Is Christchurch safe? New Zealand travel risk
Is Christchurch safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Christchurch scores 21/100 on our travel risk index (Low). The US State Department rates New Zealand Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions, updated 29 Apr 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise normal security precautions. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Christchurch scores 21/100 (Low). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and New Zealand (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Christchurch: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: natural hazards (38/100) and security (17/100).
A score of 21 is higher than the scores of 9% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the New Zealand travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Location & Spatial Data
Found at 43.5311° S, 172.6361° E within Canterbury, Christchurch is situated 305.0 km NE of Wellington at an altitude of 14 m.
Canterbury
43.5311° S, 172.6361° E
14 m
Pacific/Auckland
383,200
Transit Links & Medical Facilities
Proximate Regional Communities (New Zealand)
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Christchurch happened in May and July (2 of 2 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
1 major seismic event recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.5 on 19 Sep 2023 (124 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the New Zealand travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the New Zealand entry requirements.
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