Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch - September 2010 - January 2011

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Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Powerful 7.1 quake hits New Zealand's South Island

By RAY LILLEY (AP) ? 42 minutes ago

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</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Building owners Dean Marshall, left and Shaun Stockman, right, are seen outside their building damaged in a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in central Christchurch, New Zealand, early Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010. A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck much of New Zealand's South Island early Saturday. No tsunami alert was issued and there were no reports of injuries, but looters broke into some damaged shops in Christchurch, police said. (AP Photo/NZPA, David Alexander)



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Excerpt:

Panicked residents in their pajamas ran into the streets of the southern city of Christchurch after the pre-dawn quake, residents said. There were reports of some people trapped in damaged buildings ? though none appeared to be crushed by rubble ? and a few looters broke into some of the damaged shops in the city of 400,000, authorities said.

Chimneys and walls had fallen from older buildings, roads had been blocked, traffic lights out and power, gas and water supplies disrupted, Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said. He warned that continuing aftershocks could cause masonry to fall from damaged buildings.

"The fronts of at least five buildings in the central city have collapsed, and rubble is strewn across many roads," Christchurch resident Angela Morgan told The Associated Press. "There is quite significant damage, really, with reports that some people were trapped in damaged houses."

.../

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gLE5Mss9oMr_dpRNOuQ19HacFrRQD9I0Q5RO0

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Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

What did you see and hear during the quake?
Alert the Herald.


A road damaged in the earthquake. Photo / Mark Quigley.




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Cellular networks in Canterbury are being restored to normal with both generator and mains power, but users are still being urged to stay off their cellphones unless they need to make essential calls.

The earthquake led to widespread power cuts across the region this morning, and cellular networks began to run out of power as batteries went flat soon after.

Both Telecom and Vodafone said although the networks did not crash, they immediately encouraged people to stay off their cellphones.
Some cellular calls were affected but both major cellphone companies said the networks generally performed well.

Mr Brislen said Vodafone asked TVNZ to stop asking people to send in footage of the quake damage on their cellular phones because it was threatening to overload the network.

Robin Kelly, a spokesman for network maintenance company Chorus, said the fixed line network had remained stable.
Power is also being restored to Christchurch area by area.

He said the network was not badly damaged but power was cut as a precaution.

14.10pm

Waimakariri District Council is advising Kaiapoi residents to leave town if possible, as it may be a long time before water or sewerage services are restored.

On Radio New Zealand, council chief executive Jim Palmer said the council was setting up an emergency centre.

Local MP Kate Wilkinson said the streets had been cordoned off and community patrols were working to keep people out of danger areas.
Kaiapoi's main road is closed, as is the bridge in the middle of the town.

13.55pm

Christchurch Airport is once again operational as of 1.30pm. Travellers should contact their airline prior to travel to check flight schedules.

After the airport runways and infrastructure were assessed for damage, the airport reopened before the Prime Minister and other ministers were due to arrive.

Air New Zealand said 77 domestic flights and 11 international flights had been affected by the airport closure, and it was likely to take the rest of the day to clear the backlog of passengers.

Inbound international flights had been diverted to Auckland and Wellington airports.

13.50pm

MetService has issued a severe gale warning for the city, predicting winds averaging 65kmh (gale force) with gusts to 130km.

The 7.1 magnitude quake has left many homes exposed to the elements, which are expected to take a turn for the worse with gales forecast for tomorrow afternoon.

WeatherWatch.co.nz said strong winds would increase during the day, with severe gales gusting to 130kmh possible later in the day.

.../

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10671050

[Treyfish]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

SALLY

Cell network back as power restored


4th September 2010

Rubble on a Christchurch street. Photo / Charlie Panapa




Cellular networks in Canterbury are being restored to normal with both generator and mains power, but users are still being urged to stay off their cellphones unless they need to make essential calls.

Cellular networks began to run out of power as batteries went flat after the earthquake led to widespread power cuts across the region following the 7.1 magnitude earthquake at 4.35am.

The batteries at many cellular sites had from three to eight hours life after the power was cut and both Telecom and Vodafone said although the networks did not crash, they immediately encouraged people to stay off their cellphones.

Some cellular calls were affected but both major cellphone companies said the networks generally performed well.

Paul Brislen from Vodafone said 10 generators were being installed today, a further 15 were being shipped in from around the South Island, 12 were shipped from Wellington by sea and 10 were moved from Auckland to Wellington in case they were needed further south.

