Leading earthquake scientists Caroline Orchiston and Mark Stirling will be at the Invercargill Workingmens Club on May 24 with the award-winning AF8 Roadshow.

The scientists are both Otago University professors and belong to a larger team of scientists and civil defence experts travelling the South Island raising awareness of the Alpine Fault and the potential impacts of a future magnitude 8 earthquake – hence the title AF8.

The interactive “AF8 Roadshow: The Science Beneath Our Feet” is designed to share the story of the Alpine Fault and how people can prepare for it.  

Advertisement: Bike Fiordland

Advertise on the Southland App

AF8 Programme Lead, Alice Lake-Hammond said the real success of the group’s work has been the programme’s ability to blend world-leading science with local knowledge and experience.

“The roadshow plays a pivotal role in this. By making this science available in a community setting, sharing it in a local context where it is of most relevance to the community, this is where it comes alive and where we see actions beginning to be taken. 

“Whether that be identifying local resources and expertise or the beginnings of a community plan, anything we do now will make a difference in the future and the roadshow provides a space where informed conversations can happen,” Ms Lake-Hammond said.

Earthquake Commission chief resilience and research officer Dr Jo Horrocks said thinking about the Alpine Fault and its potential impact could feel daunting, but there was a lot people could do to prepare and increase their resilience for when a quake occurred. 

“From knowing how to drop, cover and hold and storing food and water, to larger actions like securing tall and heavy furniture to the wall, or removing hazardous chimney types,” Dr Horrocks said.

Advertisement: Auction Groom

Advertise on the Southland App

Associate Professor Orchiston agreed.

“While we can’t predict when earthquakes will occur, scientific research has shown that the Alpine Fault has a history of generating regular, large earthquakes. 

“The next major Alpine Fault event is likely to occur within the lifetime of most of us, or of our children and young people, for whom it will have major short and long-term impacts.”

Prof Orchiston is the acting director and research associate professor at the Centre for Sustainability at the University of Otago. 

She is the science lead for AF8, a collaboration between South Island Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups and the science community.

Her research interests include natural hazards and societal resilience, with a particular interest in the tourism sector. 

Advertisement: Mai Midwife

Advertise on the Southland App

Professor Stirling was appointed the inaugural Chair of Earthquake Science at the University of Otago in 2016, and is a seismologist with a multidisciplinary background in geology and seismology. 

Prior to moving to Dunedin, he was a principal scientist at GNS Science. 

He has led the development of the last three versions of the national seismic hazard model for New Zealand (1998, 2002 and 2012), which is the hazard basis for the New Zealand Loadings Standard. 

In his present role his efforts include understanding the occurrence of large earthquakes and likely ground motions in low seismicity regions like Otago, and the development of seismic hazard models for critical facilities in New Zealand and abroad.

The AF8 Roadshow was founded in 2016 as a collaboration between civil defence groups, partner agencies, stakeholders and scientists. It is funded by the Earthquake Commission.

Go to the show: Monday May 24, 7pm, Invercargill Workingmens Club, 154 Esk Street, Invercargill.

More information here: