Sign of the Kiwi re-opens in Christchurch - locals delight

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Built in June 1917, the popular 'Sign of the Kiwi' heritage building in Christchurch's Port Hills has re-opened today after being closed for six years due to earthquake damage.

Phoenix Rising

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch earthquakes caused devastating damage to many of the city’s creative spaces. But rising from the rubble has been the Isaac Theatre Royal under the watchful eye of Neil Cox. He’s directed the resurrection of one of  the premiere performance spaces in the country.

Earthquake survivor says Wgtn must cordon around unsafe sites

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A woman crushed to within milimetres of her life in the Christchurch earthquake says it is murderously cavalier for Wellington's council not to cordon off weak or prone buildings.

Chch's new super school opens in Aranui with a bumper roll

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Haeata is the first public school in Christchurch to cater for all ages, replacing three eastern suburbs schools that were closed after the earthquakes. RNZ joined more than 900 students for the first day.

30,000 to watch Springsteen on eve of quake anniversary

Audio, Radio New Zealand

People have been queuing for days for the Bruce Springsteen concert in Christchurch tonight, ahead of the sixth anniversary of the 2011 earthquake. Glenn McCartney is at the front of the queue.

Memorial for quake victims to be revealed on 6th anniversary

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A memorial for the 185 people who died in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake will be blessed tonight, ahead of the unveiling tomorrow, on the sixth anniversary.

Bruce Springsteen fans queue for days ahead of SI show

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Some Bruce Springsteen fans have queued for days ahead of the Boss' show in Christchurch tomorrow night - on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the 2011 earthquake.

Families attend Chch earthquake memorial unveiling

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial was unveiled to the public at a memorial attended by more than 3000 people.

Backpacker's family's first visit to Chch for quake memorial

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Rachel Conley's family has flown to Christchurch for the first time for the unveiling of the memorial wall. They are staying with a NZ family, whose son died along with Rachel in the earthquake.

Quakes, fires, insurance claims - and then a parking ticket

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch woman Pam Sharpe has endured earthquakes, fires and dealing with insurance companies, but then she received a parking ticket. She tells Checkpoint what happened next.

Chch councillor Raf Manji to take on Gerry Brownlee in Ilam

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch councillor Raf Manji announces plans to stand against Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee in Ilam at the general election. He tells John Campbell why he is standing as an independent.

North Canterbury locals struggling after Kaikoura quake

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Thirty properties are unlivable while another 170 have restricted access following the Kaikoura earthquake last year. RNZ reporter Conan Young reports from a town meeting.

Quake-hit North Canterbury farmers in need of accomodation

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Many farmers' homes have been red-stickered after the Kaikoura earthquake, but they say they can't leave because their farms aren't just their homes, they're their livelihoods

Truck drivers quit over safety fears

Audio, Radio New Zealand

More than five people have died on crashes on SH1 between Picton and Christchurch since it became a main arterial route following the Kaikoura earthquake.

CERA officials used positions for financial gain

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Two former Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority officials attempted to use their positions for their own financial gain and their actions will now be referred to the Serious Fraud Office.

Christchurch cleanup producing potentially toxic dust

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Medium-density fibreboard has been sitting at an old rubbish put in Wigram since the earthquakes and residents are worried it's harming their health.

Cruise ships coming back to Christchurch in 2019

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Lyttelton Port Company, owned by Christchurch City Council, will spend $56 million on a new berth for cruise ships, which haven't visited the garden city since the 2011 earthquake.

Christchurch sitting on mental health 'time bomb'

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Dr Sue Bagshaw, the head of a youth health clinic Christchurch, fears the high rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among children will skyrocket due to the earthquake.

Ministry apologises to Chch schools for handling of closures

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Ministry of Education has been forced to apologise for its flawed handling of school closures and mergers after the 2011 Canterbury earthquake.

NZ's second community fridge opens in New Brighton

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch suburb of New Brighton was hit hard by the Christchurch earthquakes, with roads that still haven't been fixed and many families on struggle street. One local is hoping a fridge offering free food, will help. 

Music back at the Christchurch Town Hall

Audio, Radio New Zealand

For the first time in six years, music has filled Christchurch's Town Hall, which suffered significant damage in the February 2011 earthquake.

Heathcote family say EQC failed them

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A Christchurch family have found themselves stuck with a house that is too unsafe to live in after a fire revealed earthquake damage, which EQC admits it failed to identify.

Tiny temporary village opens in town hit by Kaikoura quake

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A temporary village has opened in the small Canterbury town of Waiau to help residents who lost their homes in the Kaikoura earthquake.

Gerry Brownlee acted 'unlawfully' over uninsured land, court rules

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The former Earthquake Recovery Minister's decision to exclude uninsured Canterbury landowners under the Recovery Plan was unlawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled in an interim judgement.

Christchurch redzone homeowners win seven year battle

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The quake outcasts, who were uninsured at the time, will receive 80 percent of the pre-earthquake value of their homes. Three of them tell John Campbell how they've been living in limbo.

Rail returns between Picton and Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The track will open this week after being closed for nearly a year after the line suffered extensive damage in last November's earthquake.

Something For the Weekend - Quake City Re-opens

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Canterbury Museum is inviting visitors to view Quake City for free during the special exhibition's reopening this weekend, 16 & 17 September. The newly-relocated exhibition that tells stories from the Canterbury earthquakes, reopened on 14 September.

First freight chugs into Chch from Picton since Kaikoura quake

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The first freight train since the devastating Kaikoura earthquake has chugged into Christchurch, after an historic 348 kilometre journey from Picton.

Canterbury land can't be farmed due to earthquake

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Tourism, native planting, and bee keeping are all possibilities a community lead working group is waiting on government funding to explore.

Impacts of the 14th November 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake on three waters sys…

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

We present preliminary observations on three waters impacts from the Mw7.8 14th November 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake on wider metropolitan Wellington, urban and rural Marlborough, and in Kaikōura township. Three waters systems in these areas experienced widespread and significant transient ground deformation in response to seismic shaking, with localised permanent ground deformation via liquefaction and lateral spreading. In Wellington, potable water quality was impacted temporarily by increased turbidity, and significant water losses occurred due to damaged pipes at the port. The Seaview and Porirua wastewater treatment plants sustained damage to clarifier tanks from water seiching, and increased water infiltration to the wastewater system occurred. Most failure modes in urban Marlborough were similar to the 2010-2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence; however some rural water tanks experienced rotational and translational movements, highlighting importance of flexible pipe connections. In Kaikōura, damage to reservoirs and pipes led to loss of water supply and compromised firefighting capability. Wastewater damage led to environmental contamination, and necessitated restrictions on greywater entry into the system to minimise flows. Damage to these systems necessitated the importation of tankered and bottled water, boil water notices and chlorination of the system, and importation of portaloos and chemical toilets. Stormwater infrastructure such as road drainage channels was also damaged, which could compromise condition of underlying road materials. Good operational asset management practices (current and accurate information, renewals, appreciation of criticality, good system knowledge and practical contingency plans) helped improve system resilience, and having robust emergency management centres and accurate Geographic Information System data allowed effective response coordination. Minimal damage to the wider built environment facilitated system inspections. Note Future research will include detailed geospatial assessments of seismic demand on these systems and attendant modes of failure, levels of service restoration, and collaborative development of resilience measures.