New research aims to uncover earthquake risks for the recently discovered Waikato Fault

Thursday February 18, 2021 12:15 p.m. Press release: Earthquakes Commission

GNS Science experts have embarked on a research project to determine the earthquake hazards of a recently discovered fault in Waikato.

This is part of an effort to better understand earthquake risk in parts of New Zealand that have been traditionally seen as safe from earthquakes.

Thanks to improved aerial mapping tools, scientists recently discovered the Te Puninga fault, 27 kilometers from Hamilton, which could generate a magnitude 6.7 earthquake.

Dr. Pilar Vilamor, a seismologist at GNS Science, is leading an EQC-funded project to study the fault, about 3 kilometers from Morrinsville.

Dr Villamor says researchers estimate that the fault could generate a magnitude 6.7 earthquake based on its 25 km length.

“If it rips,” she says, “it is possible that Morrisville will suffer the same level of vibration in Christchurch during the 2010 Darfield earthquake.”

“And you’ll be relatively strong in Hamilton, too.”

Dr Villamore says her team is digging trenches across the fault to uncover layers of soil that have been displaced in previous earthquakes over the past 20,000 years and take samples from each layer. Samples will be dated by experts at the University of Waikato and in Spain.

This will tell us how many times the fault has ruptured, and how many earthquakes it has caused.

“This information, in turn, will help us understand the risks of future earthquakes in the region and how to prepare for this risk,” she says.

The Research Director for the Earthquakes Commission, Dr. Natalie Balfour, says the research is extremely important for the communities in the Hauraki Plains, which were traditionally considered a low seismic zone, unlike the Canterbury region prior to 2010.

“We are funding this project and similar work in other parts of the country to get a better idea of ​​the risks in areas New Zealanders generally believe are safe from earthquakes.

“Research shows us that many of these areas have been hit by major earthquakes in the past, and detailed historical data will help in understanding what might happen in the future,” says Dr. Balfour.

“This will help communities make decisions about how to better prepare for future events.”

Dr. Vilamor is grateful to the local community for their support to enable the team to conduct this research, including the local Iwi Ngati Hawa and Ngati Hakuo who provided knowledge for the project, the Waikato Regional Council, and local landowners to access their properties and allow trenches to be dug.

EQC invests $ 17 million annually in scientific research and data to reduce the impact of natural hazards on people and property.

Click here to download an informative video on this story.

© Scope Media

Join the Scoop Citizen community, 20 years of independent publishing is a milestone, but your support is essential to keep Scoop thriving. We build on what we offer with thedig.nz our new in-depth platform for interactive journalism. Now, more than ever, the sustained financial support of the Scope Foundation for Public Interest Journalism will help keep these dynamic and engaging media services operational. Find out more and join us:

Become a member Find out more

.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos