December Aftershocks in Christchurch

Click here for a personal account of the 23rd December aftershocks in Christchurch and their emotional impact.

Christchurch Faces the Damage Caused by the 23rd December Aftershocks

After a shaky night puntuated with dozens of aftershocks, Christchurch people awoke to face Christmas Eve. Some malls were partly open by 9am while others remained closed for further structural assessments. The atmosphere was subdued in the city as people did last minute shopping and surveyed the damage. Click here for more details of how Christchurch was affected by the 5.8 and 6.0 aftershocks.

Major Aftershocks Rock Christchurch on December 23rd 2011

On a busy afternoon just before Christmas, Christchurch was shaken violently by a 5.8 and a 6.0 earthquake. All the large malls were evacuated and 3 hours later the airport was still closed. Dazed residents were dealing with the trauma and making new plans for Christmas as the city continued to shake with repeated aftershocks. Click here for more news on the aftershocks.

Gap Filler Projects in Christchurch

Gap Filler is a creative initiative that was started in response to the September 4th earthquake in Christchurch. It developed further after the devastation of the 6.3 22nd February 2011 earthquake. Click here for news of current projects in Christchurch as well as an update on the demolition of the Hotel Grand Chancellor.

Christmas in Park Celebrated in Christchurch

In spite of the earthquake damage to their city, over 100,000 Christchurch residents flocked to the Christmas in the Park celebration on the evening of Saturday 26th November. It was a time of fun, excellent entertainment and hope and the crowd let their hair down and enjoyed themselves. Click here  for more details about the event.

Access to Christchurch Red Zone

Walkway to Cathedral Square Opened to the Public

CERA has initiated a walk through Cathedral Square with access from Colombo St. This is limited to 300 people per hour and will run weekends only starting 26th November and ending 11th December. Click here for full details on the walk way and times.

Magnitude 7.1 & 6.3 - Earthquake Book Available on Kindle

Magnitude 7.1 & 6.3 is now available in Kindle format for only $4.99. The book is a compilation of people's experiences of the ongoing earthquakes and aftershocks in Christchurch and Canterbury. The stories reveal the level of trauma and fear that children and adults felt - but also reflect hope and resilience. There are even a couple of humorous stories such as the one where a lady was having her hair coloured in a salon when the February 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck. She reported that the water was cut off by the shake and by the time she reached home, her hair had turned the colour of Bob Parker's famous jacket!

Click here to order a Kindle version or email debbieroome@gmail.com to buy a print version for NZ$20.

More information on the book can be found here.

The Deconsecration of Earthquake-Damaged Christchurch Cathedral

On Wednesday 9th November 2011, a service was held in Cathedral Square to deconsecrate Christchurch Cathedral. This was in response to the pending controlled demolition of the church. The Cathedral is in the restricted red zone and invited guests and the media were taken in on buses. A roll call was taken to ensure that no one was left behind and people were given a saftey briefing of what to do in case of an earthquake occurring. Click here to read about the service and how people felt about seeing the devastated cathedral for the first time.

Red Zone Bus Tours in Christchurch 2011

Saturday 5th November 2011 was the day that Christchurch residents finally had the opportunity to see the earthquake-damaged centre of their city. This was through the Red Zone bus tours organised by Cera. The bus tours will be operating over weekends with buses running every ten minutes. A gold coin donation is requested and passengers are made aware that they are entering a dangerous area and further aftershocks and building collapse could result in their death.

Over 7000 people booked trips in the first four days and those on the first bus to go through the city said it was healing to see the damage with their own eyes. "It is hard to comprehend the scale of destruction until you've seen it firsthand." Click here for more information on the Red Zone tours and here for a description of the first bus ride through the city.

Ballantynes Reopens in Christchurch

Ballantynes has been closed since the 22nd February earthquake in Christchurch. It reopened on the 29th October along with the temporary stores on Cashel Mall. Shoppers were ecstatic to be back in the store and were given a warm welcome with free samples, cupcakes and live music. Click here for more details.

Cashel Mall Reopens in Earthquake-Damaged Christchurch

On Saturday 29th October, Cashel Mall reopened to the public. Approximately 10,000 queued for the opening and there was great excitement when Prime Minister John Key cut the ribbon. Click here to read more about the temporary shops housed in containers and the grand reopening of Ballantynes.









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Large 5.5 Aftershock Rattles Christchurch on 9th October

On the 9th October, Christchurch experienced the eighth largest earthquake since the 7.1 magnitude shake on the 4th September 2010. It occured while the All Blacks were playing a Rugby World Cup quarter final against Argentina, in Auckland. The aftershock was felt widely across the South Island and provoked a slew of comments on Facebook. Click here for more details on the aftershock and its effects.

Latest Facts about Christchurch's Damaged Infrastructure

On the 28th September, Cera released a report about the extent of damage to Christchurch roads, water systems, power and buildings. This included mention of 600 kilometres of damaged roads and removal of 500,000 tons of silt. Click here for more details.

Christchurch Earthquake Book Includes Unique Story of the 1929 Murchison Earthquake

The following is an extract from the life story of Robert Percy Hughes who lived in the Murchison area at the time of the 7.8 magnitude quake in 1929. The full account is contained in Magnitude 7.1 & 6.3.

Gradually we investigated the other homes and in some we had a herculean task of cleaning jams and pickles, intermixed with glass, off the floors as the pantries had spilled their shelves. What a heart-break. One home had a piano and apparently it was left with the cover up. Fowls had been roosting on the piano and their droppings were all over the keys. All this was cleaned up, along with floors, using oceans of boiling water that we boiled up in the coppers which the homes were equipped with. The woman was never told what a mess her piano had been subjected to. What with fowls living in the houses, dogs, cats and even pigs found their way in as holes had been smashed with falling chimneys. Food had been hastily left as the folk decamped, never expecting in lots of cases, to return. No doubt the pigs smelt food and invaded the premises. We had quite a job, and seeing we had decreed we were not returning, did our best to make the places habitable should folk return.

Canterbury Acknowledged in Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony

Friday 9th September 2011 saw the official Opening Ceremony of the Rugby World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand. Part of the celebration paid tribute to Christchurch and Canterbury and the loss the region has experienced through the recent earthquakes. Click here to read more about the ceremony.

Reduction in Christchurch Central Red Zone

On Saturday 27th August 2011, the cordon around Christchurch central was reduced slightly. This opened up the area surrounded by Oxford Terrace, Lichfield Street and Tuam Street. The Colombo Street end of the block remained closed. Click here for details on the reaction of the public to the ongoing demolitions and reduction of the red zone.

4.2 Aftershock in Christchurch

At 5:14am on Saturday 20th August, Christchurch was shaken by a 4.2 aftershock. It was large enough to waken residents and was described as a trembling and rolling movement that caused some banging sounds. Click here for more information on the aftershock as well as news on demolition in Christchurch.

Heavy Snowfalls in Christchurch

On the morning of 15th August 2011, Christchurch residents awoke to a wintry landscape. Snow covered the city, softening harsh images of earthquake-damaged roads and buildings. Schools and businesses are closed and police have urged people to stay at home as roads are slippery and conditions hazardous. Click here for a comprehensive update on the situation in Christchurch.

A Visit to the Red Zone of Christchurch

A team from Ritchies Transport were allowed access to the comany's town office on Wednesday 10th August. The building is in the red zone of Christchurch central and the staff needed a permit to enter the area. Click here for more details about their journey to recover essential equipment from their office.