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New Zealand: Thousands of Christchurch earthquake damaged homes to be abandoned
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Pastor Dale Morgan
Jun 14, 2011, 4:04:52 PM6/14/11
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Great
Earthquakes In Diverse Places
New Zealand: Thousands of Christchurch earthquake damaged homes to be abandoned
* From: AAP
* June 14, 2011 6:39PM
CHRISTCHURCH residents are reeling from news that thousands of homes will have to be abandoned as the southern New Zealand city is rattled by more powerful aftershocks.
Yet another clean-up operation is underway after a double whammy of quakes measuring 5.7 and 6.3-magnitude hit Christchurch yesterday afternoon, killing an elderly rest home resident who was "knocked off his feet". He died early today.
About 45 people suffered moderate injuries, but authorities say it was a miracle more people were not killed or seriously hurt given the violence of the tremors, on par with February's quake the left 181 people dead.
This latest disaster has plunged the already devastated city into a familiar chaos of silt geysers, rockslides, dust clouds, traffic jams and collapsing buildings.
About 50 buildings were destroyed, and water and liquefaction again filled many streets, blocking roads and damaging cars.
The city may also lose its iconic ChristChurch Cathedral, which suffered further damage in the last swarm of shakes.
As nerved-wracked residents struggle to come to terms with more damage, power cuts and a renewed round of violent aftershocks, the country's Prime Minister John Key delivered grim news that many will lose their homes.
"There are certainly in the order of thousands of homes that are affected," Mr Key told reporters in Christchurch after being briefed by engineers.
But he refused to be drawn of the details, saying while the government had a "clear picture" of what land would have to be abandoned, it would not name the areas or say when the information would be made public.
Physical destruction aside, the biggest toll appears to be psychological, with the latest events recalling the horror quake of February 22, which damaged 100,000 homes and ruined the picturesque CBD.
At the time, residents were still on edge from a violent 7.1-magnitude shake that hit in September, causing moderate damage but, amazingly, no loss of life.
The latest disaster has left many locals at the end of their tether.
"A lot of people have lost the plot here. They can't take it anymore," local resident Alan Harris told the New Zealand Herald.
"You can't blame them really."
Hundreds of people have been commenting on the disaster on New Zealand's news websites, with most sending their condolences to residents of the shaky city.
Many locals declared their commitment to Christchurch but quite a few said they'd had enough.
"Well, I'm outta here! This is ridiculous" wrote John S.
"We should leave CHCH to the vegetation and turn it into a money making tourist attraction ("Jurassic Park"?!).
"I'm gone - WellyWood (Wellington) here I come! CHCH is dead."
One Australian professed to be bucking the trend however, writing: "well im moving to chch next week".
"Had enough of our tax gouging government here in oz, earthquakes, no problem, lookin forward to helping rebuild the city," said Steve in Oz.
He added that he would fly Air New Zealand, a dig at Qantas which has cancelled trans-Tasman flights due to volcanic ash from an eruption in Chile.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker acknowledged that the quakes may drive many people from the city, "and we should support them in that".
"We will rebuild our communities, some may not be in the same places though."
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bill English has warned the $4.25 billion set aside to fund the city's rebuild is set to climb.
He told parliament today the "first impressions" of damage in Christchurch was that "the problems we already know might have got a bit worse".
The New Zealand dollar and money market interest rates were both down, and the aftershocks have unnerved investors who expect the fragile economy will now take even longer to recover its economic position.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/thousands-of-quake-homes-to-be-abandoned/story-e6frfku0-1226075175030#ixzz1PHa9pqf1
New Zealand: Thousands of Christchurch earthquake damaged homes to be abandoned
* From: AAP
* June 14, 2011 6:39PM
CHRISTCHURCH residents are reeling from news that thousands of homes will have to be abandoned as the southern New Zealand city is rattled by more powerful aftershocks.
Yet another clean-up operation is underway after a double whammy of quakes measuring 5.7 and 6.3-magnitude hit Christchurch yesterday afternoon, killing an elderly rest home resident who was "knocked off his feet". He died early today.
About 45 people suffered moderate injuries, but authorities say it was a miracle more people were not killed or seriously hurt given the violence of the tremors, on par with February's quake the left 181 people dead.
This latest disaster has plunged the already devastated city into a familiar chaos of silt geysers, rockslides, dust clouds, traffic jams and collapsing buildings.
About 50 buildings were destroyed, and water and liquefaction again filled many streets, blocking roads and damaging cars.
The city may also lose its iconic ChristChurch Cathedral, which suffered further damage in the last swarm of shakes.
As nerved-wracked residents struggle to come to terms with more damage, power cuts and a renewed round of violent aftershocks, the country's Prime Minister John Key delivered grim news that many will lose their homes.
"There are certainly in the order of thousands of homes that are affected," Mr Key told reporters in Christchurch after being briefed by engineers.
But he refused to be drawn of the details, saying while the government had a "clear picture" of what land would have to be abandoned, it would not name the areas or say when the information would be made public.
Physical destruction aside, the biggest toll appears to be psychological, with the latest events recalling the horror quake of February 22, which damaged 100,000 homes and ruined the picturesque CBD.
At the time, residents were still on edge from a violent 7.1-magnitude shake that hit in September, causing moderate damage but, amazingly, no loss of life.
The latest disaster has left many locals at the end of their tether.
"A lot of people have lost the plot here. They can't take it anymore," local resident Alan Harris told the New Zealand Herald.
"You can't blame them really."
Hundreds of people have been commenting on the disaster on New Zealand's news websites, with most sending their condolences to residents of the shaky city.
Many locals declared their commitment to Christchurch but quite a few said they'd had enough.
"Well, I'm outta here! This is ridiculous" wrote John S.
"We should leave CHCH to the vegetation and turn it into a money making tourist attraction ("Jurassic Park"?!).
"I'm gone - WellyWood (Wellington) here I come! CHCH is dead."
One Australian professed to be bucking the trend however, writing: "well im moving to chch next week".
"Had enough of our tax gouging government here in oz, earthquakes, no problem, lookin forward to helping rebuild the city," said Steve in Oz.
He added that he would fly Air New Zealand, a dig at Qantas which has cancelled trans-Tasman flights due to volcanic ash from an eruption in Chile.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker acknowledged that the quakes may drive many people from the city, "and we should support them in that".
"We will rebuild our communities, some may not be in the same places though."
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bill English has warned the $4.25 billion set aside to fund the city's rebuild is set to climb.
He told parliament today the "first impressions" of damage in Christchurch was that "the problems we already know might have got a bit worse".
The New Zealand dollar and money market interest rates were both down, and the aftershocks have unnerved investors who expect the fragile economy will now take even longer to recover its economic position.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/thousands-of-quake-homes-to-be-abandoned/story-e6frfku0-1226075175030#ixzz1PHa9pqf1
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