Christchurch and its remaining residents continue to be rattled by frequent and significant aftershocks in the wake of the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that shook the South Island city on Feb. 22.
According to city officials, an estimated 65,000 people, one-sixth of the city’s population, have fled amidst uncertainty about employment and further quakes, AFP reported.
Edward Robinson, a student living in Christchurch, told the Epoch Times in a telephone interview that those who have stayed behind are trying to get back to normal, despite the aftershocks.
“It just seems that you kind of get used to it,” he said. “The worst is past and now we are just focused on putting everything back together.”
On Monday, the government announced that up to 10,000 houses may need demolishing, and a further 100,000 houses require repairs. Some areas are hit so badly that whole streets and even suburbs may be abandoned, the New Zealand Herald reported.
“There will be some homes that cannot be rebuilt and as a result of the second earthquake, there are potentially some sections and some areas of Christchurch which will need to be abandoned,” said Prime Minister John Key.
The aftershocks are still strong and regular with GeoNet already measuring seven quakes on the morning of Tuesday, March 8, ranging in magnitude from 2.9 to 3.7. Liquefaction is spreading in some parts of the Eastern suburbs, such as Avonside, and land has sunk in places.
“The early indications are that some [liquefaction] is so significant we can’t remediate it in any timeframe ... I don’t know how large—it might be limited to streets but it might be larger than that.”
Edward said that the Eastern suburbs are very badly damaged and in need of help. “Everyone is pulling finger,” he said. “Most of my friends are in areas that weren’t very badly affected, but people are going around giving out food and water, and taking care of each other,” Key said.
“They are handing out masks because the dust is mixed with water, silt and sewage, so it is actually quite unhealthy,” Edward said. “When it gets bad, if it’s a dry day, then you have to wear a mask because there is just so much mess in the air. I find myself constantly sneezing and coughing.”
Civil Defense temporarily lifted some sections of the CBD cordon on Sunday morning. The center has been divided into five zones, with zones 1 to 4 surrounding the red no go zone at the heart of the city, and people required to carry identification in all zones.
Residents and business owners are now allowed access in phases with six hours to inspect and secure their properties. Building teams and locksmiths will assist, co-ordinated by City Care.
“They are slowly opening up the edges of the central city so people can go into their houses and get things,” Edward said. “The whole focus has been on [the] clean up, getting the silt off the street, draining the flooded streets, and just now starting to tear down all of the broken buildings so they don’t cause anymore damage.”
Edward said 300 policemen from New South Wales in Australia have come over to help keep law and order in the CBD, along with New Zealand soldiers and police.
“It is really tight. You would have to be a complete idiot to go and… loot when every single street in and out of town has three policemen in it, or five people from the army on it.”
“There has still been a surprising amount of home robbery,” he said. “I have had two friends that have been robbed, but not in the heavily affected areas.”
“There were two young lads who got caught stealing a generator or two from a camp site for displaced people. Their faces were on the front of the newspaper and they were heckled. I think… that fear of public shame now it’s helped to dissuade people from doing anything dodgy.”
According to city officials, an estimated 65,000 people, one-sixth of the city’s population, have fled amidst uncertainty about employment and further quakes, AFP reported.
Edward Robinson, a student living in Christchurch, told the Epoch Times in a telephone interview that those who have stayed behind are trying to get back to normal, despite the aftershocks.
“It just seems that you kind of get used to it,” he said. “The worst is past and now we are just focused on putting everything back together.”
On Monday, the government announced that up to 10,000 houses may need demolishing, and a further 100,000 houses require repairs. Some areas are hit so badly that whole streets and even suburbs may be abandoned, the New Zealand Herald reported.
“There will be some homes that cannot be rebuilt and as a result of the second earthquake, there are potentially some sections and some areas of Christchurch which will need to be abandoned,” said Prime Minister John Key.
The aftershocks are still strong and regular with GeoNet already measuring seven quakes on the morning of Tuesday, March 8, ranging in magnitude from 2.9 to 3.7. Liquefaction is spreading in some parts of the Eastern suburbs, such as Avonside, and land has sunk in places.
“The early indications are that some [liquefaction] is so significant we can’t remediate it in any timeframe ... I don’t know how large—it might be limited to streets but it might be larger than that.”
Edward said that the Eastern suburbs are very badly damaged and in need of help. “Everyone is pulling finger,” he said. “Most of my friends are in areas that weren’t very badly affected, but people are going around giving out food and water, and taking care of each other,” Key said.
“They are handing out masks because the dust is mixed with water, silt and sewage, so it is actually quite unhealthy,” Edward said. “When it gets bad, if it’s a dry day, then you have to wear a mask because there is just so much mess in the air. I find myself constantly sneezing and coughing.”
Civil Defense temporarily lifted some sections of the CBD cordon on Sunday morning. The center has been divided into five zones, with zones 1 to 4 surrounding the red no go zone at the heart of the city, and people required to carry identification in all zones.
Residents and business owners are now allowed access in phases with six hours to inspect and secure their properties. Building teams and locksmiths will assist, co-ordinated by City Care.
“They are slowly opening up the edges of the central city so people can go into their houses and get things,” Edward said. “The whole focus has been on [the] clean up, getting the silt off the street, draining the flooded streets, and just now starting to tear down all of the broken buildings so they don’t cause anymore damage.”
Edward said 300 policemen from New South Wales in Australia have come over to help keep law and order in the CBD, along with New Zealand soldiers and police.
“It is really tight. You would have to be a complete idiot to go and… loot when every single street in and out of town has three policemen in it, or five people from the army on it.”
“There has still been a surprising amount of home robbery,” he said. “I have had two friends that have been robbed, but not in the heavily affected areas.”
“There were two young lads who got caught stealing a generator or two from a camp site for displaced people. Their faces were on the front of the newspaper and they were heckled. I think… that fear of public shame now it’s helped to dissuade people from doing anything dodgy.”
