By mapping possible rupture scenarios, AF8 develops effective emergency response plans. The New Zealand government is supporting projects like AF8, a collaboration between scientists and the National Civil Defense, to prepare for an M8 Alpine Fault earthquake. New research affirms that the next magnitude 8.0 (M8) Alpine Fault rupture, which has a 30 percent chance of occurring in the next 50 years, would devastate Franz Josef. In the line of fire is the small town of Franz Josef, just 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the often-visited Franz Josef glacier in the Southern Alps or Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (the Maori name), a popular destination for visitors. The 600 kilometer-long (370 mile) faultline on the boundary of the Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates beneath the country’s South Island produces infrequent but significant earthquakes. Running through the heart of New Zealand’s glacier country is the infamous Alpine Fault. Source: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC The Alpine Fault is visible as the boundary between the snow-covered Southern Alps and the green plains on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
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