Warnings, response, recovery – big natural hazards conference at UC next week

Experts from all over New Zealand and overseas will discuss disaster warnings, responses and recovery trends at a major Australasian natural hazards management conference at the University of Canterbury (UC) next week.

More than 250 researchers and specialists will attend the August 22 and 23 conference which is expected to feature the Christchurch earthquakes and also the grounding of MV Rena off Tauranga.

One of the organisers, UC lecturer Tom Wilson, said the event had attracted widespread support from Australia and the United States.

``There is strong interest from overseas for this conference which is being held in a disaster zone city which has sustained so many earthquakes.

``A large number of CERA and central government officials are also attending as research and practitioners combine to find some answers to dealing with disasters,’’ Wilson said.

Christchurch earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 have provided natural hazards specialists with an opportunity to look at the response of civil defence, city council, fire, military, police and urban search and rescue.

Also, the grounding of MV Rena off the coast of Tauranga in 2011 provides an opportunity to reflect on the reactions by Maritime New Zealand, regional council and Department of Conservation.

Some of the many papers will look at the earthquake insurance, Christchurch’s residential rebuild, volcanic eruption warning challenges, behavioural response to Christchurch’s earthquakes, 80 years after Napier’s earthquake and relocating business after Christchurch’s earthquakes.