Previously unknown fault shakes New Zealand's South Island

At 4:35 A.M. local time on 4 September (1635 UTC, 3 September), a previously unrecognized fault system ruptured in the Canterbury region of New Zealands South Island, producing a moment magnitude (M_w) 7.1 earthquake that caused widespread damage throughout the area. In stark contrast to the 2010 M_w 7.0 Haiti earthquake, no deaths occurred and only two injuries were reported despite the epicenter's location about 40 kilometers west of Christchurch (population ∼386,000). The Canterbury region now faces a rebuilding estimated to cost more than NZ$4 billion (US$2.95 billion). On the positive side, this earthquake has provided an opportunity to document the dynamics and effects of a major strike-slip fault rupture in the absence of death or serious injury. The low-relief and well-maintained agricultural landscape of the Canterbury Plains helped scientists characterize very subtle earthquake-related ground deformation at high resolution, helping to classify the earthquake's basic geological features [Quigley et al., 2010]. The prompt mobilization of collaborating scientific teams allowed for rapid data capture immediately after the earthquake, and new scientific programs directed at developing a greater understanding of this event are under way.