Power was also being restored to Christchurch area by area, Mr Brislen said.

He said the power network was not badly damaged but power was cut as a precaution.

He said the power should be returned to about 90 per cent of Christchurch by the end of the day.

"Hopefully, we won't need the generators but engineers being engineers are saying let's get them there anyway in case there are after aftershocks."

Mr Brislen said Vodafone asked TVNZ to stop asking people to send in footage of the quake damage on their cellular phones because it was threatening to overload the network.

Telecom spokesman Mark Watts said the mobile network had held up well.

"We've got a few sites down, and others are running on battery power," he said.

"But we have 130 to 140 across the region and most are still working fine."

Mr Watts said power outages were potentially a problem and he advised anyone who had an old-style analogue phone in their home to plug it in and use it rather than one powered by electricity.

He said most people had heeded warnings not to use the networks unless it was necessary.

"The loads haven't been excessive and I think people have acted responsibly."

Mr Watts said Telecom and its partners had several hundred staff in the region who were working on and the company was trying to contact them to ensure they were safe.

Robin Kelly, a spokesman for network maintenance company Chorus, said the fixed line network had remained stable.

"We've had a handful of roadside cabinets go down and they have been using alternative power, but the majority of the network is stable and operating as expected."http://www.starcanterbury.co.nz/loca...tored/3921354/

[Treyfish]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Storm headed for Christchurch

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12:50 PM Saturday Sep 4, 2010
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<!-- ARTICLE BODY - START --> Weary Canterbury residents struggling to cope with this morning's devastating earthquake will also have to cope with a storm, forecasters say.



The 7.1 magnitude quake has left many homes exposed to the elements, which are expected to take a turn for the worse with gales and heavy rain forecast for tomorrow afternoon.
WeatherWatch.co.nz said strong winds would increase during the day, with severe gales gusting to 130km/h possible later in the day.
MetService is also watching the storm, issuing a severe gale warning for the city predicting winds averaging 65km/h (gale force) with gusts to 130km/h.
"Winds of that speed can be damaging and with many buildings extensively damaged it could cause a major headache for emergency services," a spokesman said.
- NZPAhttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10671078

[Treyfish]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Big aftershock likely after destructive 7.1 Canterbury quake

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Stuff reporters


Last updated 14:18 04/09/2010



<SCRIPT>//<![CDATA[$('#gallery').data('title', '71_earthquake_photos');//]]></SCRIPT>Quake map from GNS Sciences. The star is the epicentre, 40km west of Christchurch. The dots represent points where people felt the quake, from Orange (heavily damaging) to grey-blue (weakly felt).



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Destructive 7.1 Christchurch earthquake - key locations

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<SMALL>View Destructive 7.1 Christchurch earthquake in a larger map</SMALL>

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<!-- video= --><!--video story page feature-->Powerful quake rocks South Island


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Map of destruction 7.1 quake: Key information Christchurch Earthquake 7.1 earthquake photos Quake timeline Quake history NZ's biggest quakes Christchurch's quakes What to do after the quake Christchurch earthquake video Residents' homes smashed by quake Rocked in home at the heart of the quake



