We measure the longer-term effect of a major earthquake on the local economy, using night-time light intensity measured from space, and investigate whether insurance claim payments for damaged residential property affected the local recovery process. We focus on the destructive Christchurch earthquake of 2011 as our case study. In this event more than 95% of residential housing units were covered by insurance, but insurance payments were staggered over 5 years, enabling us to identify their local impact. We find that night-time luminosity can capture the process of recovery and describe the recovery’s determinants. We also find that insurance payments contributed significantly to the process of economic recovery after the earthquake, but delayed payments were less affective and cash settlement of claims were more affective in contributing to local recovery than insurance-managed rebuilding.
The number of speed camera tickets being issued skyrockets, police say it's about road safety, the AA's not so sure. Crisis talks in Europe over the Greek debt crisis... and its impact on the Eurozone and there were angry scenes at a Christchurch meeting last night as residents tried to stop a dump for earthquake debris being built in their suburb.
A video clip of several large-scale, temporary installations being erected on the corner of High and Lichfield Streets, and the corner of Lichfield and Manchester Streets. The installations are being created by students from Unitec, The University of Auckland and CPIT, for CityUps - a 'city of the future for one night only', and the main event of FESTA 2014.
To those silent sentinels, the guardians of the night, who insured our peaceful homes and sheltered our children from fright. We give our thanks and praise for the sacrifice they bore, and pledge always to remember their gift of service in war. Gerard A. Geiger March 23, 1996
After a day of remembering the terrible events of 10 years ago, Christchurch got to celebrate last night with an international T20 match between the Black Caps and Australia. It was the first international match played under lights in the city since the earthquake. Conan Young headed along to Hagley Oval where a sold out crowd was treated to some champagne cricket.
A digitally manipulated image of a poster advertising a performance in New Brighton by bands Mynor Star, Reflekshun and Loaded Victim. The photographer comments, "The Bar 25 had this night of rock on the 18 December 2011, but the earthquake on December 23 just off of the coast close by got it shut down".
Shag Rock, also known as Rapanui Rock, crumbled to a third of its original size after the magnitude 6.3 quake hit Christchurch 22 February 2011
Text reads 'Did you put the cat out and lock and back door?'. Shows car parked in Christchurch City at night. Context: People have been sleeping in their cars due to housing shortage created by Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 (Stuff 29 March 2012) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A ghoul appears beside the bed of a sleeping couple. The man says to his wife 'Relax dear... That bump in the night wasn't an aftershock!' Context: the suggestion is that in Christchurch people are more worried about aftershocks than ghosts. Refers to the Christchurch earthquakes. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
A night-time photograph of the Cranmer Court building on the corner of Kilmore and Montreal Streets. The building has been lit up from below. The octagonal section on the corner of the building was the part occupied by Plato Creative from March 2008 to November 2009. Although designed to house a book depot, this section was used as the principal's office while Christchurch Normal School was operating from the building.
A black and white, night-time photograph of the Cranmer Court building on the corner of Kilmore and Montreal Streets. The building has been lit up from below. The octagonal section on the corner of the building was the part occupied by Plato Creative from March 2008 to November 2009. Although designed to house a book depot, this section was used as the principal's office while Christchurch Normal School was operating from the building.
A night-time photograph of the Cranmer Court building on the corner of Kilmore and Montreal Streets. The building has been lit up from below. The octagonal section on the corner of the building was the part occupied by Plato Creative from March 2008 to November 2009. Although designed to house a book depot, this section was used as the principal's office while Christchurch Normal School was operating from the building.
The Temple for Christchurch is an enormous work, representing the seismic wave of the February 22 earthquake. Made mostly from salvaged wood it's taken a team of volunteers two years to build. But it will meet a fiery end on Saturday night when it is deliberately set alight. Justin Gregory meets the designer and his volunteers with two weeks left until burn day. But when he gets there, none are to be found.
Much of the CBD will be cordoned off and without power (as you should be able to spot) for quite some time as a result of the damage caused by February's deadly earthquake.
Much of the CBD will be cordoned off and without power (as you should be able to spot) for quite some time as a result of the damage caused by February's deadly earthquake.
A house rocks in the night but the occupants are reassured that it is not 'another quake', only an aftershock, which although it causes the walls to crumble is nothing to worry about. Refers to the Canterbury earthquake of 4th September and the dozens of aftershocks that cause continuing tension and anxiety. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
National MP Gerry Brownlee says it's a great tragedy that the former chairman of government insurer Southern Response has been treated the way that he has. Ross Butler resigned on Tuesday night after a State Services Commission inquiry found Southern Response had broken its code of conduct and possibly the law, when it used private investigators to secretly record meetings of earthquake victims. The Minister for Christchurch Regeneration Megan Woods says Mr Butler was aware of what was going on, as was Mr Brownlee when he was a Minister.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Invercargill Fire Station fire fighters who recently went to help in Christchurch for the Canterbury Earthquake cleanup. The National Boss presented the fire fighters with a Certificate of Commendation on Tuesday night. Invercargill firefighters Cameron McLachlan, Pete Scarlet, Dennis Hika, Chris Hamilton, Aaron Ramsay, National Commander Mike Hall, John Gilder, Ron Fetolofai (absent Murray Milne-Maresca) presented a certificate of commendation for their service during the Christchurch earthquake by national commander Mike Hall yesterday".
