Today’s hazards, yesterday’s hazards: Earthquake damage, ongoing rock fall, and basalt flow
The M 6.3 February, 2011 Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand caused more than considerable damage; 185 people lost their lives and estimates of damage now exceed $40 billion. When I visited in January, 2014, there was still clear evidence of the destruction, such as this broken house teetering on the edge of a cliff face. The cliff had apparently given way during the earthquake and taken the entire back yard with it. Now, rock fall provides an ongoing hazard –hence the stacked shipping containers to keep it off the road.
And then there’s the lava flow –Miocene in age, filling an ancient river channel, as plain as day. Some 10 or 11 million years ago, this lava flow probably burned everything in its path.
photo downloaded from marlimillerphoto.com (type “New Zealand” into the search)
geologictimepics 