Paul Gorman writes in The Press that scientists believe that the earthquake which shook Canterbury last weekend could have had a beneficial effect: the timing of next big earthquake in the region could have been pushed back.
A number of faults moved during the earthquake, although it is too early to say yet whether any of these slippages actually caused the earthquake.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Different types of ground motion had been experienced around the Hororata Fault and the previously hidden Rolleston Fault, Quigley said.
“”The people around this area felt themselves thrust straight up into the air. The first we felt in Christchurch was from side-to-side.”
“Strain on faults around the region had been relieved as as result.
“”When the earthquakes occurred they released all the energy that had been stored up in that fault over time.
“”If we find out that other faults have slipped as well, it is likely that has taken some of the strain energy off the other faults. The more [faults] we find that have slipped in this event, the better.””