Today marks 10 years since the February earthquake claimed 185 lives. RNZ's Christchurch reporter, Rachel Graham, was at the Canterbury Earthquake Memorial site for the official ceremony and spoke to Māni Dunlop.
University of Canterbury's John Hopkins and Toni Collins explain disaster law and shortcomings in NZ's legal system highlighted by the Canterbury earthquakes.
A civic memorial service was held at 12.30pm on the north bank of Oi Manawa, Canterbury National Earthquake Memorial.
The Black Caps captain will lay a wreath in Christchurch for the Canterbury earthquake remembrance service. Brenton Vannisselroy has te pūrongo hakinakina.
The Student Volunteer Army (SVA) are pulling together their troops to assist in the Canterbury clean-up . SVA chief executive Sam Johnson has been putting out the call to arms. He says it's time to help the region's farmers who helped Christchurch after the earthquakes. Sam Johnson spoke to Susie Ferguson.
Panellists Neil Miller and Zoe George discuss a breakthrough in multi-storey buildings for earthquakes with Ben Moerman, a PHD student from the University of Canterbury studying Civil Engineering.
As we approach the tenth anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake there are renewed calls for an inquiry into how Southern Response dealt with Canterbury earthquake claimants. Last year the government set up a support package for those who were short changed by Southern Response for their earthquake repairs. It came after a landmark High Court case found Southern Response misled and deceived Karl and Alison Dodds. Insurance claimants advocate, Ali Jones, says ten years on, lessons haven't been learned from how people were treated by Southern Response. She told RNZ reporter Sally Murphy that dealing with them is hell.
Base isolation has generally been considered an expensive system used mainly in commercial buildings to make them more earthquake resilient. Katy Gosset meets the University of Canterbury engineers who've developed a safe, low cost model that could work in our homes.
Matthew McEachen should have had most of his life ahead of him when he died on February 22, 2011. The 25-year-old was a talented artist and designer, putting his skills to good use at the Southern Ink tattoo shop on Colombo St. But when the earthquake struck, Bruce, Jeanette and Sarah McEachen lost their much-loved son and older brother. Ten years on, Matti's legacy lives on. Checkpoint reporter Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nate McKinnon with his story.
At 12.51pm it will be 10 years since a devastating 6.2 earthquake struck Ōtautahi Christchurch, bringing down buildings and killing 185 people. A National service will get underway at half-past-12 at the city's Canterbury Earthquake Memorial site, to mark the anniversary. Maurice Gardiner's sister, Donna Manning, died in the CTV building collapse. Mr Gardiner told Māni Dunlop that at the Avonhead Cemetery this morning, he and his family joined others who have whānau buried there for a private service, where they remembered those they lost 10 years ago.
Te Pae, Christchurch's near $450 million convention centre, has been officially opened this afternoon with a pōwhiri and unveiling by Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Minister Megan Woods. Billed as a legacy for the city, it replaces the old centre which was demolished following the Canterbury earthquakes. Niva Chittock is at the ceremony and joins Lisa with the details.
The National Party wants to force councils to free up land for development in a bid to get more houses built. The party's proposal would give the government emergency powers modelled on those used to speed up house building in Canterbury following the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Party leader Judith Collins spoke to Corin Dann.
A frantic rewrite was required during the lockdown last year by novellist Janna Ruth, who'd set her novel Time to remember in Christchurch throughout 2020. The book's characters are mainly preoccupied by the 10th anniversary of the September 2010 Canterbury earthquake, but Janna knew she needed to include the pandemic once it took hold. But in fact she'd started working on the novel back in 2005, well before both traumatic events. Janna came to New Zealand from Germany to study geology, and she uses some of her memories from her university years in Time to remember. In it a group of university students bond and bicker, some of them still scarred by the earthquake a decade earlier.
A new research project will study the ongoing impact of "quake brain" on people's memory and other cognitive functions a decade after the Canterbury earthquakes; a Masterton print business that can't find a way to recycle its plastic waste has highlighted a national problem; a programme offering free period products for all school students is to be rolled out nationwide from June; and why don't we eat possum?
A mental wellbeing programme for primary and intermediate school students will be expanded to five more district health board areas. Mana Ake started in 2018 in Canterbury and Kaikōura, and was a response to the ongoing trauma some tamariki were experiencing following the earthquakes. Now more year 1 to 8 pupils will receive extra help if they're struggling. Our reporter Kirsty Frame was at the announcement in Auckland.
There's growing frustration over the government's work to match it's promise to tackle the country's suicide rates. A Mental Health Commission report describes frustration over the pace of change - and points to an urgent need for an overarching action plan. Mental health advocates are also criticising the lack of progress in helping people in Canterbury, with many still severely affected by ongoing trauma from earthquakes and the 2019 Mosque shootings. Eleisha Foon reports.
Christchurch artist Mike Beer creates miniature models of Christchurch buildings that were lost in the Canterbury earthquakes. Through these tiny models Mike hopes to remind people of the buildings that once shaped the city - and bring back the feelings and memories associated with them. Mike, who goes by the name Ghostcat, says It's all about the connections people have with a time, and place. His models are to be displayed at Fiksate Gallery in Christchuch from April 9.