Scientists know that sometime within the next 50 years, the next big Alpine Fault earthquake is likely to occur and the AF8 Roadshow aims to increase awareness and prepare people for the aftermath.
Scientist Dr Rob Langridge will be part of the roadshow that visits Richmond and Tapawera, and though Nelson Tasman lies at the northern end of the Alpine Fault and unlikely to have an earthquake of the same intensity as further south or the West Coast, he says it will still be impacted significantly and communities need to be prepared.
“It’s such a likely event, that we should be talking about it and letting the regions know how to prepare for it.”
The AF8 Roadshow: The Science Beneath Our Feet shares alpine fault hazard science with communities likely to be impacted by the next Alpine Fault earthquake. Rather than scare people, it’s designed to increase knowledge and get communities prepared for a future event that scientists know is coming.
Scientific research shows the Alpine Fault has a history of rupturing. It’s one of the world’s major geological features, running almost the length of the South Island and in the past 12 million years those ruptures have lifted the Southern Alps by 20 kilometres.
In the past 900 years, it has ruptured four times and each time it has produced an earthquake of about magnitude 8 – hence the term AF8.
It has a high probability of rupturing within the next 50 years.
“If it’s a large earthquake, it actually ruptures along the fault – it unzips along the fault.”
He says the message is to simply be prepared, as a family and as a community.
“It’s about building stronger communities which helps resilience in the face of an event that is going to happen. We should have a plan of how to communicate with the rest of our family and expect to be isolated with our family for up to a week maybe.
“Spend some time getting to know your neighbours and know where your support comes from. If you are okay (in an event), check your neighbours.”
The roadshow is held biennially and includes public talks and school visits.
This year it will be held at the Waimea College hall in Richmond on 29 April at 6.30pm and Tapawera Area School on 1 May at 6.30pm.
