What are the causes of the Christchurch earthquake?

The earthquake was caused by the rupture of a 15-kilometre-long fault along the southern edge of the city, from Cashmere to the Avon–Heathcote estuary. The fault slopes southward beneath the Port Hills and did not break the surface – scientists used instrument measurements to determine its location and movement.

What tectonic plates caused the Christchurch earthquake?

Tectonic setting & Cause Regardless, the earthquake was created along a conservative plate margin where the Pacific Plate slid past the Australian Plate in the opposite direction. The earthquake occurred on a fault running off this major plate boundary.

What damage did the 2010 Christchurch earthquake cause?

Christchurch’s city centre was hit particularly hard and was evacuated. Over the months that followed, it was established that more than 180 people had died in the quake; many of them had been killed outright as structures collapsed and debris fell in the streets, crushing cars and buses as well.

How did the Christchurch earthquake affect the environment?

The Canterbury earthquakes caused a significant change to the natural environment, including liquefaction, lateral spread near waterways, land level changes, and numerous rockfalls and landslides. Air and water quality were also impacted, with water-based recreational activities halted until November 2011.

What impact did the Christchurch earthquake have on the environment?

What are the effects on earthquakes?

The primary effects of earthquakes are ground shaking, ground rupture, landslides, tsunamis, and liquefaction. Fires are probably the single most important secondary effect of earthquakes.

What was the effect of the earthquake on the natural environment?

Earthquake environmental effects are the effects caused by an earthquake, including surface faulting, tsunamis, soil liquefactions, ground resonance, landslides and ground failure, either directly linked to the earthquake source or provoked by the ground shaking.