Defence Force personnel during an operational tour of Lyttelton taken by Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Air Vice Marshal Peter Stockwell and Chief of Army Tim Keating to view the aftermath of the Christchurch Earthquake.
A new office building in central Christchurch has multiple flaws in its earthquake design that the city council was warned about almost two years ago. Construction of the seven-storey building above the busy shopping precinct at 230 High Street, continued even after those warnings in December 2017. Three leading engineering firms have found critical faults - the latest are detailed in a Government-ordered report that's been leaked to RNZ. Phil Pennington joins Corin Dann with the details.
Protecting live music venues is taking on a new urgency in Christchurch, with the popular 12 Bar announcing it will close at the end of the month. With people flocking back to live in the central city after the earthquakes, there have been more complaints about noise from entertainment venues. But the local music scene says positive changes are in the works, so residents and live venues can live in harmony. Niva Chittock reports.
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Detail of the roof of ChristChurch Cathedral. Taken from up high in the BNZ Building".
As Wellington debates the future of its earthquake-damaged central library, and Christchurch enjoys its new high tech one, it's the perfect time to really think about libraries of the future.
Almost three days on from the 6 point 3 earthquake that shattered central Christchurch and Lyttleton and searchers are continuing to find more bodies but no more survivors in the rubble.
Survivors of February's devastating earthquake in Christchurch are astounded the Royal Commission won't investigate whether anyone should be held liable for the collapse of so many central city buildings.
A photograph of volunteers constructing the Life in Vacant Spaces headquarters.
A photograph of the '185 Empty Chairs' memorial installation.
A photograph of the '185 Empty Chairs' memorial installation.
A photograph of the '185 Empty Chairs' memorial installation.
A photograph of the '185 Empty Chairs' memorial installation.
A photograph of volunteers constructing the Life in Vacant Spaces headquarters.
A photograph of volunteers constructing the Life in Vacant Spaces headquarters.
A photograph of the broken windows of the Press House on Gloucester Street.
A photograph of emergency management personnel in Latimer Square. In the background is the USAID headquarters.
A photograph of the '185 Empty Chairs' memorial installation.
A photograph of the '185 Empty Chairs' memorial installation.
The Canterbury earthquakes, which involved widespread damage in the February 2011 event and ongoing aftershocks near the Christchurch central business district (CBD), presented decision-makers with many recovery challenges. This paper identifies major government decisions, challenges, and lessons in the early recovery of Christchurch based on 23 key-informant interviews conducted 15 months after the February 2011 earthquake. It then focuses on one of the most important decisions – maintaining the cordon around the heavily damaged CBD – and investigates its impacts. The cordon displaced 50,000 central city jobs, raised questions about (and provided new opportunities for) the long-term viability of downtown, influenced the number and practice of building demolitions, and affected debris management; despite being associated with substantial losses, the cordon was commonly viewed as necessary, and provided some benefits in facilitating recovery. Management of the cordon poses important lessons for planning for catastrophic urban earthquakes around the world.
A video of a tour of the Christchurch central city Red Zone. The video includes footage of the site of the Brannigans Building on the corner of Oxford Terrace and Gloucester Street, the inside of the central library, Gloucester Street, Manchester Street, High Street, Poplar Lane, and Hereford Street.
Construction delays and cost over-runs are prolonging the earthquake risks facing patients and staff at Christchurch hospital. Six major hospital buildings at the central city site have been listed as earthquake prone since May, but there is no safer space to shift patients into. Christchurch Hospital boss David Meates pron; Mates says the hospital is still basically a construction site. One earthquake prone building has roof tanks containing 75 tonnes of water. Mr Meates told RNZ reporter Phil Pennington removing the water from the tanks in the meantime is not an option.
Demolition companies and building owners in central Christchurch hope efforts by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority will speed up the city's rebuild after it's been languishing for weeks.
A photograph of a messaged spray-painted by USAR staff on the driveway of a property in the Christchurch central city. The message reads, "Overhead danger, NZRT3".
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a building in the Christchurch central city. Some of the windows have been broken, and blinds are hanging out of them.
A video of a press conference with Mayor Bob Parker, Roger Sutton (CEO of Orion), Superintendent Dave Cliff (Christchurch Police), and Chief Fire Officer Dan Coward. The speakers talk about the work that is being done to bring power back to Christchurch residents, and to assess the safety of buildings in the Christchurch central city.
A compilation video of footage about the 4 September 2010 earthquake. The video includes footage of the damage to the central city, members of the police guarding cordons, residents at a Civil Defence Emergency Centre, a fire on Worcester Street, and aerial footage of New Brighton, the central city, and Homebush. It also includes an interview with local resident Quentin Garlick, and a press conference with Mayor Bob Parker outside the Christchurch Art Gallery.
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The PricewaterhouseCoopers, Building, Forsyth Barr Building, and the Copthorne Hotel viewed from Cambridge Terrace".
Fire Service Assistant Area Commander Dave Burford with LT Gore on the HMNZS in Otago. The ship travelled to Lyttelton after the 22 February 2011 earthquake to help in the relief effort.
Damage to Christchurch city following the 22 February earthquake 2011. A crack in the road where the asphalt has lifted, possibly due to liquefaction. Cones have been placed along the crack to warn drivers of the irregular surface.
A video of a tour through the Christchurch central city Red Zone in July 2011. The video includes footage of Colombo Street, Gloucester Street, the ChristChurch Cathedral, Worcester Street, the Press Building, the Whitcoulls Building, Cashel Mall, and High Street. It also includes an interview with Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.