New Zealand’s Earthquake Commission (EQC) has awarded a $NZ70,000 ($62,441) research grant to pinpoint infrastructure risks in the North Island city of Hamilton.

It follows the discovery last year by researchers Vicki Moon and Willem de Lange of previously unknown fault lines in the area.

“We’re having to go further underground, because the surface data doesn’t identify the specific fault details,” Dr de Lang said.

“The EQC grant has allowed us to make seismic surveys of the Waikato River basin.

“Once we have this more reliable evidence, it will give us a better idea of the risk to some of the key city infrastructure areas.”

New Zealand is vulnerable to earthquakes because it straddles the boundary between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates.