Summary

Living in Wellington, New Zealand, is characterized by frequent strong winds and earthquakes, which have become a part of daily life for its residents.

Abstract

The article reflects on the unique challenges faced by residents of Wellington, NZ, where both wind and earthquakes are common natural occurrences. The author recounts personal experiences with severe weather and seismic events, including a memorable first winter when a car was blown into the harbor and various earthquakes that have blurred together over twenty years. Notable incidents include a walkway buckling, a seven-minute earthquake prompting a late-night evacuation, and a recent jolt out of bed. The city's infrastructure bears the scars of these events, with demolished buildings, closed facilities due to earthquake damage, and ongoing re-engineering projects. The author emphasizes the heightened awareness of earthquake safety, fault lines, and tsunami safe zones, as well as the psychological impact of living in a city where buildings are rated for earthquake resilience. Wellington's strong winds, which can cause buildings to creak and move similarly to the onset of an earthquake, add to the constant vigilance required of its inhabitants. Despite these challenges, the author maintains that the actual risk of earthquake-related death is not disproportionately high and that the wind is manageable, highlighting the resilience and adaptation of Wellington's residents to their environment.

Opinions

The author has a sense of humor about the extreme weather, joking about the wind's strength.
There is a clear sense of respect and caution towards the power of nature, particularly earthquakes.
The author expresses frustration with buildings not meeting earthquake codes, indicating a concern for public safety.
A level of resilience is conveyed, as the author acknowledges the risks but still finds Wellington to be a wonderful city.
The frequent checks of GeoNet after potential earthquakes suggest a reliance on technology for reassurance and information.
The author's anxiety about living in a tall, creaky building post-earthquake reflects the psychological toll of seismic activity.
The piece concludes with a reassurance that despite the natural challenges, Wellington remains a desirable place to live.

Wind or Earthquake? A daily occurrence living in Wellington, NZ.

The Reading Cinema car park building had to be demolished after the Kaikoura Earthquake. Photo: Mark Mitchell. Source: NZ Herald.

I will never forget my first winter in Wellington, the wind blew so hard it pushed a car into the harbor, I certainly wondered what we had gotten ourselves into moving from the UK.

I have, however, forgotten my first earthquake. They are not as common as strong wind, but they have happened enough in my twenty plus years here that my recollection blurs.

I remember the big ones obviously.

I remember the one I could hear coming as it rolled down the valley towards us and I was able to warn my flat in advance. Everyone thought I was omniscient.

I remember the one that caused the walkway to buckle above me (a design feature) and I was showered in wood dust.

I remember the one that went for seven minutes, shook Wellington to its core and forced us to walk to higher ground at 1am in the morning out of fear of a tsunami and I remember the short sharp one that jolted me out of bed three weeks ago.

Magnitude 6.5 earthquake that occurred in Cook Strait on 21 July 2013 caused considerable damage to the container wharf at Wellington’s CentrePort. Source: Te Ara.

I also remember the day the wind tore the facade off a four-story building.

The city is littered with empty sites of where buildings used to be, Sites containing closed buildings, (both our library and biggest cinema are closed due to earthquake damage), and sites of buildings under earthquake re-engineering.

Living in an earthquake city teaches you a lot. I know where our fault lines are, how to spot bits of architecture that could be dangerous in a shake, where our tsunami safe zones are, and to what level of earthquake code the buildings I frequent are.

Earthquake NBS rating, located on every building that could potentially harm in an earthquake. Source: Reddit.

Earthquakes hold a permanent presence in your psyche, as such you are always on guard for one.

Which is where our wind comes in.

The wind in Wellington is extraordinarily strong. It is listed as one of the top ten windiest places on earth, with the highest recorded wind being nearly 250 kph (150mph), and in our windiest year we had gale force winds for 233 days out of 365!

Buildings move and creak as the wind blasts away, which are the tell-tale signs an earthquake is starting.

“Was that an earthquake?” is commonly yelled across the office / home and disputes are settled by a trip to New Zealand’s most visited website GeoNet

Depending on your sensitivity to earthquakes it can be nerve wracking.

After the big wellington shakes, my tall creaky building kept my anxiety high for months, it was exhausting. I feared every creak was another earthquake and I genuinely feared dying in that building. My worries where validated a few years later when I discovered that building was not to code.

Wellington is a wonderful city, and the actual risk of dying by earthquake is not higher than anything else, the wind also is not that bad either.

But only in Wellington does the wind hit so hard you are worried it is an earthquake.

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