Auckland sits near an active faultline, new research suggests, so what next for New Zealand’s biggest city?

Most of New Zealand’s earthquakes occur in the south, but a new study suggests the northern city of Auckland could have a greater risk than previously thought. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

A fault line south of New Zealand’s most populated city, Auckland, is active and could trigger a devastating earthquake, new research shows, dispelling the region’s long-held belief it was largely immune from intense seismic activity.

The research has also raised questions over the recent decision to exempt Auckland from earthquake building regulation.