▁a ▁reduction ▁of ▁the ▁yield ▁sizes . ▁Dr ought s ▁have ▁also ▁decre ased ▁apple ▁production ▁by ▁causing ▁sun burn s ▁and ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁water ▁available ▁for ▁ir rig ation . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁the ▁da iry ▁industry ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁affected , ▁and ▁has ▁actually ▁adjust ed ▁well ▁to ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁climate ▁change . ▁ ▁Natural ▁ha z ards ▁Flo oding ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁regular ▁natural ▁ha z ard . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁is ▁swe pt ▁by ▁weather ▁systems ▁that ▁bring ▁heavy ▁rain ; ▁settlement s ▁are ▁usually ▁close ▁to ▁hill - country ▁areas ▁which ▁experience ▁much ▁higher ▁ra inf all ▁than ▁the ▁low lands ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁or ographic ▁effect . ▁Mountain ▁streams ▁which ▁feed ▁the ▁major ▁rivers ▁rise ▁rapidly ▁and ▁frequently ▁break ▁their ▁banks ▁covering ▁far ms ▁with ▁water ▁and ▁s ilt . ▁Close ▁monitoring , ▁weather ▁forec ast ing , ▁stop b anks , ▁d ams , ▁and ▁re aff or est ation ▁program mes ▁in ▁hill ▁country ▁have ▁am el ior ated ▁the ▁worst ▁effects . ▁ ▁New ▁Zealand ▁experiences ▁around ▁ 1 4 , 0 0 0 ▁earth qu akes ▁a ▁year , ▁some ▁in ▁excess ▁of ▁magnitude ▁ 7 ▁( M 7 ). ▁Since ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁several ▁large ▁( M 7 , ▁M 6 . 3 , ▁M 6 . 4 , ▁M 6 . 2 ) ▁and ▁shall ow ▁( all ▁< 7   km ) ▁earth qu akes ▁have ▁occurred ▁immediately ▁beneath ▁Christ ch urch . ▁These ▁have