press.co.nz SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 4-5, 2011 Retail $2.60 New faults fail to dull optimism Paul Gorman findings released yesterday are 25km long. While it had the Science reporter preliminary and that more potential to generate a quake of research is needed. between magnitude 6.0 and 7.0, Three confirmed new faults and The most important missing there was ‘‘no strong evidence’’ two other areas of likely active piece of the puzzle are results from aftershocks were migrating off- faults have been identified near the underground surveying of shore onto any fault structures in Christchurch by scientists what has become known as ‘‘the Pegasus Bay, he said. examining seismic hazards around gap’’. Pettinga said the sub-surface the city. Survey lines in the aftershock- Port Hills fault, responsible for the Extensive surveying over the rich area between the eastern end deadly February 22 magnitude 6.3 past two months has uncovered a of the Greendale Fault and the quake, showed up on a survey 25-kilometre-long fault under the western tip of the Port Hills fault along the beach from Waimairi sea off Kaiapoi. Two faults run were completed only last Saturday. Beach to the tip of Southshore, as almost directly below central Canterbury University geologi- did another less clear fault further Christchurch and two patches cal sciences Professor Jarg Pet- north. containing possible small faults – tinga , who has directed the A north-south survey line down one off the Brighton coast and the seismic surveying work, said the Barbadoes St also showed an second just north of Port Levy and analysis was under way but it underground fault below about Pigeon Bay. would take another four weeks or Moorhouse Ave. But the outlook may not be as so before those findings could be Natural Hazards Platform man- grim as it sounds. Scientists released. ager Dr Kelvin Berryman, of GNS delivered a largely optimistic Earthquake Recovery Minister Science, said that fault appeared to message for the people of Canter- Gerry Brownlee said the media be the ‘‘home’’ of the damaging bury at a briefing yesterday. briefing was a chance to update the Boxing Day quake. Despite their findings they say: public on everything scientists had The three faults were lying ❏ The tsunami risk from the large been able to deduce so far about roughly parallel in an east-north- Shingle underfoot: Marcos Albornoz trains for tomorrow’s marathon on emergency flood protection walls beside the Avon River. Photo: DON SCOTT offshore fault is believed to be very the Canterbury quakes. east/west-south-west orientation low because it is unlikely to Findings from the intensive underneath the Christchurch area. generate a quake higher than research programme would Barnes said small active faults magnitude 7.0. Also, its past inform future building codes. were likely in an area offshore on movement has been mostly hori- National Institute of Water and the same line as the Port Hills fault Marathon runners wary of cracks zontal rather than vertical. Atmospheric Research principal where aftershocks had been ❏ There is no sign that scientist Philip Barnes said a centred. aftershocks are spreading offshore survey by the research vessel The second area off the north Marc Greenhill train on had been difficult. Albornoz, a barista in the cen- which turned 30 last year, was onto, or close to, it or other already Kaharoa of the sediments and coast of Banks Peninsula was also ‘‘QEII is not open, and that is tral city, had been running to work under threat after the quake recognised Pegasus Bay faults. bedrocks below the Pegasus Bay thought to contain small faults. Runners training on Chri- somewhere that had been really to supplement his training, but the damaged much of the ❏ The offshore faults are very seabed in March covered about 800 But no aftershocks had been stchurch’s earthquake-damaged useful for my training, so I’ve cafe has been closed since the 21.1-kilometre course around the slow moving, among the slowest square kilometres. recorded there. streets have been watching their needed to improvise,’’ he said. February quake. city centre and Avon River. moving in the country. It confirmed the location of Rock layers below the sea had step in the buildup to the SBS ‘‘It’s a little bit messy around The unexpected free time had A course around Lincoln is ❏ The faults underneath Christ- offshore faults near the Ashley made it very difficult to survey in Marathon. here, and if I go out too late or too been a bonus, he said. expected to attract about 3500 church are not particularly large River, and revealed the existence that location. Marcos Albornoz, who will run early you can’t really see what’s ‘‘It’s been good to have training runners for the 42km event. and appear to have very long of a roughly east-west oriented his second marathon tomorrow at going on on the footpath. There are and something on my mind other intervals between rupturing. fault off the coast near Kaiapoi that ❯❯ Lincoln, said finding safe roads many cracks and it’s not even, so than the earthquake,’’ he said. ❯❯ However, they also say the was in several segments and about Gossip fills gap A2 around his New Brighton home to you have to be really careful.’’ Tomorrow’s annual event, Favourite D3 Summer’s a sandy beach in the mall Vicki Anderson like the opening of it for Cup and The biggest problem so far was but it would be good to have it all Show Week is the time to do it,’’ sourcing the 30 tonnes of sand. summer long so people could make A sandy beach may become part of Gap Filler director Coralie Winn ‘‘It’s just a little tiny idea right the most of it when the weather’s plans to reopen City Mall for Cup said. now. It hasn’t got a space and it good. and Show Week. ‘‘We’re hoping to do an inner- doesn’t have any money, but we’re ‘‘It needs to be really well Creative initiative Gap Filler city beach with a Club Tropicana, pretty confident we can do it thought through. hopes to create a sandy strip for Brazilian or Hollywood Beach because everyone we talk to about ‘‘You can’t move 30 tonnes of the planned October 29 reopening Boys Hawaii theme. We have lots it gets really excited about it,’’ she sand with volunteers and of the western section of City Mall. of ideas. We imagine it could be a said. wheelbarrows.’’ ‘‘It’s just an idea at this stage public space that is family-friendly ‘‘How long it’s in place depends but we’re hoping to do a Gap Filler and that it could host music and on the landowner and how long ❯❯ project in Cashel Mall and it seems film.’’ their schedule is for rebuilding, Dux talks positive A9 TO SUBSCRIBE PH 0800 THE PRESS Surf Laundry Powderwder 2x AIR FREIGHT EXTRA 50¢ Concentrate 1kg/Liquid/Liquid Range 410-475mll Limit 4 Assorted ● Richmond ● Nelson City ● Takaka ● Picton (Until Sunday 5th June 2011 $ 79 ●Barrington ● Merivale ● Parklands ● Roslyn or while stocks last) 3 each ● Queenstown ● Te Anau SAVE FROM $4.79 fccp0406.