Last FridayB次元官网网址檚 earthquake near Port Hardy reminds us all to prepare for the big one. But while most of us think about surviving the first 72 hours, many of the serious consequences are much further down the road. Christchurch, New Zealand has proven a useful case study for what to expect.

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One year after the first of three earthquakes to hit Christchurch, New Zealand, thousands of residents are only now learning the true impact of the disaster on their lives.

Whole neighbourhoods must be simply abandoned because the soil has been rated unfit for remediation or uninsurable.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a sobering scene brought home to Victoria, which is ChristchurchB次元官网网址檚 sister city in many ways, including its population, the age of its architecture and the importance of tourism.

Emergency planners for Victoria and Saanich travelled to New Zealand twice to get a first-hand perspective. They delivered their message Thursday to a unique audience: councils from both municipalities, who combined their meeting for the first time to deal with issues of regional significance.

One lesson learned is the significance of soil type.

Maps of high-risk soil zones proved to be a fairly accurate predictor of damage to buildings and pipes.

Where retrofitted, underground infrastructure performed fairly well, said Brock Henson of the Saanich Emergency Program. Soil type, however, was a more important factor in whether water, sewer and storm pipes sustained damage during the quake, he added.

Similar maps exist of Greater Victoria, which identify areas subject to a risk of liquefaction.

The term refers to the water in the soil thatB次元官网网址檚 squeezed out to the surface during an earthquake.

Robert Johns, with the Victoria Emergency Management Agency, saw instances in Christchurch.

B次元官网网址淵ou see these big sand boils that bubbled out of the ground B次元官网网址� It almost looks like at a beach when a clam will create a little hole and a little mound around it.B次元官网网址�

When under a building, however, these boils can buckle the foundation.

In Christchurch today, much of the downtown is still closed and 60,000 people have moved away. The loss of revenue for the city is spurring layoffs. Some heritage buildings have seen their insurance skyrocket from $3,000 to $30,000.

Houses that appeared at first to stand up well to the quakes must be demolished because theyB次元官网网址檙e no longer functional.  B次元官网网址淭he doors donB次元官网网址檛 close, the windows donB次元官网网址檛 open,B次元官网网址� said Johns. B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 economical to try to fix them B次元官网网址� In many of the areas theyB次元官网网址檙e finding out now that the house theyB次元官网网址檙e in has to be torn down or the neighbourhood has to be basically closed.B次元官网网址�

The delay is due to the continual aftershocks, and the sheer number of buildings requiring inspection.

B次元官网网址淲e learned that a medium- and long-term housing solution is needed,B次元官网网址� said Henson. Also needed is more expertise in rapid damage assessment.

The good news is that Victoria has fewer areas of gravelly or sandy soil, which is more susceptible to ground shaking. Johns said he wouldnB次元官网网址檛 expect to see any neighbourhoods abandoned here should a really strong earthquake hit. But there will likely be pockets of damage in every neighbourhood.

Low to medium risk zones include portions of Fairfield encompassing the heart of Cook Street Village.

Most of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 high and very high risk areas sit on old-fill hugging the waterfront, such as Ogden Point, Rock Bay,   the ferry terminals along Belleville Street, and the Empress and Victoria Conference Centre near the Inner Harbour.

A large portion of Vic West adjacent to the Gorge Waterway is also in the red, including two major ongoing developments, Dockside Green and Railyards.

Their location, however, doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean theyB次元官网网址檙e doomed.

B次元官网网址淭hose buildings B次元官网网址� are engineered for the soil type there,B次元官网网址� Johns said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l anchor the building very deep.B次元官网网址�

Factors that cause damage are numerous. The size, location and depth of the earthquake, the ground conditions, the construction type and age of the building, said Johns. B次元官网网址淪ome of itB次元官网网址檚 nature and some of itB次元官网网址檚 man.B次元官网网址�

Insurance options can vary by area.

Some insurance companies restrict earthquake insurance based on postal code, said Rosslyn Milne, a branch manager with Megson FitzPatrick Insurance.

Within the Victoria region, however, such restrictions are rare, she said.