Powerful 7.5 quake strikes New Zealand

[Yuan Shao]

World Cup stadium closed after New Zealand quake


World Cup stadium closed after New Zealand quake

WELLINGTON | Sun Sep 5, 2010 3:57am EDT

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Christchurch's Lancaster Park, one of the venues for next year's rugby World Cup, has been closed to check for damage from Saturday's earthquake, New Zealand media reported. A $43 million facelift on the stadium has been put on hold while engineers survey potential structural damage at the ground where five World Cup pool games and two quarter-finals will be played, the Sunday Star Times reported.

"There is a lot of damage and breakage to fixtures and fittings," said the venue's chief executive Bryan Pearson. "But in terms of major structural damage, at this stage from our preliminary assessment, there is no indication yet that there is an issue. "Obviously ... we will need to complete further assessments over the coming days."

The venue was closed after Saturday's magnitude 7.1 quake which has caused around $1.4 billion in damage according to initial estimates.
"It was a major shake and we have to be certain that the structural integrity of these buildings has been maintained before we let the public back in them," added Pearson.

The earthquake struck hours after thousands of rugby fans had left the stadium after a provincial game between Canterbury and Bay of Plenty on Friday. "We are counting our blessings," said Pearson. "If it had to happen, I don't think a better time could have been picked."

(Reporting by Alastair Himmer in Tokyo. Editing by Patrick Johnston)

 

[Yuan Shao]

New Zealand earthquake: ground moved by 11ft


New Zealand earthquake: ground moved by 11ft

A massive earthquake caused the ground beneath the New Zealand city of Christchurch to shift up to 11 feet.

By Paul Chapman in Wellington
Published: 6:55PM BST 05 Sep 2010
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A taxi is covered in rubble on Manchester St, Christchurch Photo: EPA

Taylor Strowger (10) explores earthquake damage to Highfield Road, 30km west of Christchurch Photo: EPA

The magnitude 7.1 quake on Friday night in New Zealand was larger than the one that killed 200,000 people in Haiti this year and appeared to have opened a new fault line. Mark Quigley, a geology professor leading a team investigating the cause of the quake, said: "One side of the earth has lurched to the right."

<!-- BEFORE ACI --> “Up to 11 feet in some places has been thrust up. The long linear fracture on the earth’s surface does things like break apart houses, break apart roads. "We went and saw two houses that were completely snapped in half by the earthquake.” Much of the centre of Christchurch remained sealed off and under curfew for a second night on Sunday.

More than 500 buildings have been badly damaged. Two men were seriously hurt by falling masonry but there have been no reports of deaths. Although it was known that the quake was caused by the Pacific and Australian techtonic plates colliding, the existence of the “blind” faultline had come as a surprise, Dr Quigley said. There had previously been no physical sign of it on the surface.

Gale-force winds tearing at unstable structures were adding to their fears and heavy rain was forecast to compound the misery. Plans were being drawn up to evacuate residents from the town of Waimakariri, north of Christchurch. Civil Defence Minister John Carter said stop-banks which provide flood protection to lower lying areas were damaged in the quake, meaning swollen rivers now posed a serious threat to the town.

John Key, the Prime Minister, who grew up in Christchurch, said: “Parts of the city look like they have been put in the tumble dryer and given a darn good shake. “You can see utter devastation." Strong aftershocks continued to terrify residents as they struggled to come to terms with the extensive damage suffered by their city. Many were too frightened to return to their homes as the aftershocks, some of 5 and above on the Richter scale, rattled already weakened buildings.

Civil Defence Minister John Carter said stop banks which provide flood protection to lower lying areas were damaged in the quake, meaning swollen rivers now posed a serious threat to the town. Many houses in the suburbs of Christchurch were unreachable by their owners, surrounded by a morass of sewage-contaminated m&d and sludge.

There were stories of close misses from people astonished that they had survived the ordeal, with one motorist escaping after driving into a 6ft deep hole which suddenly appeared in a suburban road. One resident, Cam Gordon, said of the quake: “It was like a giant hand had picked up our house and was just shaking it, shaking and shaking.” A young couple who were being married on the day of the quake went ahead with the ceremony but had to transfer the reception from a restaurant which had been badly damaged to a McDonald’s fast food outlet.

Their wedding photographs were taken against a background of rubble. Hundreds of thousands of litres of fresh water were being shipped into Christchurch in tankers belonging to the dairy giant Fonterra to relieve shortages caused by burst mains. A big clean-up has got under way, with bulldozers scooping up the fallen masonry that litters streets. Damage is estimated to cost billions of dollars and will take years to repair.

