The fault, which runs about 600km up the western side of the South Island, poses one of the biggest natural threats to New Zealand. Photo / Getty ImagesThe next major rupture of the South Island's Alpine Fault will prove one of the largest - if not the biggest - that earthquakes Kiwis have ever experienced. "When the Alpine Fault next ruptures, it will produce seismic waves that propagate out in all directions," Townend said. The next Alpine Fault earthquake would likely also be a long-duration event – unzipping the crust for as much as three minutes - because of the sheer length of the fault. Source / GNS ScienceTownend said detailed geological and geophysical studies of the Alpine Fault over the past decade - and the Canterbury and Kaikōura quakes themselves - had done much to fill in knowledge gaps about potential Alpine Fault scenarios.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 18, 2020 16:02 UTC