Quake: The Big Canterbury Earthquake of 2010

by Ian Stuart, David Wethey

The devastating earthquake which hit the Canterbury region on 4th September 2010 tore apart the homes and the lives of thousands of people.
It forever changed the face of the Garden City of Christchurch, New Zealand's second-largest city.
These graphic images of Christchurch and the surrounding districts in the days after the 7.1-magnitude earthquake show the power and destructive force of Mother Nature.
By buying this book you contribute to the Canterbury Earthquake Appeal Fund.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

“The fault line deep under the Canterbury Plains which moved with such destructive force on 4 September had lain dormant for 16,000 years. No one knew it was there and there was nothing to suggest it was an active fault until it began its grinding, graunching movement.”

The Canterbury Earthquake of 2010 tends to get forgotten about by most after it was rendered almost tame in comparison to the devastating quake only a few months later which would kill 185 and cause far greater destruction and leave a far more harrowing and lasting legacy. But as shown in here the emotional and physical damage this left on thousands of Cantabrians was awful - closing hundreds of schools, destroying homes, public buildings and livelihoods, with the financial cost running into billions of dollars.

There’s actually some really nice shots in here, and the way Wethey occasionally catches the twilight on some of the buildings really lends additional weight and quality to the potency and poignancy. Aside from the photographs, there’s some really nice touches elsewhere in here, such as the timeline and history of NZ quakes which really help add vital background, depth and context to the disaster.

[Rachel (Sfogs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was certainly an experience.
The Feburary earthquake was worse though, happening in the middle of the day right under Christchurch, it killed many people.
And it hit months after any other big aftershocks, just when we were starting to feel safer.