Massive Earthquake In Christchurch, State Of Civil Emergency Declared – Updated

A massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck 30km west of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand at around 4.35am local time.

Initial reports are that there are at least two serious casualties but at this stage no one is thought to have died. People have been trapped in some higher buildings and in lifts, a number have been rescued from holes that opened up in the ground.

This is the biggest damage causing earthquake since Napier, an aftershock of 5.8 has been recorded and there are expectations of more to come.

Numerous buildings have been damaged and sewerage and drinking water systems are off.

The quake rolled most of the way across the South Island of New Zealand. For reactions to the quake read New Zealand in Shock After Massive Quake

The Earthquake Commission estimated that up to 100,000 claims, around one billion dollars worth, could be made over the coming days. It said it may have to sell off some investments overseas to cover the losses, however it had more than enough reserves to cover the damage because its forecasts are based on the costings for a Wellington earthquake.

Drinking water supplies off, Sewers broken

People have been advised to conserve water. Contaminated drinking water is a major concern and people are being told to boil water for three minutes if they’re drinking it from the mains. Water bowsers will be brought in but supplies will be rationed. People are being told not to flush toilets. Damage to the network is extensive and it will take weeks, if not months, to repair all the broken pipes.

Looting

Police are reporting that looting is taking place and they are warning known criminals that they are “looking for them.”

Flooding

Brooklands and New Brighton will soon be evacuated because of flooding caused by damaged sewerage and water networks, also the soil in the area is thought to have liquified. Aerial photographs are showing extensive flooding in low lying areas, possibly due to the failure of asbestos cement water pipes.

Power off, airport closed

Power should be restored to 90% of the city by tonight, mobile phone networks are not to be used because base stations are running on batteries and they want those to last.

The airport is closed until the runway can be inspected for damage.

Shops. hospitals, petrol stations

Burwood hospital is without drinking water and many supermarkets and petrol stations are closed because of damage to structure and stock, and lack of power. Some of the shops that were open reported panic buying as the shelves were stripped, it was so bad that in one supermarket it was lucky no-one was killed.

Videos of the disaster have already started appearing on Youtube

Tsunami evacuation route blocked

An evacuating resident of New Brighton, fearing a tsunami, reported that the evacuation route was impassable at the entrance to the major bridge because of a six inch vertical displacement in the road and she couldn’t drive her car across it. Fortunately for her, and others like her, there was no tsunami generated by the quake.

Our sympathies and best wishes for a rapid return to normality go out to the people affected by the quake, especially our readers who live in the area.

Weather warning issued

There is a heavy rain and high wind warning in place for the South Island, including Christchurch.

The CBD is closed because of the failure of “heritage buildings” but the thing that seems to have caused the most damage to homes is brick chimneys falling through roofs.

Dairy farmers affected, grain silos damaged

Power supplies to farms have been disrupted and cows cannot be milked and many hard standing pads in milking sheds have been damaged so the cows cannot be brought in for milking. Grain silos have collapsed. Around 13 shed enclosures have been damaged and farmers who still have operational milking facilities are helping to milk cows from neighbouring farms.

Gunya Estate Flattened

The historic house at the Gunya Estate has been flattened in the quake and has been described as a “Lebanese bomb site”

Mount Hutt Avalanches

Mount Hutt, 44 km away from the quake’s epicentre experienced at least 12 reasonably large avalanches that were triggered during the quake. The slopes were closed until after a safety assessment had been made.

For more about earthquakes and infrastructure in the area see our infrastructure page from which the following has been taken.

490 heritage buildings in Christchurch deemed to be at risk of collapse in a moderate earthquake need to be earthquake-strengthened. Concerns have been raised over how to pay for the estimated cost of the necessary work – $169 million. Some owners say that earthquake strengthening would make their investment worthless, as the costs would be greater than the value of the building. In contrast Christchurch Heritage Trust and the New Zealand Historic Places Trust recommended that the city council promote strengthening to 67% of full code levels instead of the policy-stated 33% to preserve heritage fabric.

Christchurch ratepayers could be jolted with a $90 million bill to assess all potentially earthquake-prone buildings as part of a planned new policy being considered on 14 June 2010. But a Christchurch City Council staff paper, prepared for the hearing, also revealed putting new time frames could prompt property owners to demolish rather than upgrade their buildings.