Alison Wilson has run stitching and dressmaking courses in Christchurch for 60 years! At 78 she is still going, with a weekly embroidery course that gives Christchurch women a reprieve from the chaos of the earthquakes. With Alison Wilson, Gina Walsh and Lola Grocott.
Abstract. Natural (e.g., earthquake, flood, wildfires) and human-made (e.g., terrorism, civil strife) disasters are inevitable, can cause extensive disruption, and produce chronic and disabling psychological injuries leading to formal diagnoses (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]). Following natural disasters of earthquake (Christchurch, Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2010–11) and flood (Calgary, Canada, 2013), controlled research showed statistically and clinically significant reductions in psychological distress for survivors who consumed minerals and vitamins (micronutrients) in the following months. Following a mass shooting in Christchurch (March 15, 2019), where a gunman entered mosques during Friday prayers and killed and injured many people, micronutrients were offered to survivors as a clinical service based on translational science principles and adapted to be culturally appropriate. In this first translational science study in the area of nutrition and disasters, clinical results were reported for 24 clients who completed the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), and the Modified-Clinical Global Impression (M-CGI-I). The findings clearly replicated prior controlled research. The IES-R Cohen’s d ESs were 1.1 (earthquake), 1.2 (flood), and 1.13 (massacre). Effect sizes (ESs) for the DASS subscales were also consistently positive across all three events. The M-CGI-I identified 58% of the survivors as “responders” (i.e., self-reported as “much” to “very much” improved), in line with those reported in the earthquake (42%) and flood (57%) randomized controlled trials, and PTSD risk reduced from 75% to 17%. Given ease of use and large ESs, this evidence supports the routine use of micronutrients by disaster survivors as part of governmental response.
Five years on from the Canterbury Earthquakes there is concern over a group of so-called forgotten victims - adolescent boys. Anti violence group Aviva say they have seen a rise in violent behaviour from this group. Elaine Lacey from Aviva joins me
Website of Canterbury CDEM Group, which is a partnership of local authorities, emergency services and other organisations tasked with providing effective and comprehensive management of major hazards and their consequences anywhere in Canterbury. Includes community preparedness information, information for emergency managers and CDEM Group plan.
Christchurch's leading business group is criticising city council plans to slow down its earthquake rebuild programme. Conan Young reports.
Environmental groups say Canterbury's earthquakes are being used as an excuse to weaken the Resource Management Act.
A Christchurch support group says home owners will be alarmed at the blowout in earthquake repair costs.
Group action may be taken against the Earthquake Commission over the quality of repairs to damaged Christchurch homes.
A video about the Police Special Tactics Group using an abandoned house in the Christchurch residential red zone to train. The video includes an interview with Inspector Steve Mather, Special Tactics Group Commander, about the training exercise.
A flowchart outlining the structure and organisation of the UC Strategic Emergency Management Group and UC Incident Management Team.
Some Christchurch community groups say a programme to rebuild the city's wastewater and storm water systems to a pre-earthquake equivalent isn't good enough.
Architect Bob Burnett is part of a class action group yet to resolve claims with Southern Response. The group argues the insurer, which was established to settle outstanding AMI claims, has systematically short-changed them. Mr Burnett said the insurer had done more damage to his home than had been done in the earthquakes. The 40 members of the class action group head to court next Wednesday.
The Earthquake Commission has been labelled obstructive after it demanded 24 thousand dollars to provide documents under an Official Information Act request.
Two years after the Christchurch earthquakes, the city council has only finished detailed assessments of about half its community facilities, and nasty surprises are still cropping up.
Despite Government attempts to play down reports that officers of the Israeli security agency Mossad were caught up in the Christchurch earthquake, several questions remain today.
A school pool, a BMX bike club and a music school are among twenty organisations in Christchurch that have benefitted from the final grants from an international appeal for re-building the quake-damaged city. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal has so far raised almost 100 million dollars, and as our reporter Teresa Cowie discovered, the latest 8 million dollars that's been released from the fund is giving a welcome boost to residents.
This week marked the 4th anniversary of the Christchurch and Canterbury earthquake. New research from the University of Otago in Christchurch with earthquake survivors is shedding some light on the question of what makes some people cope better with trauma than others. A group of psychiatrists and psychologists from the University have been studying a group of more than 100 Cantabrians exposed to high levels of stress during the earthquakes who coped well. They compared this group against a group of patients with post-earthquake trauma, being treated by the Adult Specialist Services Earthquake Treatment Team, or ASSETT, set up by the Canterbury DHB. Dr Gini McIntosh from the Otago University is part of the research team, and one of the psychologists with ASSETT.
Lyttelton musical group, The Eastern, performing for students.
Lyttelton musical group, The Eastern, performing for students.
Lyttelton musical group, The Eastern, performing for students.
The new Cabinet is reportedly considering a rebuild plan for the Christchurch Cathedral, damaged in the 2011 earthquake. Supporters of restoring the cathedral say the signs are promising.
The Earthquake Commission has brought forward its deadline for repairing thousands of earthquake-damaged properties in Canterbury by 12 months.
It now seems unlikely that engineers involved in the most serious building collapse of the Christchurch earthquake will face any external action, with the profession's administrators telling the Government there's nothing more they can do.
A video of an interview with Mark Yetton, Engineering Geologist at the Port Hills Geotech Group, about their work to assess the risk of rock fall and cliff collapse on the Christchurch Port Hills.
A graph showing population change in Christchurch by age group.
There is growing expectation that local volunteers will play a more integrated role in disaster response, yet emergent groups are often ‘outsiders’ to crisis management, prompting questions of the conditions and processes by which these groups can forge relationships with established response agencies, and the tensions which can arise those interactions. This article analyses how student-led volunteers, as an emergent group, nevertheless gained “authority to operate” in the aftermath of the 2010-2011 earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand. Our study demonstrates how established response agencies and emergent groups can form hugely impactful and mutually supportive relationships. However, our analysis also points to two interrelated tensions that can arise, regarding the terms by which emergent groups are recognised, and the ‘distance’ considered necessary between emergent groups and established response agencies. The discussion considers implications for inclusiveness, risk and responsibility if emergent volunteers are to be further integrated into disaster response.
Notices advertising working groups in the "Occupy" movement's encampment in Hagley Park.
Christchurch locals need more time to file earthquake claims before the limitation period expires according to community groups.
Two Christchurch Scout groups say their national body is refusing to give them insurance payouts for earthquake damage.
A photograph of a group of people at the Songs For Christchurch launch.