Contents & Abstracts Volume 2013-2

The Australasian Journal of Disaster
and Trauma Studies
ISSN:  1174-4707
Volume : 2013-2

This journal publication has been revised and is now presented as a series of individual PDF files as linked below.
The complete issue can also be retrieved as a single PDF file.

Contents page -Volume 2013-2

Papers

The experience and future of businesses displaced by earthquake from central Christchurch, New Zealand.
Simon Kemp, Kin Yan Chan & Carsten Grimm

Keywords: Business decisions, Earthquake, Relocation

A large number of businesses that used to be in the centre of Christchurch relocated after the earthquakes. Are they satisfied with their new locations and do they intend to return to the central city? We questioned 209 relocated businesses about their relocation history, present circumstances and future intentions. Many businesses were content with their new premises, despite having encountered a range of problems; those businesses that were questioned later in our survey period were more content. The average business in our sample rated the chances of moving back to the central city as around 50 %, but this varies with the type of business. Building height did not emerge as a major issue, but rents may be. The mix of types of business is likely to be different in the new city centre.

The 2009 New Zealand West Coast ShakeOut: Improving earthquake preparedness in a region of high seismic risk.
Caroline Orchiston, Chris Manuel, Maureen Coomer, Julia Becker & David Johnston

Keywords: earthquake hazard, ShakeOut, New Zealand, Alpine Fault, preparedness.

New Zealand is geologically active and has significant seismic potential resulting from its position astride the Pacific-Australian plate boundary. The Alpine Fault transects 495 km of the South Island, west of the Southern Alps. It produces large (ca. M8) earthquakes, and is late in its average seismic cycle. Recent studies have shown that the West Coast would suffer extensive damage and isolation in the event of a large earthquake. Current levels of organizational, business, and community awareness and preparedness for dealing with the outcomes of a future major earthquake are considered less than optimum, even following the recent Canterbury earthquake sequence (2010-2011). The 2009 ShakeOut exercise was an opportunity for West Coast Civil Defence organizations to assess the status quo and develop resilience in order to improve physical and economic recovery outcomes. The exercise was based on the Californian ShakeOut event, and despite many differences in geography and population density, comparisons between the West Coast ShakeOut and California ShakeOut registration data show very similar participation profiles.

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