradshaw Model

8.1.3 Erosion

8.1.4 Sediment Transport

8.1.5 River Deposition

8.1.6 River Profiles: Long Profiles

8.1.7 River Profiles: Cross Profiles

8.1.8 Waterfalls & Gorges

8.1.9 Interlocking Spurs

8.1.10 Meanders

8.1.11 Floodplains

8.1.12 Levees

8.1.13 Case Study: River Tees

8.2 Rivers & Flooding

8.2.1 Flood Risk Factors

8.2.2 Flood Management: Hard Engineering

8.2.3 Flood Management: Soft Engineering

8.2.4 Flooding Case Study: Boscastle

8.2.5 Flooding Case Study: Consequences of Boscastle

8.2.6 Flooding Case Study: Responses to Boscastle

8.2.7 Flooding Case Study: Bangladesh

8.2.8 End of Topic Test - Rivers

8.2.9 Rivers Case Study: The Nile

8.2.10 Rivers Case Study: The Mississippi

9.1 Formation of Coastal Landforms

9.1.1 Weathering

9.1.2 Erosion

9.1.3 Headlands & Bays

9.1.4 Caves, Arches & Stacks

9.1.5 Wave-Cut Platforms & Cliffs

9.1.6 Waves

9.1.7 Longshore Drift

9.1.8 Coastal Deposition

9.1.9 Spits, Bars & Sand Dunes

9.2 Coast Management

9.2.1 Management Strategies for Coastal Erosion

9.2.2 Case Study: The Holderness Coast

9.2.3 Case Study: Lyme Regis

9.2.4 End of Topic Test - Coasts

10 Glaciers

10.1 Overview of Glaciers & How They Work

10.1.1 Distribution of Glaciers

10.1.2 Types of Glaciers

10.1.3 The Last Ice Age

10.1.4 Formation & Movement of Glaciers

10.1.5 Shaping of Landscapes by Glaciers

10.1.6 Glacial Landforms Created by Erosion

10.1.7 Glacial Till & Outwash Plain

10.1.8 Moraines

10.1.9 Drumlins & Erratics

10.1.10 End of Topic Tests - Glaciers

10.1.11 Tourism in Glacial Landscapes

10.1.12 Strategies for Coping with Tourists

10.1.13 Case Study - Lake District: Tourism

10.1.14 Case Study - Lake District: Management

11 Tectonics

11.1 Continental Drift & Plate Tectonics

11.1.1 The Theory of Plate Tectonics

11.1.2 The Structure of the Earth

11.1.3 Tectonic Plates

11.1.4 Plate Margins

11.2 Volcanoes

11.2.1 Volcanoes & Their Products

11.2.2 The Development of Volcanoes

11.2.3 Living Near Volcanoes

11.3 Earthquakes

11.3.1 Overview of Earthquakes

11.3.2 Consequences of Earthquakes

11.3.3 Case Study: Christchurch, New Zealand Earthquake

11.4 Tsunamis

11.4.1 Formation of Tsunamis

11.4.2 Case Study: Japan 2010 Tsunami

11.5 Managing the Risk of Volcanoes & Earthquakes

11.5.1 Coping With Earthquakes & Volcanoes

11.5.2 End of Topic Test - Tectonics

12 Climate Change

12.1 The Causes & Consequences of Climate Change

12.1.1 Evidence for Climate Change

12.1.2 Natural Causes of Climate Change

12.1.3 Human Causes of Climate Change

12.1.4 The Greenhouse Effect

12.1.5 Effects of Climate Change on the Environment

12.1.6 Effects of Climate Change on People

12.1.7 Climate Change Predictions

12.1.8 Uncertainty About Future Climate Change

12.1.9 Mitigating Against Climate Change

12.1.10 Adapting to Climate Change

12.1.11 Case Study: Bangladesh

13 Global Population & Inequality

13.1 Global Populations

13.1.1 World Population

13.1.2 Population Structure

13.1.3 Ageing Populations

13.1.4 Youthful Populations

13.1.5 Population Control

13.1.6 Mexico to USA Migration

13.1.7 End of Topic Test - Development & Population

14 Urbanisation

14.1 Urbanisation

14.1.1 Rural Characterisitcs

14.1.2 Urban Characteristics

14.1.3 Urbanisation Growth

14.1.4 The Land Use Model

14.1.5 Rural-Urban Pull Factors

14.1.6 Rural-Urban Push Factors

14.1.7 The Impacts of Migration

14.1.8 Challenges of Urban Areas in Developed Countries

14.1.9 Challenges of Urban Areas in Developing Countries

14.1.10 Urban Sustainability

14.1.11 Case Study: China's Urbanisation

14.1.12 Major UK Cities

14.1.13 Urbanisation in the UK

14.1.14 End of Topic Test- Urbanisation

14.1.15 End of Topic Test - Urban Issues

15 Ecosystems

15.1 The Major Biomes

15.1.1 Distribution of Major Biomes

15.1.2 What Affects the Distribution of Biomes?

15.1.3 Biome Features: Tropical Forests

15.1.4 Biome Features: Temperate Forests

15.1.5 Biome Features: Tundra

15.1.6 Biome Features: Deserts

15.1.7 Biome Features: Tropical Grasslands

15.1.8 Biome Features: Temperate Grasslands

15.2 Case Study: The Amazon Rainforest

15.2.1 Interdependence of Rainforest Ecosystems

15.2.2 Nutrient Cycling in Tropical Rainforests

15.2.3 Deforestation in the Amazon

15.2.4 Impacts of Deforestation in the Amazon

15.2.5 Protecting the Amazon

15.2.6 Adaptations of Plants to Rainforests

15.2.7 Adaptations of Animals to Rainforests

16 Life in an Emerging Country

16.1 Case Studies

16.1.1 Mumbai: Opportunities

16.1.2 Mumbai: Challenges

17 Analysis of Africa

17.1 Africa

17.1.1 Desert Biomes in Africa

17.1.2 The Semi-Desert Biome

17.1.3 The Savanna Biome

17.1.4 Overview of Tropical Rainforests

17.1.5 Colonisation History

17.1.6 Population Distribution in Africa

17.1.7 Economic Resources in Africa

17.1.8 Urbanisation in Africa

17.1.9 Africa's Location

17.1.10 Physical Geography of Africa

17.1.11 Desertification in Africa

17.1.12 Reducing the Risk of Desertification

17.1.13 Case Study: The Sahara Desert - Opportunities

17.1.14 Case Study: The Sahara Desert - Development

18 Analysis of India

18.1 India - Physical Geography

18.1.1 Geographical Location of India

18.1.2 Physical Geography of India

18.1.3 India's Climate

18.1.4 Natural Disasters in India

18.1.5 Case Study: The Thar Desert

18.1.6 Case Study: The Thar Desert - Challenges

18.2 India - Human Geography

18.2.1 Population Distribution in India

18.2.2 Urabinsation in India

18.2.3 The History of India

18.2.4 Economic Resources in India

19 Analysis of the Middle East

19.1 The Middle East

19.1.1 Physical Geography of the Middle East

19.1.2 Human Geography of the Middle East

19.1.3 Climate Zones in the Middle East

19.1.4 Climate Comparison with the UK

19.1.5 Oil & Natural Gas in the Middle East

19.1.6 Water in the Middle East

19.1.7 Population of the Middle East

19.1.8 Development Case Studies: The UAE

19.1.9 Development Case Studies: Yemen

19.1.10 Supporting Development in Yemen

19.1.11 Connection to the UK

19.1.12 Importance of Oil

19.1.13 Oil & Tourism in the UAE

20 Analysis of Bangladesh

20.1 Bangladesh Physical Geography

20.1.1 Location of Bangladesh

20.1.2 Climate of Bangladesh

20.1.3 Rivers in Bangladesh

20.1.4 Flooding in Bangladesh

20.2 Bangladesh Human Geography

20.2.1 Population Structure in Bangladesh

20.2.2 Urbanisation in Bangladesh

20.2.3 Bangladesh's Economy

20.2.4 Energy & Sustainability in Bangladesh

21 Analysis of Russia

21.1 Russia's Physical Geography

21.1.1 Russia's Climate

21.1.2 Russia's Landscape

21.2 Russia's Human Geography

21.2.1 Population of Russia

21.2.2 Russia's Economy

21.2.3 Energy & Sustainability in Russia

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Consequences of Earthquakes

Formation of Tsunamis

Christchurch Bay

Cliff collapse.

The cliffs in Christchurch Bay which is on the south coast of England. The cliffs here are rapidly eroding at a rate of 1-2m per year.

The cliffs are collapsing and retreating rapidly because:

Marine processes : the bases of the cliffs are being eroded by hydraulic action and abrasion.

Sub-aerial processes : weathering is weakening the rock and then mass movement (slumping and rock fall) is leading to cliff collapse and further erosion.

Geology : in Christchurch Bay permeable sand lies on top of impermeable clay. During wet weather heavy rain saturates the permeable sand, making it much heavier and making the top of the cliff unstable.

Fetch : south-west winds, which have blown 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean create strong destructive waves which have lots of energy to erode.

Human activity : it’s a tourist honeypot and there has been extensive building along the cliff top. The extra weight weakens the top of the cliff making it more unstable.

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AQA GCSE Geography- New Zealand, Christchurch Case Study

Subject: Geography

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

19 September 2023

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New Zealand Earthquake 2016

A powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck New Zealand’s South Island, killing at least two people, on November 14th 2016. The earthquake occurred at 00.02 am.

2016 New Zealand Earthquake Map – Source BBC News

It was felt as far afield as the capital Wellington on the North Island, 120 miles (200km) away.

A tsunami arrived about two hours later. People along the eastern coast were warned to head inland or to higher ground.

Primary Effects of the 2016 New Zealand Earthquake

• Two people died.
• Fifty people were injured.
• Sixty people needed emergency housing.
• Over 190km of roads and 200km of railway lines were destroyed
• Twenty thousand buildings were damaged or destroyed.
• Water, sewerage & power supplies were cut off.
• Total damage is estimated at US $8.5 billion.

Secondary Effects of the 2016 New Zealand Earthquake

• One hundred thousand landslides blocked roads and railways.
• A landslide blocked the Clarence River, causing flooding. Ten farms were evacuated.
• The earthquake triggered a tsunami of 5m, leaving debris up to250 metres inland.

Immediate Responses to the 2016 New Zealand Earthquake

• A tsunami warning was issued, and residents were told to get to higher ground.
• Hundreds were housed in emergency shelters.
• Two hundred vulnerable people were evacuated by helicopter.
• Power was restored within hours. International warships were sent to Kaikoura with supplies such as food, medicine and portable toilets.
• Temporary water supplies set up.
• Other countries sent food and medicine.

Long-term Responses to the 2016 New Zealand Earthquake

• $5.3 million from District Council for repairs and rebuilding.
• Road and rail routes reopened within two years.
• A relief fund was set up to provide basic supplies.
• By March 2017, a permanent water main had been laid in Kaikoura. the new pipe was designed to move with any future earthquakes so it won’t break

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