New Zealand Measures Quake Damage
Posted on 06. Sep, 2010 by Dahlia Lithwick in Headlines, World
New Zealand Measures Quake Damage – Authorities in New Zealand have been assessing the damage caused in the city of Christchurch by an earthquake and its many aftershocks. At least 90 buildings suffered significant damage and many of them would probably have to be knocked down, Prime Minister John Key said.
In a Radio New Zealand, an overnight curfew has been lifted; however, the center of the city remains cordoned off. According to the prime minister, a storm heading towards the city could cause further damage.
Bob Parker, mayor of the city, described the damage as immense, and a state of emergency has been declared. It was an absolute miracle that no one was killed. There are thousands of earthquake in New Zealand yearly but very few do any damage.
The earthquake hit New Zealand’s South Island in the early hours of Saturday morning. According to New Zealand’s government-owned research organization GNS Science, the epicenter was 20km (13 miles) west of Christchurch. New Zealand’s Civil Defense estimated that more than 500 buildings had been damaged in the region.
Meanwhile, power supply has been restored in Christchurch, but large parts of the city still have no running water. Those running water have been warned not suitable for drinking because of contamination from broken sewage pipes.
Nights following the quake, 19 aftershocks were reported by the GeoNet website.