Christchurch, Earthquakes, and New Zealand’s Pacific Coast

It was a six-hour bus ride from the harbor in Picton to Christchurch via the Pacific Coast highway. The railway tracks and this road are on a narrow ledge that outlines the coast, barely separating the water from the mountains swooping down beside us and headed for the sea.

Kaikoura

We stopped halfway at a little seaside town called Kaikoura for a quick meal and walkabout. All roads to Kaikoura had been cut after a 7.8 earthquake and small tsumani hit around midnight on November 14, 2016. The quake lasted an astonishing two minutes. There was movement along 21 different fault lines, and the seabed was shifted upwards six feet, making this the most “complex earthquake ever studied”. Landslides pushed the rail line over and out towards the sea like a piece of toy-train track, guardrails twisted away as if they were no more than bread ties, and the coast road was buried by tons of mountain debris. More than a year later, road work was still underway and the Coastal Pacific train route remains closed. One-lane stretches of highway stopped traffic alongside stacked cargo containers, offering an illusion of holding back the mountains…probably as much protection as a driver’s arm thrown across a front seat passenger in a 70 mph head-on collision. Regardless, I silently thanked New Zealand for the precaution as the earthquake damage became more obvious.

Christchurch

A few hours later on the outskirts of Christchurch, the bus driver announced that the city might look very different to returning visitors. “There are many empty lots where buildings used to be,” he warned. “The quakes changed the city in unimaginable ways.” He was referring to the series of major earthquakes in 2010-2011 that seemed intent on destroying Christchurch.

1) A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit on September 4, 2010 at 4:35 a.m. This 40-second quake was preceded by a 5.8 foreshock, and followed by four 4.8+ magnitude aftershocks over the next three months.

2) During lunch hour on February 22, 2011, a 10-second earthquake hit. This was “only” a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, but it was significantly more destructive as it hit a shallow fault line closer to Christchurch. One hundred eighty five people died in collapsing buildings, crushed buses, and falling debris. A photograph taken from the hillside above Christchurch just moments after the quake shows a massive dust cloud over the city as many buildings were coming down.

3) June 13, 2011 at 2:20 p.m., a magnitude 6.3 hit the area. It had been preceded 90 minutes before by a 5.6 quake. This earthquake destroyed the landmark ChristChurch Cathedral’s tower and collapsed its west wall. The rose window survived, and steel scaffolding was put in place to stabilize it during restoration.

4) December 23, 2011 at 1:58 p.m., a magnitude 5.8 earthquake rocked Christchurch. Within 80 minutes, two more quakes followed (5.3 at 2:06 p.m. and 6.0 at 3:18 p.m.). The ChristChurch Cathedral’s rose window shattered when the protective beams bent. Critical structural damage compromised restoration potential and like many buildings that year, the city had to consider demolition of the 130-year-old cathedral. For this cathedral in particular, it is an emotionally-charged decision and is still being debated. We were told that an agreement had been made to restore, but no work has begun. Fencing blocks access, weeds grow as if it has always been a field, and pigeons roost on the curved scaffolding where the rose window used to be. Artwork surrounds the plaza, including a living wall of ferns and greenery surrounding a viewing spot in front of the cathedral.

More than half of the buildings in the central business district fell or had to be demolished because of structural damage. The face of Christchurch changed.

We stayed several nights in the city center: walking around the fencing that surrounds empty lots and the cargo containers that buttress facades of old brick buildings, exploring the ancient trees and vast green spaces in the Botanic Gardens, sampling the food at a number of restaurants and cafes, and everyday, we stopped to sit with the broken ChristChurch Cathedral. It was quiet there, but seemed to be the still-beating heart of the city.

One night as I laid awake on the 11th floor of our Christchurch hotel, and gazed out at the city’s lights, I wondered how they persevere. I cannot imagine this happening to my hometown–how it must hurt the soul to see. These people have seen their beautiful city fall down. Lives lost. Historical buildings destroyed. Tourism stalled. Companies and jobs wiped out. Thousands of residents moved on. Suburbs abandoned. And yet, so many resilient people stayed. They rebuild and re-bloom. There are new shops and bars and restaurants-—serving laughing, happy people. Art exhibits occupy empty lots. It’s a city alive with determination. The people we met were calm, confident, and dedicated to making good lives in the city. I applaud their strength and courage.

Going to New Zealand soon?

If you are going to New Zealand this year, we have unused bus pass hours for two people that we need to sell before they expire in January. We have 17 hours each for 2 people which is a $175 USD or $260 NZD total value. We’re selling the hours for $150 USD total (that’s a savings of about $50 on the equivalent hours if you were to purchase them online). Payment can be made via Paypal, and with a quick name transfer at InterCity.co.nz, the passes will be yours. The pass hours are good for bus or ferry travel completed by January 5, 2019. Comment or message me if you’re interested!

There is a well-done video here showing from above the extensive damage along the Coast just after the November 2016 earthquake.

Prints are available for purchase on my Etsy site.

See more photos from our New Zealand travels on Instagram.