The September Canterbury earthquake. These buildings have since been demolished. Note: these photos were taken on a cellphone; mind the quality.
Cordoned off after damage from the earthquakes.
Police standing at the intersection of Manchester Street and Gloucester Street in the aftermath of the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Masonry from several buildings has fallen onto the road.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Police Chris Hill and Private Wiremu Lee Richmond from Linton Army Camp patrol some of the worst damaged parts of Christchurch after the recent earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Police search a building on the corner of St Asaph Street and Barbadoes Street, after reports of a person in the wreckage following Canterbury's earthquake".
Police road block on Colombo Street; aftermath of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Christchurch on Saturday 4-9-2010. Note the unusually deserted streets on a Tuesday afternoon.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Cashel Mall and the Bridge of Remembrance".
A view of the intersection of Cambridge Terrace and Worcester Boulevard. From the left are the Police station, Christchurch City Council's Civic Offices, the HSBC Tower and the Harley Building on the right.
Damage to the Cathedral. The Cathedral Square Police Station is on the right, and in the background are MFL House (left), the Forsyth Barr building (right) and the Camelot Cathedral Square Hotel (centre).
Damage to a row of shops in Shirley. The parapets and awnings have collapsed, and the footpath is littered with rubble. The building has been cordoned off with police tape.
Canterbury Earthquake 04/09/10 Christchurch New Zealand
Members of Civil Defence Logistics Team conferring with the New Zealand Police at the temporary headquarters for Civil Defence in the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Members of Civil Defence Logistics Team conferring with the New Zealand Police at the temporary headquarters for Civil Defence in the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
The Police cordon turned Madras Street eerily silent during the Tuesday evening rush hour in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit Christchurch on 4 September 2010.
The Police cordon turned Madras Street eerily silent during the Tuesday evening rush hour in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit Christchurch on 4 September 2010.
A photograph of police and members of the public people standing near the earthquake damaged Smiths City car park after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Liquefaction covers the right side of the footpath.
A photograph of police and members of the public people standing near the earthquake damaged Smiths Citys car park after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Liquefaction covers the right side of the footpath.
People walk past a damaged building on the corner of Edgeware Road and Barbadoes Street. Parts of the brick facade have collapsed, and the building is cordoned off with road cones and police tape.
AIRCDRE Howse, CDRE Wayne Burroughs and AVM Peter Stockwell at the Christchurch Earthquake Memorial Service in Hagley Park.
Damage to the Repertory Theatre building. Part of the facade has collapsed onto the awning below, and bricks and masonry have spilled across the street. The building is cordoned off with road cones and police tape.
The Hardie and Thomson building on Sherbourne Street is on a lean, barred off with police tape and road cones, after the 4th September earthquake. The city centre is visible in the distance.
The Hardie and Thomson building on Sherbourne Street is on a lean, barred off with police tape and road cones, after the 4th September earthquake. The city centre is visible in the distance.
The Avon river, with some cordon fence around Our City O-Tautahi, that was in the former Municipal Chambers visible on the left and the central Police station in the background between the trees.
An aerial photograph of the Christchurch Art Gallery, Christchurch City Council Civic Offices and surrounding buildings.
Buildings seen through the cordon fence from Cathedral Square. From left to right are MFL House, the Forsyth Barr building, the PriceWaterhouseCoopers building, the Camelot Hotel and the Cathedral Square Police Station.
Detail of scaffolding in front of a damaged building, viewed from the side. This building housed Satchmo Hairdressing on Victoria Street. The street has been cordoned off with Police and Army personnel guarding the entrace.
The Christchurch Art Gallery, with a Police car parked on the road in front. On the forecourt of the gallery is the sculpture "Reasons for Voyaging", a collaboration between Canterbury sculptor, Graham Bennett and architect, David Cole.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Church of St Michael and All Angels centre and Bridge of Remembrance lower left".
Canterbury Earthquake 04/09/10 Christchurch New Zealand
Canterbury Earthquake 04/09/10 Christchurch New Zealand