Ancient kelp has revealed Dunedin is at risk of a large earthquake similar in size to the 2016 Kaikōura quake.
The DNA of old kelp found south of Dunedin shows a major earthquake occurred 1000 years ago lifting parts of the coast two to three metres out of the water, wiping out entire kelp species.
Until this discovery, the Akatore Fault in Southland hadn't been known to be the site of large quakes.
Jon Waters is a biologist at the University of Otago and is a co-author of the study.
He talks to Corin Dann.
