Introduction
There have been a lot of notable earthquakes in the documented history of humanity, even more – before that. While some descriptive information about earthquakes was written down by humans thousands of years ago, the phenomena were not understood until 19-20th centuries. This was also when more precise seismographic devices started appearing – therefore, it became easier to collect information about earthquakes. The evolution of seismographic devices continued rapidly, and today we have unprecedentedly accurate gadgets which help us gather more objective data about earthquakes. Moreover, data collection in other spheres has advanced as well. This is the reason I chose a fairly recent yet notable and impactful earthquake that has been discussed in the Western media a lot. The event’s name is the Christchurch earthquake, which happened on Tuesday, 22 February 2011, at 12:51 p.m. local time (Razafindrakoto et al. 2130). The magnitude of the event was 6.2, it occurred in the Canterbury region, 4.2 miles southeast of the center of Christchurch, and it was caused by the movement of Pacific and Australian plates.
The Earthquake in Christchurch
The earthquake is considered one of the costliest natural disasters in history. Thousands of buildings, cars, and other property were damaged or destroyed completely (Spence and So 211). Based on the estimates, around ten percent of the Gross Domestic Product of New Zealand worth of funds was necessary to rebuild the city (New Zealand Parliament “Economic Effects of the Canterbury Earthquakes” 1). Damage in monetary terms reached thirty billion dollars – thirteen billion dollars for the residential area, four for the commercial sector, and three for infrastructure (New Zealand Parliament “Economic Effects of the Canterbury Earthquakes” 1). However, the reconstruction budget was reassessed later and reached forty billion dollars (Wood et al. 3). Moreover, other economic domains were influenced as well – “international guest nights were down 32 percent in the Canterbury region and domestic visitors down 23 percent” (New Zealand Parliament “Economic Effects of the Canterbury Earthquakes” 2). Also, the accommodation capacity of the region has decreased significantly due to the loss of housing.
The insurance industry was also hit hard, as insurance coverage for earthquakes was high in the region, and insurance companies had to make numerous payments simultaneously. Five years after the earthquake, the local insurance business recovered and entered into new contracts slower than expected (Wood et al. 5). Prices in the area inflated faster than in the rest of the country; it was especially notable considering housing prices, rent, and housing-related items. Regarding the demographic effects, the earthquake negatively affected the population and housing in the Canterbury region. The region’s population fell by two percent after the event, while the population of Christchurch City fell by six. However, in four years, the population reached the pre-earthquake period. Employment demonstrated the same dynamics – initially fell by five percent and then rose by sixteen, primarily due to construction work.
From a sociological point of view, there are numerous impacts on the population. Firstly, over eighty percent of Cantabrians said that their lives changed significantly – people felt tired, had more financial problems, and subsequently, their mental health worsened significantly (New Zealand Parliament, “Social Effects of Canterbury Earthquakes” 1). Divorce rates and nicotine addiction rates rose in the following years as well. Regarding the political impacts, many people who suffered from the earthquake were dissatisfied with the government’s actions and attitude (Cretney). This happened because the central government used the earthquake as an opportunity to expand its influence.
Conclusion
Overall, the earthquake in Christchurch is a notable one, and it produced numerous impacts in different domains of human lives. While initially most of the effects were highly negative, some of the trends have changed drastically in several years. This can be observed considering the population and employment – the region demonstrated resilience in the face of enormous challenges. On the other hand, some issues will adversely affect the Christchurch City and Canterbury region for years, including stress and subsequent social problems and political turmoil.
Works Cited
Cretney, Raven. “Christchurch Five Years on: Have Politicians Helped or Hindered the Earthquake Recovery?” The Conversation, 2016.
New Zealand Parliament. Economic Effects of the Canterbury Earthquakes. Parliament Library, 2011.
New Zealand Parliament. Social Effects of Canterbury Earthquakes. Parliament Library, 2014.
Razafindrakoto, Hoby, et al. “Broadband Ground-Motion Simulation of the 2011 Mw 6.2 Christchurch, New Zealand, Earthquake.” Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, vol. 108, no. 4, pp. 2130-2147.
Spence, Robin, and Emily So. Why Do Buildings Collapse in Earthquakes?: Building for Safety in Seismic Areas. Wiley-Blackwell, 2021.
Wood, Amy, et al. “The Canterbury Rebuild Five Years on from the Christchurch Earthquake.” Reserve Bank of New Zealand Bulletin, vol. 79, no. 3, 2016, pp. 3-16.