Campus Alert Archive
Lafayette

Lafayette Geology Student in Christchurch Classroom When 6.3 Quake Struck, Then Relocated to Auckland

PAearthquakeadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On February 22, 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand at 12:51 PM local time, killing 185 people and destroying much of the city's central business district. Lafayette College student Emily Melvin was studying at the University of Canterbury through the IES Abroad program and was in a lecture hall during the earthquake. The IES program evacuated participants from Christchurch to the North Island, relocating them to the University of Auckland to continue their studies.

Alerts
2
Response
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Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
Lafayette College
Private Liberal Arts · PA
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction465 chars
Lafayette College is aware of the earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand today at approximately 12:51 PM local time. We are in contact with the IES Abroad program and working urgently to confirm the safety of our students. We have been in touch with Emily Melvin, who is safe. The University of Canterbury has suspended operations. Our students are currently sheltering with the IES program and will receive further instructions as the situation develops.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from Lafayette College's August 2011 profile of student Emily Melvin; the college confirmed it was in contact with students through e-mail, cell phone, and text messaging as services were restored.
Emily Melvin, a geology and American studies double major, was packing up after class in a second-floor lecture hall at the University of Canterbury's forestry building when the earthquake struck.
The University of Canterbury was closed until further notice after the earthquake; IES Abroad relocated all participants to the University of Auckland on the North Island.
UPDATEEmail
Approximate reconstruction516 chars
Our students previously enrolled at the University of Canterbury through IES Abroad have been safely relocated to the University of Auckland. They are continuing their semester there, though the disruption to their courses and living arrangements has required significant adjustments. We remain in close contact with our students and with IES Abroad. Students wishing to return home may do so with full academic support from Lafayette. Please contact the International and Off-Campus Education office for assistance.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The IES Abroad program relocated students to the University of Auckland within days of the earthquake; students arrived late, took different courses, and were living off campus rather than in dormitories.
Emily Melvin's experience of difficult adjustment inspired her senior honors project on emergency preparedness for study-abroad students, later published as an academic guide for study-abroad directors.
185 people were killed in the Christchurch earthquake; 133 of those deaths occurred in the Canterbury Television building collapse alone.
Context

Background

The February 22, 2011 Christchurch earthquake struck at 12:51 PM local time at a shallow depth of 5 km, causing catastrophic damage to the Christchurch central business district and killing 185 people. At the time, the University of Canterbury enrolled thousands of domestic and international students; many US students were attending through IES Abroad and other exchange programs. Lafayette College student Emily Melvin, a geology and American studies double major, was in a forestry lecture hall when the quake struck. The IES program quickly evacuated participants to the North Island, continuing the semester at the University of Auckland. A university official connected with study-abroad students through email, cell phone, and text messaging as services were restored. Melvin's firsthand experience with the institutional gaps in study-abroad emergency response motivated her senior honors project developing a practical emergency preparedness guide for study-abroad programs, which was covered by Lafayette College News in August 2011.
Outcome
Lafayette student and all IES Abroad participants evacuated safely from Christchurch and relocated to University of Auckland; University of Canterbury closed indefinitely.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Living through New Zealand Quake Inspires Emily Melvin to Improve Emergency Plans for Study Abroad Students - Lafayette College News
    news.lafayette.edu
  2. Source
    2011 Christchurch earthquake - Wikipedia
    en.wikipedia.org
  3. Source
    From 9/11 to Christchurch earthquakes: how unis have supported students after a crisis - The Conversation
    theconversation.com
Tags
study-abroadnew-zealandearthquakeinternationalevacuationadvisorychristchurchies-abroad2011
Added June 2026Updated June 2026Via ingestion