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The New Normal: Twelve Months of Resiliency and Recovery in Christchurch

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2013

Graeme J. McColl  and
Frederick M. Burkle Jr
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Abstract

The series of earthquakes and aftershocks that have hit Christchurch, New Zealand, for more than one year has been severe and sustained, resulting in major damage to homes, buildings, essential services, and resources in water, sewerage, food, access to health care, energy for heating and cooling, and unprecedented challenges to resiliency. Large swathes of destroyed buildings, land damage, and liquefaction have made rebuilding impossible for many. Populations have moved or report that they either wish to or plan to do so. For those who remain, a ”new normal” mindset has taken hold and serves as an objective measure for the process that defines daily life and future decisions. The new normal serves as an uncomfortable but realistic guideline by which further resiliency can be measured. A number of factors have led to the development of the new normal state for the Christchurch earthquake survivors.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:33-43)

Keywords

earthquakesdisaster resiliencydisaster managementdisaster recoveryChristchurch earthquakesurge capacityresilienceNew Zealandurban healthcommunity disaster responseemergency medical services
Type
From the Field
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , March 2012 , pp. 33 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2012

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