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<!--start components/story/common_content--><!-- google_ad_section_start(name=storybody) -->LATEST: Seismologists are warning Canterbury residents a big aftershock is probably still on the way.
Nearly 20 aftershocks have rattled the region since the 7.1-magnitude quake at 4.35am, the most damaging since the 1931 earthquake in Napier.
Most had magnitudes of between four and five, and three others have been of magnitude 5.2 or 5.3.
But GNS Science said a large aftershock of about one magnitude less than the original - about six in this case - usually occurs after a major earthquake.
"We haven't had the six or so you'd usually expect after something like this," GNS spokesman John Callan said.
A magnitude six earthquake has 30 times more energy than a magnitude five.
Duty GNS seismologist John Ristau said the large aftershock was "the typical rule of thumb".
"It's typical, but there's nothing to say it will definitely happen. If you don't get one, of course, then that's better."
Aftershocks could continue for weeks but the larger ones were only likely in the next 48 hours.
QUAKE COST
The cost of damage from today's devastating quake could be as much as $2 billion, Earthquake Commission chief executive Ian Simpson says.
The EQC's claims staff had been flat out taking calls today and there was no data yet on the number lodged, he said.
"It's very early to start estimating the numbers so far," he said.
"At a guess, and it is just a guess so far, we are looking at ...around 100,000 claims in total from the event and the cost will be easily into the hundreds of millions of dollars just for EQC for the residential property... It could reach between one and two billion dollars."
People who had private house insurance were automatically qualified for EQC cover.
HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Mayor Bob Parker has told shaken Canterbury residents that support has been offered from the ''highest levels of Government''.
Mr Parker was speaking at a Civil Defence press conference outside a temporary headquarters at the Christchurch Art Gallery today.
Christchurch - and the wider South Island - was rocked by the massive 7.1 magnitude quake at 4.35am. Buildings were flattened, residents injured and infrastructure damaged.
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
A state of emergency has been declared and will be in place until Monday or Tuesday. The CBD is in lockdown until at least tomorrow.
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<SCRIPT language=javascript><!--PushHserverAd('STORYBODY', 2, 300, 250, '300x250');//--></SCRIPT>''There has not been a house or a family in our city who have not suffered damage in some way,'' Mr Parker said.
''But this is a city working together to do what we can before nightfall.
The fine weather had been a blessing, he said. However, Met Service has issued a severe weather warning for tomorrow, with gale force winds expected for much of the South Island.
RECORD EVENT
Today's 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Canterbury is the most damaging since the 1931 magnitude 7.8 Hawke's Bay earthquake, scientists say.
The quake - felt across the South Island and as far north as Wellington and Palmerston North - matches the magnitude of that which rocked Inangahua in 1968.
IMPACT
Canterbury Police said the inner-city would be closed until tomorrow while assessments of damaged buildings was carried out.
No businesses or licensed premises would open and no one, other than inner-city residents or people with bona-fide reasons to enter the area, would be allowed in. Police will man cordons throughout the night.
The CBD-area affected by the cordon is bordered by Montreal, Kilmore, Madras and St Asaph streets.
Emergency services have rescued about 10 people from holes in the ground including a person who was trapped in a pit in River Road after the ground collapsed.
So far, two people have been reported seriously injured in the quake.
One man in his fifties was hit by a falling chimney and is now in a serious condition in the intensive care unit in Christchurch Hospital.
Another man in his fifties has serious injuries after being cut by glass in the earthquake.
The Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said the National Crisis Management Centre has been activated to co-ordinate central government response if required.
Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the central city to check for trapped people in the rubble of the quake.
Christchurch fire service spokesman Mike Bowden there were several people trapped in their houses and other buildings by falling chimneys, jammed doors and blocked entrances. However, there were no reports of people pinned underneath rubble so far.
WEATHER WARNING
A severe wind warning issued for Canterbury could prove dangerous for structures already weakened by the earthquake, the Met Service says.
Gale force winds are expected to hit the eastern South Island tomorrow, and could potentially bring down trees and powerlines and make driving hazardous.
The gusts could reach up to 130kmh hour in exposed places.
They should die down by 6am on Monday.
FARMERS
A dairy factory and several farms in rural Canterbury have also been hit hard by the quake.
Federated Farmers is reporting a backlog at the Synlait factory, where a power outage has seen lines jammed. Several tankers have had to be re-directed.
A milk vat and milking platform near Burnham have been damaged, and several grain silos near Darfield are also damaged.
Electricity is now the major problem facing north Canterbury's farmers.
"It could be up to two-days before power is fully restored so electricity is the main concern," said Federated Farmers spokesman Neil Stott.
"Thankfully, a number of farmers have invested in backup generators but these are a short-term fix."
