In addition to response missions, GeoNet also supports research into the causes and behaviour of landslides in New Zealand.
After the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, GNS Science installed continuous GPS (cGPS), water-level, and rainfall monitoring equipment on selected landslides in the Port Hills suburbs of Christchurch. More...
Information recorded from the landslide is being used to calculate the landslide velocity, identify areas of movement, and assess the movement patterns of the landslide to aid KiwiRail to plan potential mitigation strategies. More
The Young River Landslide occurred on the North Branch of the Young River, near Lake Wānaka, New Zealand, at 4:40am on 29 August 2007. More...
Between 12 and 16 February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle triggered at least 140,000 landslides across the North Island damaging houses, power lines, bridges, roads and creating dams across channels, and sadly, resulting in the death of five people. This is potentially the largest mapped landslide-triggering event on record in Aotearoa.
The Cyclone Gabrielle landslide mapping project is led by GNS engineering geologists, Drs Chris Massey and Kerry Leith, and is being delivered in partnership with NEMA, Manaaki Whenua, University of Canterbury, and the University of Auckland. Funding for the initial emergency response was provided through the GeoNet project, while MBIE funding under the Strategic Science Investment Fund Extreme Weather Science Response enabled the capture of this unique dataset. Globally, this is believed to be the largest mapped landslide-triggering event on record. The data collected is being used to assess the event's impact and to inform hazard and risk models for future events.
Read more about the Cyclone Gabrielle landslide recovery project
Learn more about landslides and other landslide projects underway at GNS Science