Earthquakes

More than 50,000 people from Otago dropped to the floor and sheltered under desks and tables as part of yesterday's national "ShakeOut" earthquake drill, with organisers hailing it as a success.

Research published in June suggests a one-in-three chance of a magnitude 8 earthquake on the Alpine Fault sometime in the next 50 years. Bruce Munro spoke to scientists, civil defence staff and couples living in Dunedin, Queenstown and on the Maniototo to create this fictionalised account of how we might be affected if it happens this Wednesday.

Dunedin's emergency response managers will take the opportunity during New Zealand's first nationwide earthquake drill to practise, in theory, how they would respond to an earthquake emergency in the city.

Although the odds of a major earthquake hitting Dunedin soon are relatively low, citizens "should not be complacent", geologist Prof Richard Norris warned yesterday.

Owners of Dunedin buildings have two years from next July to complete earthquake assessments, and work at a significant cost is expected to be uncovered.

A Dunedin building owner is calling on the Dunedin City Council to establish a new fund - financed by borrowing - to fast-track strengthening buildings against possible earthquake damage in the city.

The owners of two heritage buildings in Dunedin have become the first in the city to receive grants for earthquake strengthening work, designed to protect Dunedin heritage buildings from a Christchurch-style disaster.

The dates are set and the process is about to begin to make Dunedin a safer place in an earthquake.

Dunedin faces a stark choice when it puts in place a policy this year to prepare the city for earthquakes - accept the fact many buildings may not fare well in a quake, or agree to widespread demolition of the city's heritage architecture.

While the chance of a serious earthquake hitting Dunedin is one in 1000, the odds are better than winning Lotto and citizens "should not be complacent", geologist Prof Richard Norris says.