AF8 [Alpine Fault magnitude 8], in collaboration with leading earthquake scientists and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups, is bringing the award-winning AF8 Roadshow to more than 22 communities in the South Island.

The "AF8 Roadshow: The Science Beneath Our Feet", sponsored by Toka Tū Ake EQC, will tour the South Island for its third time from March to June 2023, sharing world-leading science with local communities.

The AF8 Roadshow aims to share the Alpine Fault hazard science with communities to improve understanding of the hazard risk and enable conversations on how to be better prepared. This year the tour includes 22 public talks and 11 school sessions, visiting Tuatapere, Winton, Cromwell, Haast, Fox Glacier, Rotoiti St Arnaud, Motueka, Christchurch, Ashburton, Temuka, Fairlie, Ōamaru, Balclutha, Seddon and Linkwater for the first time, and returning to Te Anau, Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika.

A complete itinerary is available on the AF8 website: https://af8.org.nz/explore-the-science/af8-roadshow

"The AF8 Roadshow plays a critical role in raising awareness and increasing our preparedness for the next large Alpine Fault earthquake, and any similar large-scale events. By sharing the science with communities in a context that is relevant to them we can support informed decision-making at a local level. It’s about understanding how our landscape moves, so we can be better prepared to move with it." said AF8 Programme Manager, Alice Lake-Hammond.

Toka Tū Ake EQC Chief Resilience & Research Officer Dr. Jo Horrocks says that recent weather events have shown how important it is we be prepared for different natural hazards. “Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent storms have shown how much our lives can be turned upside down by natural hazards. A significant event on the Alpine Fault has the potential to impact the entire South Island and beyond, so it’s so important that we’re well-informed and doing all we can to build our resilience now."

Associate Prof. Caroline Orchiston, the AF8 Science-lead, stated, "We can't predict when earthquakes will occur, but scientific research has shown that the Alpine Fault has a history of generating regular, large earthquakes. The next major Alpine Fault event is likely to occur within our lifetime, and we must take steps now to prepare."

Events are hosted by the six South Island CDEM Groups and supported by world-leading earthquake research and science experts from Resilience to Nature's Challenges, QuakeCoRE, GNS Science, University of Otago, University of Canterbury, and the University of Auckland.

The AF8 Roadshow is part of an ongoing series of activities designed to support conversations and knowledge sharing around large natural hazard events like an Alpine Fault earthquake, ensuring that communities and agencies are collectively better prepared.

AF8 [Alpine Fault magnitude 8] is a collaboration between the six South Island's CDEM Groups, their partner agencies, stakeholders, and scientists. It commenced in July 2016 and is led by Emergency Management Southland on behalf of the South Island CDEM groups. AF8 aims to share the Alpine Fault hazard and impact science and preparedness information widely, through communication and engagement activities, to increase awareness, enable conversation and build societal preparedness to natural hazard events in the South Island.

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