Christchurch earthquakes: Public health response and recovery

Background/Purpose On 4 September 2010 a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck 30km west of Christchurch, the major city in New Zealand's South Island , population 350,000. Despite extensive property and infrastructure damage, there were no fatalities. Much greater damage and 185 deaths resulted from a shallow 6.3 magnitude aftershock five months later.

Methods The acute public health responses addressed disruption to water and sewerage systems, food safety, welfare centre needs, recreational water contamination, and mental health. Longer term challenges include housing quality, social disruption, and re-establishing suburban centres and the Central Business District, which remains closed for building demolition. Key components of the public health response included adopting an emergency response structure, growing partnerships with other agencies, enhanced disease surveillance, and public communications. Most local public health work is now oriented to earthquake recovery, and our “Integrated Recovery Planning Guide” (IRPCG), describing a Health in All Policies approach to recovery planning, has been widely distributed.

Results/Outcomes In spite of extensive disruption to housing and water and sewerage systems there were no documented gastroenteritis outbreaks post-earthquake, and influenza rates were low during the 2011 winter. Vulnerable residents have received priority for winter heating assistance. Partnerships with other health and non-health agencies have been strengthened, and the IRPG is in widespread use in recovery planning.

Conclusions The earthquakes have provided major challenges but also significant opportunities for public health, highlighting the importance of both traditional health protection approaches and upstream Health in All Policies work.