On Feb 23, 1:38*am, "J. Clarke" > wrote:
> Glad you made it through OK. *I'm surprised that so many buildings went
> down--are earthquakes unexpected in that area?

In the country as a whole, no. But Christchurch had been thought to
be one of the less-earthquake-prone places. The capital, Wellington,
is right on major faults and most of its c.b.d. was raised out of the
sea in an earthquake in 1854, but Christchurch is on an alluvial plain
100 miles or so from the Alpine Fault. With the 7.3 earthquake last
September and now this 6.1 one we have discovered whole new
unsuspected fault system under the plains.

We have very advanced modern building techniques, some of which are
being copied in the U.S. and Japan, but the buildings that came down
were mainly el cheapo concrete structures from the 70s and 80s and
19th Century neo-Gothic churches and public buildings. Christchurch
was a centre of that style and they were a major tourist attraction;
most of that may now be gone.

LW