A Japanese scientist says last month's earthquake in New Zealand caused massive liquefaction in downtown Christchurch, intensifying damage. Liquefaction happens when quakes turn soil into a fluidlike mass.
Ehime University Associate Professor Shinichiro Mori entered central Christchurch on Sunday, after the authorities partially lifted the ban on entry to the area.
Mori assessed the extent of the liquefaction by asking questions, and by measuring cracks on roads and how much the roads had shifted. He found that one road had moved as much as 180 centimeters from its original position.
Mori confirmed that the quake caused huge liquefaction in central Christchurch.
He concluded that the liquefaction was a bigger cause of devastation to the city's buildings than the shock of the quake itself.
Mori said the extent of the liquidation caused by the quake was one of the largest on record. He said he will compare devastated areas with those with less damage to find out why some areas were affected more than others.
Monday, March 07, 2011 05:11 +0900 (JST)
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