A vast earthquake two age ago is thought to have brought the two islands of New Zealand nigher together , according to scientist .
Speaking to the New Zealand websiteStufflast week , Dr Sigrún Hreinsdóttir from GNS Science said that the magnitude 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake on November 14 , 2016 , had bring the two islands about 5 meter ( 16.5 feet ) closer together . Although the disruption between them is still about 50 kilometers ( 30 mile ) , they ’re getting nearer now due to uncertain fault lines .
The quake is report to have snap aside at least 25 faults , although it ’s not clear which one has move the island closer . Since the quake , the spread has narrowed a further 35 centimeter ( 13.8 inches ) from Cape Campbell in the south to Wellington in the north , while the city of Nelson on the South Island has also sunk a small amount , up to 20 millimeter ( 0.8 in ) .
" In reality we are consume all these crawling going on and the motion is , which is the prevailing factor?”saidDr Hreinsdóttir . “ The theme there was a quite pregnant constituent on that plate interface was the surprising affair to us . ”
The Kaikōura quake started in Waiau , North Canterbury , and moved towards Cook Strait . It is thought to have caused land to lift by more than 6 metre ( 20 foot ) in some localization on the Marlborough sea-coast and dropped by 2 meters ( 6.5 human foot ) elsewhere .
“ The Kaikoura seism struck just after midnight and cannonball along north from the middle of the South Island towards Cook Strait covering 170 kilometers [ 106 miles ] in about 74 secondment , ” say theAFP .
“ New Zealand lies in the hit zone between the Indo - Australian and Pacific tectonic plates , part of the Pacific Basin Ring of Fire , and experiences more than 15,000 earthquakes a year although only 100 - 150 are strong enough to be feel . ”
speak toThe Guardian , GNS ’s primary scientist Dr Kevin Berryman observe that it was “ strange that 25 fault ruptured simultaneously ” during the seism .
“ It ’s just to say that all earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 and above are invariably very complex , ” Dr Berryman added . “ We have to be prepared to endure with a level of risk , but we should be asking how much risk of infection is acceptable ? ”
According toGNS Science , the Kaikōura earthquake was “ one of the most complex earthquake ” ever recorded in the world . The solid ground is continuing to interchange even today , with rain , wearing , and human activity wearing down some of the changes .
“ It is telling to see areas that look benignant to us at a human timescale being totally reworked by the military group of nature , ” they said .
