Quick Dips

New Natural Hazards Service

The Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Limited has announced plans for a new round-the-clock subscriber Hazards Service which will supply clients with fast and detailed information on earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides.

The proposed service, which will take several years to be fully operational, has recently been boosted by a $500,000 injection from the Earthquake Commission. The service will see the institute providing detailed shaking-intensity and damage assessment reports to clients within minutes of a major earthquake or eruption.

Group Manager of Hazards, Robin Falconer, says clients would then be in a position to make informed decisions and take fast pre-emptive action to minimise losses and further damage. "The aim is to help clients minimise loss of production, loss of customers, damage to major assets and damage to distribution and supply networks," Falconer says.

Set-up costs of $7 million would be spread over the next three years and the annual operating cost would be $3 million over and above funding the Institute presently receives to run its instrument networks and volcano surveillance programme.

Falconer says historical and scientific evidence shows the risk to New Zealanders and the country's economy from earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides is significantly greater than the experience of the past 50 years indicates.

"Now that the impact of these hazards can be realistically quantified, it makes sense to prepare and take action to lessen their impact."

An important part of the service would be the provision of scientific advice to help clients reduce the risks to installations and, after an event, assist in returning to full operational capability.

General Manager of the Earthquake Commission, David Middleton, says recent overseas experience has demonstrated that prompt and accurate information on natural catastrophes could greatly reduce casualties and property losses. The new service would enable the Commission to be in a position to settle insurance claims promptly and fairly, Middleton says.

"The institute will substantially improve its seismograph network and surveillance equipment so that all instruments provide real-time measurements," Falconer says. "At present a proportion of the nationwide network of seismographs send stored information to the Seismological Observatory in Wellington just once a week."

Currently it can take hours for the operators of hydro dams, airports, hospitals, railway bridges, ports and large industrial facilities to get a clear picture of the impact of an earthquake. This can be attributed partly to limitations in the Institute's present instrument network which will be addressed as the service takes shape.

Once operating, the service would enable clients to know within minutes about the amount of ground shaking and the possible level of damage at a given site. Fast and well-targeted pre-emptive action, mapped out in advance with the client, would follow to minimise further damage. Improved surveillance of active volcanoes would also be part of the service, including monitoring the potential risks from lahars and enhanced warning systems for eruptions.