"The welfare of livestock will now be of prime concern to farmers and we appreciate the offers now coming in from fellow farmers."
POLITICAL REACTION
Prime Minister John Key said he was rushing to Canterbury to "show solidarity" with locals.
Speaking before he departed for Christchurch this afternoon, Mr Key said it would be "a good result under the circumstances" if Canterbury escaped without any loss of life.
"We want to get to Christchurch quickly to show solidarity and support for the people of Canterbury but also to make sure that we're fully briefed on the issues and the rebuild programme that will be required."
It would take some time before a final assessment of the damage and the cost of the clean up would be known.
"But it's important that the people of Canterbury know that we're there to support them and that central Government will work alongside local government to do our best to restore the Canterbury region."
Mr Key was first contacted about the quake by his sister, who lives in a hill suburb of Christchurch. She had told him the shaking went on for 15 minutes and was so violent they couldn't stand up.
There had been an even bigger earthquake in Fiordland last year but this one was in a very built up area.
"It's quite terrifying for people," Key said.
Key will stop in Wellington to collect Cabinet colleagues John Carter and Gerry Brownlee before an expected arrival in Christchurch of about 2pm this afternoon.
INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
About five per cent of buildings in central Christchurch have been damaged and streets are littered with the rubble of building facades.
Many minor bridges have been damaged but all major bridges and road transport routes are okay. The surface of Avonside Drive, in eastern Christchurch, has a huge crack across it.
The rail network has been shutdown as inspections are made.
The Fire Service has divided the city into grids and is sending staff into each area to assess the damage.
Residents have been asked not to drive into the central city.
All Canterbury emergency co-ordination centres - including Selwyn, Timaru, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts - have been activated.
CONCERN OVER LOOTING
There have been reports of looting in central Christchurch following the quake.
Inspector Mike Coleman said police had cordoned off central Christchurch as it was dangerous but also because looters had already been active.
''There's considerable damage there, and we've already had reports of looting,'' he told Radio New Zealand.
''Shop windows are broken and obviously it's easy pickings for displays and things.''
Additional police staff had been sent out to patrol the city streets.
HEALTH CARE
Christchurch Hospital's emergency department has also seen several people with minor injuries - mainly cuts and bruises, but also some broken bones.
Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Michele Hider said they were still assessing damage to hospitals and still experiencing after shocks
People who need medical assistance for minor injuries they should go the after hours surgery in Bealey Ave.
She asked people not to go to Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department unless it is an emergency.
Christchurch hospital is running on generator power.
Canterbury Health Board chief executive David Meates said the flow of people through Christchurch Hospital's emergency department had been like ''a typical Saturday night''.
The common injuries were cuts and fractures but one man is in intensive care after being crushed by a crumbling chimney.
Burwood Hospital is without water.
''Public health is going to be a real issue over the next few days so it is important that communities look after each other and not create an unnecessary burden on services,'' Meates said.
St John Ambulance said services were fully functioning but urged medical alarm users not to activate them unless they were injured or unwell.
Christchurch radiographers have abandoned a planned strike for today.
INSURANCE
EQC pays out a maximum of $112,500 (inc GST) on houses and $22,500 (inc GST) on contents, Earthquake Commission chief executive Ian Simpson says.
Any damage above that was usually covered by insurance companies.
"If the loss is higher than that it kicks into their private insurance."
Those with no insurance were not covered by the EQC.
"People who are unsure of their insurance situation, or don't remember who they're insured with, should contact us too. We will do all we can to check their insurance details for them," Mr Simpson said.
Claims would come in from a far wider area than Christchurch and small claims, for example broken dishes, would be expected as well as the more substantial ones.
"What I would say to people is the immediate first step is to look after yourselves and your families, look after safety let the emergency services and then when you are ready to place a claim (do so)."
People had three months to lodge a claim but he advised against waiting too long.
"We would encourage people maybe over the next week would be a good time to place a claim."
Claims could be lodged by calling 0800326243 or online at www.eqc.govt.nz
People should contact EQC personally, rather than getting their broker, agent or insurance company to call, Mr Simpson said.
People should, if possible, take photos before moving anything or tidying up as it made it easier to assess the claim.
"If you are able to, essential services, like toilets and water systems can be repaired but people should keep everything the repairer replaces, and keep a copy of the bill," he said.
"Spillages or crockery and glass breakages can be cleared up, but don't throw anything not perishable away yet. Ruined or spilt food and other perishables can be disposed of, but people should list the items as they bury, burn, or dump them." http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4094...nterbury-quake

