Great Earthquakes In Diverse Places
New Zealand extends emergency in Earthquake-hit Christchurch as
aftershocks continue to shake area
(AFP)
WELLINGTON — New Zealand authorities on Wednesday extended a state of
emergency in earthquake-damaged Christchurch by 24 hours.
The state of emergency in three areas of the city and surrounding
regions following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake on September 4 had been
due to end at midday Wednesday (0000GMT).
"Civil defence officials and the three mayors (in the affected areas)
believe it is important to err on the side of caution by extending the
states of emergency across the three districts until 12 noon tomorrow,"
Civil Defence Minister John Carter said in a statement.
The delay on lifting the emergency comes after the government pushed
through laws late Tuesday to cut red tape during the reconstruction of
Christchurch, which suffered damage worth 2.7 billion US dollars in the
quake.
While strong earthquakes of up to magnitude 4.3 continued to rattle New
Zealand's second largest city on Wednesday, life was slowly returning
to normal.
Civil defence said most schools were open, public transport was
operating and alternative accommodation had been found for hundreds of
people who had been sheltering in welfare centres after being left
homeless by the quake.
No one died in the country's most destructive earthquake for almost 80
years, although many recounted close shaves, and there have been no
disease outbreaks or major public health scares in its aftermath.
No-go zones imposed by police and the military in central Christchurch
have also been lifted, allowing businesses to open.
Carter said that lifting the state of emergency meant civil defence and
local government officials would hand over disaster response management
to the national government as the city of 340,000 people moved into
"recovery phase".