There are 1,600 Canterbury homeowners with earthquake claims still open with EQC. About 100 homeowners turned up to a meeting organised by EQC Fix in Christchurch on Monday night - all with stories of home repair hell, botched repairs, or seemingly never-ending arguments with EQC, Southern Response, or their private insurer. They were all tired and wondering why they still had to fight more than nine years on from the first Canterbury Earthquake. Checkpoint video journalist Logan Church travelled to Christchurch to speak to those still fighting for what they believe they are entitled too.
Today is the anniversary of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Canterbury on 4 September 2010, and two lights - The White Lights of Hope - were turned on this evening from the square to help fill the city's "dark heart" and remind residents to look forward to a bright future. Note: While I was capturing this image we had a ...
Today is the anniversary of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Canterbury on 4 September 2010, and two lights - The White Lights of Hope - were turned on this evening from the square to help fill the city's "dark heart" and remind residents to look forward to a bright future. Note: While I was capturing this image we had a ...
A video of Emily Marriot, from Corbel Construction, and Agata Bulksa, from Kirk Roberts Engineers, taking part in a boxing match as part of the Battle of the Rebuild fight night. The Battle of the Rebuild bought together major construction and engineering companies involved in the rebuild of Christchurch. The event raised more than $169,000 for the Aranui and Linwood College Breakfast Club, the Champion Centre, and the Canterbury Youth Development Programme Trust.
There's good news of sorts on the building-inspection front in Auckland. After nearly seven days of fanning out across the city inspecting damaged buildings - the biggest such deployment of building inspectors since the Christchurch earthquake emergency - the operation will be scaled back this weekend. There are currently around 95 inspectors in the field who have checked 3,500 buildings. As of 6pm last night 190 buildings were red stickered, and a further 790 yellow stickered. The most red stickered areas are Mount Albert/Mt Eden with 54 and the North Shore with 32. Auckland Council general manager building consents Ian McCormick spoke to Corin Dann.
A paint-splattered chair sits in front of a brightly-coloured piano painted with a cat's face, part of Gap Filler's Painted Piano Project. The photographer comments, "Gap filler I believe has created three sites filled with a stage area, seating and a piano. This one is at the Junction of Bower Ave and Marine Parade on the site of the demolished TJs Kazbah and opposite the now demolished Ozone. They have really brightened the corner up and we just need a few people to gather and have a nice night of it".
Text reads 'Canterbury lamb...' and the cartoon shows a slavering wolf that represents 'earthquake' dressed in 'lamb's clothing' and prowling in the night among other sheep. Context - The saying 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' that suggests something sinister sheltering behind something benign. Refers to the devastating Christchurch earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. A third very damaging earthquake occured on 13th June 2011. 'Canterbury lamb' is well-known as a favourite meat overseas. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
Topics - The Gettysburg address, the short speech given by Abraham Lincoln 150 years ago today, the finest short speech in the English language, and one of the great political utterances of all time. A strong earthquake that hit Christchurch last night has been upgraded by GNS Science to a magnitude 4.6. It was also shallower than first believed, with GNS reporting it was 8km deep rather than 11km. Wallabies rugby coach Ewen McKenzie has made no apologies for suspending six of his players in what's been described as "a hard-line move designed to set the standards required to win the 2015 World Cup".
Orana Wildlife Park 'lodge' sleeps passengers from Christchurch airport with no accommodation and who would otherwise sleep at the terminal. The Park staff think that 'they get free accommodation and we have a new paying exhibit!' They have also put up a notice: 'Cheapskates - Do not feed'. Is this a solution to airport 'night kippers'? The shortage of accommodation in Christchurch due to earthquake damage led many air travellers to sleep overnight at the air terminal. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
It is night and a man and his wife are lifting their chemical toilet over the garden fence with the intention of emptying it into the neighbour's longdrop. The man confidently tells his wife to relax as the neighbour hasn't a clue they are planning to do this. The neighbour, meanwhile, sits in the outhouse holding a cricket bat at the ready. Context - toilet problems in Christchurch post earthquake 22 February 2011. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
A rather overweight and unattractive man has dressed up as a lady of the night and is pulling on a yellow wig in her Rachel Hunter disguise. She says 'Maybe NOW they'll let me into the Red Zone!' and the woman who has given her the disguise says 'It won't happen overnight... but it WILL happen!' Context - Businessmen and shopkeepers are becoming frustrated at not being allowed into the Red Zone to take up the businesses again. Pretending to be a prostitute might solve the problem. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).
The dome of the Isaac Theatre Royal covered in sheeting and suspended in the backstage area. In the foreground, a small digger sits on the bed of a truck, and a crane is visible to the left. The photographer comments, "This is the 'dome' of the Isaac Theatre Royal's heritage stage. The front section of the theatre has stayed and so has the back, but the middle has been completely demolished. The best way to hide a secret is in plain sight. Could this really be an ancient UFO stored secretly in the old theatre for decades and now exposed by the earthquake? Is the waiting crane and transporter ready to whip it away to another secret location in the dead of night?".