[gsgs]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

my summary:
damage ~$1.5B
(~$4000 per Christchurch citizen in average)

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Sewage going straight into rivers

Orion says the quake cut power to large parts of the area between Waimakariri River to the north and Rakaia River to the south but there was very little damage to transformers and pylons in Christchurch.

St John Ambulance said most houses in the city still had no flowing water on Saturday afternoon.

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The water supply at Rolleston southwest of Christchurch is contaminated. The sewage treatment there has suffered serious damage and people in the area are urged to conserve water.

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Sewer lines and water pipes have ruptured in Christchurch city, and Civil Defence is making arrangements for tankers to be brought in. The council is telling residents on flat areas of the city to boil water.

Civil Defence controller Michael Aitken says much of the sewage is bypassing treatment stations and going straight into the rivers.

The east is the worst hit area, Mr Aitken says. He is warning people and their dogs to stay away from the Avon and Heathcote rivers and advising them to conserve water.

More http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/nation...hit-canterbury

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Civil Defence has warned Cantabrians to expect more aftershocks up to magnitude 6 over the next week.

http://business.scoop.co.nz/2010/09/04/canterbury-quake-damage-put-at-2-bln-key/

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Mr Talbot said those people living in central Christchurch, Rolleston, Banks Peninsula, Kaiapoi, Pines Beach, Kairaki and Waikuku Beach should boil their water as water and sewerage systems had been damaged.

Water and toilets were available at North Kaiapoi School and welfare centres were being set up at Linwood College, Addington Raceway and Burnside High, he said.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/salvation-army-launches-nz-quake-appeal-20100904-14v1u.html

[Arkanoid Legent]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

More update from New Zealand's Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management.

Magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in Christchurch at 0435 hours, 4 September 2010. Several aftershocks of between magnitude 3.9 and 5.2 have occurred and more aftershocks are expected. The likelihood of aftershocks of up to around magnitude 6 will remain for the next week.

There has been widespread minor structural damage to buildings and smaller bridges. Across the Canterbury region the delivery of water, sewerage and power services has been impaired but is being restored.

One person is in the Intensive Care Unit of Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries; a small number have been treated for fractures and lacerations. It is estimated that around 100 injured patients seen on Saturday relate to the earthquake.

All hospitals are functional, although Christchurch Hospital is operating on generator power.

A severe weather warning for gale force wind on Sunday could place significant stress on already damaged buildings and damage temporary repairs to buildings. On Monday evening rain is expected in the Canterbury region with 150 mm falling around the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers.

Canterbury Regional Civil Defence Emergency Coordination Centre is operational. Most of the Emergency Operations Centres in the Canterbury region are activated. The National Crisis Management Centre is activated.

Christchurch City Council Civil Defence and Selwyn District Council have declared a state of local emergency.

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

We are also trying to locate JC Roehl who lives in Christchurch.

Knowing Joe, he's probably out there helping everyone he can. For anyone who doesn't know, 5 years ago he lived in New Orleans.

[Pathfinder]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Latest news: Christchurch earthquake

9:10 PM Saturday Sep 4, 2010

21.10pm
Some scientists are investigating whether the 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck Christchurch and its surrounding communities today was actually two or three shocks in quick succession.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) in Golden, Colorado, has said that scientists are still trying to reconstruct the way today's quake played out.

"We think that this is a very complex event," said geophysicist Paul

Caruso. "We think that the main shock may have consisted actually of three earthquakes."

GNS Science in Wellington - which changed its initial calculations of a 7.4 magnitude shake 30km west of Christchurch to a 7.1 shake 40 km west - said it could not confirm the mechanisms of the earthquake.

20.05pm
Severe winds predicted across Canterbury could see more building collapses following today's powerful earthquake, says WeatherWatch.co.nz.

With numerous buildings badly damaged, strong gusts could see more brick walls and roofs come down, according to analyst Philip Duncan.

"People should spend Sunday preparing for more possible powercuts. Stock up on batteries and ensure you have torches."

19.30pm
Power has now been restored to 90 per cent of urban Christchurch and 80 per cent of the rural network.

Meanwhile, crews are working to restore rail links to Christchurch from the south so supplies can be delivered.

KiwiRail chief executive Jim Quinn told One News there were plans to bring in almost 300,000 litres of drinking water from Temuka later tonight.

19.00pm
Gas is once again safe to use, local supplier Contact Energy says.

However, people should check the gas lines to their house, ensure that gas bottles are standing upright and hobs are in working order.

18.45pm
All Selwyn residents are being asked to conserve water, particularly those in Rolleston, as the Rolleston water supply is contaminated.

Christchurch City Council has warned retailers and building owners with concerns about the structural integrity of their buildings not to enter them.

18.10pm
Prime Minister John Key says it is a "miracle" that nobody died in today's earthquake.

He told One News the cost of the damage was likely to be in the billions.

18.05pm
One of New Zealand's oldest schools, Christ's College, has suffered earthquake damage.

Spokeswoman Jane Leese says there is minor damage to some of the older buildings and some chimneys have fallen off onto the dining hall below.

18.00pm
ANZ has announced a $1 million donation to support Canterbury residents and businesses in the aftermath of today's earthquake.

Acting chief executive Steven Fyfe said in addition to the $1 million donation to the proposed Mayoral Relief Fund, the ANZ and National Banks will also offer a special package of assistance for personal and business customers impacted by the earthquake.

