New Zealand earthquake gives unexpected benefit
New Zealand earthquake gives unexpected benefit - The Kaikoura earthquake of November 2016 measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and cost the lives of two people on New Zealand's south island. However, the local council in the resort town of Kaikoura says that coastal uplift caused by the quake raised 120 km (75 miles) of coastline by between one to eight metres (3-26 feet), potentially putting previously at-risk infrastructure out of harm's way from sea erosion, Radio New Zealand reports. Local mayor Winston Gray said that the council had previously expected to budget millions of dollars on the coastal erosion issue, which has been a major concern for towns along South Island's east coast. "Now with the uplift, certainly it has taken the issue away for a given period of time," he told Radio New Zealand, "How long, we don't know."