Reality of Chch?

Old Feb 14th 2017, 11:22 am
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Default Reality of Chch?

Hi, we are researching potential places to move to and are wanting to stay relatively close to major international airports, just in case any one happens to want to visit from the Uk! We are fairly clued up on cost of living and congestion and housing standards now but just after a bit of earthquake info, it doesn't put us off but it is a new thing for us to consider from here!

We have done lots of research into Christchurch, and there is lots of positive info around about how it is the safest place to be in an earthquake now due to the new building regs there etc, but just wondered what's its like in reality? Do you, as families, have plans for big earthquakes and emergency supplies etc or just take each day as it comes? Are there certain areas that you wouldn't choose to live for safety reasons? Eg by the shore? It certainly looks like a great place to live on paper, and we are coming to visit in person in April but just want to find as much out as possible in advance. Thanks
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Old Feb 15th 2017, 8:05 am
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

You'd be daft living anywhere in NZ and not having a plan for a serious disaster or emergency. I have water, a bit of food, a torch, matches and candles etc and a plan to meet my friend somewhere in the park if we can't make contact.

Day to day, even in the relatively big shakes, not much changes around here. In the 5.7 we had last year they had to close malls and things to do safety checks on the buildings but that's procedure not because they were dangerous.

In Christchurch a lot of the very risky land was redzoned so areas that are at serious risk of liquefaction in a very large shake are no longer able to be built on. That does not mean your house would not be damaged if you did not build or live on that land.

So I guess the answer is prepare sensibly, get proper insurance and do your due diligence. I don't spend every minute of every day worrying about earthquakes or tsunamis (the latest one is wildfires) I accept it as a risk of living in this part of the world and I enjoy my life.
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Old Feb 15th 2017, 9:03 am
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

Originally Posted by Sam13
Hi, we are researching potential places to move to and are wanting to stay relatively close to major international airports, just in case any one happens to want to visit from the Uk! We are fairly clued up on cost of living and congestion and housing standards now but just after a bit of earthquake info, it doesn't put us off but it is a new thing for us to consider from here!

We have done lots of research into Christchurch, and there is lots of positive info around about how it is the safest place to be in an earthquake now due to the new building regs there etc, but just wondered what's its like in reality? Do you, as families, have plans for big earthquakes and emergency supplies etc or just take each day as it comes? Are there certain areas that you wouldn't choose to live for safety reasons? Eg by the shore? It certainly looks like a great place to live on paper, and we are coming to visit in person in April but just want to find as much out as possible in advance. Thanks

It certainly isn't the safest place to be if a big quake happens and just depends where you live. Be it LA, Tokyo even with new building regs nothing's guaranteed. Most houses still only have the minimum standard and not the highest standard. In Germany and other Northern European countries you have seismic regulations and although the risk is lower, most residential homes would still have higher standards.
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Old Feb 15th 2017, 6:28 pm
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

Originally Posted by LauraNotts
I don't spend every minute of every day worrying about earthquakes or tsunamis (the latest one is wildfires) I accept it as a risk of living in this part of the world and I enjoy my life.
This
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Old Feb 15th 2017, 8:32 pm
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

Originally Posted by Sam13
Do you, as families, have plans for big earthquakes and emergency supplies etc
Yes. It is only sensible. We are at the Top of the South Island.

or just take each day as it comes?
Yes. We live each new day. It is just a shift in thinking really.

For instance I keep a small kit with me in the car and we have a plan of what both would do .
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Old Feb 15th 2017, 9:03 pm
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

Thankyou all for your feedback, it's really useful. I'm so sorry to hear about your fires there at the moment, it's so sad to see the damage it's causing, stay safe and thanks again 😀
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Old Feb 16th 2017, 12:37 am
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

It certainly isn't the safest place to be if a big quake happens and just depends where you live. Be it LA, Tokyo even with new building regs nothing's guaranteed. Most houses still only have the minimum standard and not the highest standard. In Germany and other Northern European countries you have seismic regulations and although the risk is lower, most residential homes would still have higher standards
Agreed but in a New Zealand context, I'd rather be in Chch city center than under some of that stuff in Wellington.

In short NZ is a little, lonely spiky strip of rock in the pacific. Our pastimes include Earthquakes, volcano eruptions, flooding, washouts, tsunami, drought and wild fires. Still, I wouldn't be anywhere else thanks very much.
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Old Feb 16th 2017, 7:33 am
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Trivial fact : In the roughly 200 years of European settlement, a grand total of 1 person has been killed in NZ by tsunami. That being on the Chatham Islands in the 1800s I think. Still worthwhile being prepared but helps to put the risk of that particular hazard in perspective.
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Old Feb 16th 2017, 8:25 am
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

Originally Posted by garethwm
Trivial fact : In the roughly 200 years of European settlement, a grand total of 1 person has been killed in NZ by tsunami. That being on the Chatham Islands in the 1800s I think. Still worthwhile being prepared but helps to put the risk of that particular hazard in perspective.
And how many by earthquake?
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Old Feb 16th 2017, 3:50 pm
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In the same period, 482 people died in earthquakes, 441 of which were in either the Napier quake of 1931 or the Christchurch one of 2011.
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Old Feb 18th 2017, 10:38 pm
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Default Re: Reality of Chch?

I was recently back in Christchurch and to be honest it's the last place I'd want to live in NZ. It's very depressing and will take years to fully recover from 2011. I was there 3 years ago and there hasn't been that much progress. The Cathedral is still a mess as different bodies bicker about what to do.

Avoid CHC! There are much nicer parts of NZ.
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Old Feb 19th 2017, 5:03 pm
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How rude! Re-builds take time. There is still lots to do and see, I think it is a lovely city, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else in NZ!
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Old Feb 19th 2017, 5:17 pm
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What do you mean rude? I am just expressing my opinion.

Perhaps I feel this way having lived in Christchurch before the earthquakes and have very fond memories of the city back then.

I just think it will take a long time for the city to fully recover it's heart and soul.

The whole thing with the cathedral is an absolute joke. The iconic landmark of the city and no one can decide what to do with it apart from argue. The stakeholders involved should be ashamed of themselves.
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Old Feb 19th 2017, 10:24 pm
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To be perfectly honest, Chch is still a bit battered and bruised. If you are a city person you may find it a little deflating if you're used to bigger cities. However, personally I have not moved here for Chch city specifically. I'm not fussed over having to live in or even that close to a city, just as long as I can get everything I need (which Chch does). What I have moved here for is Canterbury as a whole. We are surrounded by an abundance of accessible outdoor activities. If you are outdoorsy and like hiking, fishing, skiing, surfing, biking, kayaking, climbing then you'll be like a kid in a candy shop in Canterbury! If you're looking for a cosmopolitan city full of life then you might be disappointed. Chch will get there and there has been a lot of improvements since the quake but there still is a wee way to go yet. I still like wondering around Chch and New Regent St is a gem, but it may not live up to a city slickers expectations.

Hope that helps!
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Old Feb 20th 2017, 12:37 am
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To be fair Christchurch has never had a "city" vibe, it has always seemed more like a big town. I was born and grew up in Christchurch and lived there during the earthquakes. Pre-2010/11 it was a nice town to live in but it certainly is "battered and bruised" now. I have no doubt it will eventually recover but this will take some time and it will never again be the city that I grew up with - perhaps that is not a bad thing it it does take some adjusting to.
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