An appeal account for people to donate to the proposed relief fund will be set up once details of the fund are finalised by the Christchurch City Council.

As part of the package of support for affected customers, ANZ and the National Bank will:
- suspend repayments on all loans for three months
- waive fees associated with restructuring business loans considered necessary due to earthquake impacts
- waive early withdrawal costs for term deposits
- consider temporary adjustments to customer lending limits including credit cards

17.50pm
Cantabrians are being urged not to drive unless absolutely necessary as officials try to gauge the damage caused to roads in this morning's earthquake.

Initial inspections showed the region's highways appeared to have held up well, but it could be several weeks before the full extent of any damage was known, NZTA spokesman Peter Connors said.

State Highway 77 between Methven and Windwhistle is the only state highway currently closed due to earthquake damage.

17.40pm
A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules is currently enroute to Christchurch carrying 42 search and rescue (USAR) personnel and three dogs.

Two Iroquois helicopters from No. 3 Squadron at Ohakea have also been tasked to assist in Christchurch.

They will be available to undertake aerial reconnaissance and damage assessment as required by Civil Defence.

17.35pm

The largest aftershock yet has been felt in Canterbury.

The 5.4 magnitude jolt was centred 10 km southwest of Darfield at a depth of 10 km.

17.25pm
Fonterra says it has four tankers loaded with water at Clandeboye ready to go if required.

Although its Plains site had sustained some superficial damage and some farmers without power were unable to milk, it did not expect any impact on production.

17.20
Telecom says its services are working well in the South Island following today's earthquake.

It says its 111 services are fully available and fixed line infrastructure is performing well, as are both Telecom mobile networks.

17.08pm
The Salvation Army has launched an appeal to help feed and support those affected by today's quake.

"People will be in shock, some have lost possessions and housing, and many will need food and comfort," Salvation Army national fundraising coordinator Major Robbie Ross said.

The Salvation Army fed about 1000 people at two Christchurch locations early this morning, he said.

Civil Defence urged people in the greater Christchurch area to ensure they had plans before nightfall.

"If your chimney is damaged and/or you feel unsafe in your home, can you camp at a neighbour's or a relation's for the night?" Civil Defence duty manager John Talbot said.

"It's important people make a plan before it gets dark."

17.05pm
Power has been restored to 77 per cent of Christchurch city and is still expected to be restored to 90 per cent or more by tonight.

Rural areas in central Canterbury are largely out of power as a result of downed poles or lines.

Wigram airport is not currently operating.

17.00pm
Welfare centres for those who need shelter have been opened at Linwood High School, Burnside Welfare Centre and Addington Raceway Centre.
Canterbury police will be supported by 80 officers flying in from Auckland this evening to assist with general duties and recovery.

There is a formal curfew in the CBD between 7pm and 7am.
It is likely the army will be called in to assist with the cleanup.

16.32pm
BJ's Massage Parlour in the CBD, on the corner of Worcester and Manchester Streets, burst into flames this afternoon but has been brought under control.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a surge as gas and power supply was turned back on.

Newstalk ZB reporter Lesley Murdoch is at the scene and says smoke is pouring out of the building.

16.02pm
Residents in Christchurch's central district are to be evacuated this afternoon due to the risk from falling masonry, according to Radio New Zealand.

Search and rescue dogs are also being used following reports of people trapped under rubble but so far have not located anyone.

15.55
Radio New Zealand reports that the historic Empire Hotel on London St in Lyttelton was badly hit by the quake and is considered very unstable.

District chief fire officer Mark Buckley said the hotel's facade, thought to weigh 20 tonnes, was hanging by a thread.

15.42pm
Today's 7.1 magnitude quake west of Christchurch may have occurred on a "new" fault line.

Geologists have not yet been able to link it to a known fault; in the past few years, researchers have found that Canterbury is riddled with more earthquake-generating fault zones than previously thought - some as close as 20km to central Christchurch.

Canterbury University scientists have said there are about 100 fault lines and fault segments around the region, rather than the half-dozen active faults that were known about 20 years ago.

The closest known faults to Christchurch capable of generating powerful quakes are in the Rangiora-Cust area, near Hororata, and near Darfield.

15.40pm
AMI Stadium has suffered only minor damage, Rugby NZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden says.

"The very preliminary assessment is that there's no structural damage there, that there's a heap of minor breakages and what not, but no structural damage," Mr Snedden told NZPA.

Mr Snedden said the quake had come just days after Rugby NZ 2011 had looked specifically at how such a situation would be handled if it were to arise during the tournament.

15.35pm
Power is now back on to around 70 per cent of Christchurch.

However, residents are being warned to be extremely careful around low lying power lines in the aftermath of this morning's earthquake.
Orion chief executive Roger Sutton says people must treat them as live and stay away from them at all times.

Tremors are still occurring regularly, many of which have registered over four or five on the Richter scale.

15.22pm
Two Red Cross emergency management teams comprised of 21 people are in action in Canterbury.

Four emergency staff and volunteers trained in light rescue, casualty handling, first aid and welfare are using 4WD vehicles to look for people cut off in the countryside west of Christchurch, near the epicentre of the earthquake.

Two members of the Red Cross Wanganui Response Team have also been deployed to Christchurch and more volunteers from Nelson and Blenheim are on standby.

A portable repeater station has been established on the Port Hills to provide VHF communications as electricity and landlines are not dependable.

14.55pm
Police say Christchurch CBD will be closed until tomorrow while assessment of damaged buildings is carried out.

No businesses or licensed premises will be open and only innercity residents will be allowed in.

Police will man cordons throughout the night.

The area affected is contained within the Montreal Street, Kilmore Street, Madras Street and St Asaph Street area.

A state of emergency in Christchurch city, Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts is likely to be in place until noon Monday, according to Environment Canterbury.

14.50pm
The University of Canterbury and Lincoln University are currently closed while their campuses are assessed for health and safety issues, and will not reopen until Monday September 13.

In a statement, the University of Canterbury said confirmation of its re-opening would be made no later than 5pm on Wednesday September 8. All students, including post-graduate students should stay off campus.

However, there will be no change to the final exam timetable.

Check the university website for information and updates.

14.45pm
Christchurch's after hours surgeries are reporting a steady numbers of patients but say they are coping well.

Hillmorton and The Princess Margaret Hospitals have been told that the main power supply will be running again in the next few hours.
Both the Lincoln Maternity Hospital and Burwood Birthing Unit will be closed until further notice.

Women who were intending to birth at either should go to Christchurch Women's Hospital. Women affected by the changes are being contacted along with lead maternity carers and staff at the closed units.

Christchurch Hospital is fully staffed and functioning well. District Health Board communications manager Michele Hider said the number of cardiology admissions had been higher than normal.

A neurosurgeon told Radio New Zealand most patients' injuries were minor, including lacerations and minor head trauma.

14.22pm
Power is being restored to Christchurch area by area.

The network was not badly damaged but power was cut as a precaution.
Electricity should be returned to about 90 per cent of Christchurch by the end of the day.

.../

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10671050

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Media Release from Christchurch City Council

Christchurch Earthquake – General Update Sunday 6am

6am Sunday 5 September 2010

Overnight, staff at the emergency response centre in Christchurch have been consolidating information received throughout the day on Saturday; working on an action plan; and prioritising tasks to be done today.

More than 500 buildings in the city are damaged - more than 90 of those in the central city area.

While there has been damage to some minor bridges, major bridges have withstood the quake. Some roads have been closed due to liquefaction or flooding

Most calls to the Council are about water supply and damage to chimneys.

• Water supply has resumed for all but 15-20&#37; of the city, and today’s efforts will focus on the remaining areas (though some areas may not have their water supply restored for a number of days). There are more than 200 water leaks around the city – about 100 of which are reasonably significant. There could be further disruptions to water supplies as parts of the system are turned off so that repairs can be made. Where water is available, it should still be used sparingly to avoid putting too much pressure on the waste water system. The waste treatment works at Bromley are operating and the waste water trunk mains appear to be intact, although there is significant localised damage to waste water pipes. Residents are asked to flush toilets only sparingly. Some sewage overflows to rivers may occur as people increase their water use and the broken waste water mains struggle to cope with demand. Portaloos have been provided in parts of the city and more will be provided as they can be sourced.

• Brighton and Brooklands and parts of Avonside are the worst hit areas in the city and public health issues may yet force evacuations.

• Even though water coming out of the taps may appear normal, drinking water should be boiled for three minutes before drinking.

• Water tankers will be located around the city to the areas of greatest need.

• Diamond Harbour’s water supply has been restored and will slowly return to normal.

• Because of unstable buildings and concerns about aftershocks, people are asked to minimise travel and only make essential journeys in the city.

• All Christchurch City Council leisure centres will be closed on Sunday, 5 September. They will remain closed until Monday morning, when staff will reassess the situation.

• Power has been restored to 90% of Christchurch. Power can not be restored in the central city until all buildings are checked.

• Anyone whose home is not habitable or who feels unsafe staying there should consider self-evacuating to friends and family in the first instance.

• Welfare centres are located at Addington Raceway, Linwood College and Burnside High School, offering shelter and food to residents. Anyone wanting to go to a welfare centre should take their own toiletries and wherever possible also take their own bedding – including pillow, blankets and some form of mattress to sleep on (such as a camping mat). The welfare centres will remain open as long as they are needed. Numbers catered for last night at the three centres were:

Linwood College - 85 people
Burnside High School – 109 people
Addington Raceway – 50 people

• Residents are advised not to use open fires because of the risk of further aftershocks that could damage chimneys. There have already been more than 30 significant aftershocks in the city since the major quakes yesterday morning (recording magnitudes of up to 5.4) and these could continue for several weeks. These aftershocks could cause further damage to already weakened structures and buildings, or could cause fresh damage.

• Forecast weather for the city is likely to bring fresh challenges for residents and for the Christchurch City Council. Strong gusty nor’west winds are expected in the city today and tomorrow, followed by rain on Tuesday. The strong winds could result in further damage to buildings and structures already damaged in yesterday’s earthquake; while rain is likely to create stormwater issues for already stressed city infrastructure as well as create problems for residents who have properties that have been damaged and may now be exposed.

• Starting this morning at 9am, 20-25 teams from the Council’s Building Evaluation Team will move through the cordoned off area of the central city, inspecting all buildings within this zone. Each building will be tagged after it has been inspected – with red placards assigned where buildings are considered unsafe and can not be entered; yellow placards assigned where restricted use is permitted; and green placards assigned where there are no restrictions on a building’s use. It is hoped that this process can be completed for all buildings within the cordoned off area by the end of the day today. Once this information is available, yellow and green placarded buildings will be able to be cleaned up on Monday. There will be no public access to the cordoned central city area before Monday – with the exception of residents. The cordon covers the area bounded by Madras, St Asaph, Montreal and Kilmore Streets.



This morning’s key messages:

• Today is a day for further damage assessment
• We are asking people to keep travel to a minimum
• Water coming out of the tap may look normal, but needs to be boiled for three minutes before drinking
• Water tankers will be sent to areas of greatest need
• The three welfare centres will remain open as long as they are needed – take personal toiletries and all bedding.

http://www.ccc.govt.nz/thecouncil/newsmedia/mediareleases/2010/201009051.aspx

[kiwibird]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. We have had no major structural damage even though we are quite rural here and nearer the epicentre. Our power was restored late last night but the internet has only just returned. Our telephone was working and has since stopped, may be wind damage??? Our well has been supplying silty??? water. There is not much chance of contamination because we are rural - but we are boiling drinking water to be safe. We have 10 orphaned lambs to feed - so that was quite a task - their water for milk mix is being boiled too! I don't know how dairy farms will be coping, hopefully their power supplies will have been a priority.

Funny aside - we have a little fish pond by the house and it tsunami'd. It was dark when the quake struck and four hours before we looked right around the house. Found one little goldfish on the path. Assumed it was dead and it wriggled. Picked it up and popped it back in pond - amazing - it is doing fine!

Many homes damaged, our thoughts are with those families, however, everyone I have offered a roof to have already had several offers, probably better!(LOL) It is heartening to know that adversity often brings out the best in people!

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Powerful earthquake hits New Zealand?s second largest city - Christchurch

12.14pm
Council urges those in Rolleston or Tai Tapu to reduce all water use. Currently Tai Tapu sewerage is going into the Halswell River due to the city's network failure and Rolleston's sewerage is overloading the small treatment site that is still operating. A welfare centre is now open at the Rolleston Community Centre on Rolleston Drive.

11.57am
The Ministry of Education has confirmed that three schools will be closed tomorrow - Kaiapoi Borough School, West Melton School and Hillmorton High. The Ministry is working with principals and boards to determine the extent of any damage to other schools.

11.55am
It may be two to three days before power can be restored to some houses. In extreme cases, where a single home or business is still without power in an area where power has otherwise been restored, it may up to five days. Orion is currently focusing on Avonside, Brighton and Halswell, as well as rural areas around Highfield, Greendale and Brookside.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10671276