The Very Reverend Peter Beck said the gothic-style Anglican cathedral, the city’s best-known landmark, was spared major damage because of earthquake-strengthening by the council. The last major earthquake to strike the South Island, a magnitude 7.8 tremor that hit the sparsely populated Fiordland region on July 16, 2009, moved the southern tip of the country 12 inches closer to Australia.

 

[Yuan Shao]

NZ troops provide security in quake-hit city

Christchurch state of emergency extended following 7.1 magnitude temblor

By ROB GRIFFITH

updated <abbr style="display: inline;" class="dtstamp updated" title="2010-09-06T02:30:46">9/5/2010 10:30:46 PM ET</abbr>

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Army troops took control of the center of the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Monday, two days after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake smashed buildings and homes, wrecked roads and rail lines — but caused no loss of life.

Mayor Bob Parker extended a state of emergency for another two days as troops moved to help police secure streets and badly damaged businesses in the worst-hit central area of the city. The city center remained cordoned off, with only building and business owners allowed access.

At least 500 buildings, including 90 in the downtown area, were designated as destroyed by the quake that struck at 4:35 a.m. Saturday near the South Island city of 400,000 people. Most other buildings sustained only minor damage.

The quake cut power across the region, blocked roads with debris, and disrupted gas and water supplies, but Parker said services were being restored. Power was back to 90 percent of the city and water supply had resumed for all but 15 to 20 percent of residents, he said. Portable toilets have been provided and tanks of fresh water placed around the city for residents.

Rain was falling Monday in the nearby Southern Alps and foothills, increasing the risk of flooding. Civil defense officials warned that stop banks, or flood protectors, weakened by the quake may fail to hold rising waters. Engineers were inspecting the banks Monday. Around 150 people have been evacuated from a trailer park near the Waimakariri River as a precaution.

 

[Yuan Shao]

Aftershocks rattle quake-hit NZ city


Aftershocks rattle quake-hit NZ city

WELLINGTON | Mon Sep 6, 2010 5:25am EDT

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Aftershocks rocked New Zealand's second-biggest city on Monday causing further damage and forcing authorities to extend a state of emergency after the country's most damaging earthquake in 80 years. More than 20 aftershocks, the strongest with a magnitude of 4.8, were felt through Monday, sending already loose masonry and bricks in damaged buildings crashing into the streets.

However, despite early estimates of a NZ$2 billion ($1.4 billion) repair bill, financial markets were little affected and followed broader market moves, which pushed the New Zealand dollar higher and debt lower. Prime Minister John Key said as many as 100,000 homes, about two out of every three in the region, may have been damaged to some degree by the magnitude 7.1 quake which struck early on Saturday.

"The above-ground damage is obvious, but it could take some time to understand just how much damage there is to underground infrastructure," Key told a news conference. Power and water supplies have been restored to most of the region, but about 200 people are staying in emergency shelters. The region has been hit by more than 100 aftershocks, the strongest measuring magnitude 5.4, causing more damage and forcing the Christchurch City Council to extend the closure of the central business district until Wednesday.

Quick action was taken to demolish some of the most severely damaged buildings as aftershocks sent debris crashing to the street. "It had to be bulldozed down, they couldn't do anything with it, but it's distressing to see it like that," said Ken Fisk after his barber shop was pulled down.

"CONSIDERABLE DISRUPTION"

The epicenter of the quake was about 20 km (12 miles) to the west of Christchurch, a city of 350,000, which supports the agricultural-based economy of New Zealand's South Island. A seismologist said the quake looked to have been triggered by movement in an unknown fault. "Before Saturday, there was nothing in the landscape that would have suggested there was an active fault beneath these areas," said Kelvin Berryman of GNS Science.

The quake had caused a 22 km (12 mile) long rip in the earth, with fissures of up to 4 meters (12 feet), he said. Key said the government and local authorities had sufficient resources to cover the immediate disruption but the broader economy would suffer. "There will be considerable disruption to both the Canterbury (region) and national economy in the short term due to a loss in activity as people and businesses deal with the aftermath of the quake," Key said reporters.

"But looking a little further out, there should be an increase in activity once reconstruction and repair work kick into full gear." Ratings agency Standard and Poor's said the quake would not affect New Zealand's sovereign rating, but might lead to a one notch downgrade for the Christchurch City Council.

The quake was among the 10 strongest recorded in New Zealand, which sits between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, and records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which about 20 top magnitude 5.0. It was the most damaging quake in New Zealand since the North Island city of Napier was devastated in 1931. The last fatal quake was in 1968 when an earthquake measuring 7.1 killed three people on the South Island's West Coast. ($1=NZ$1.39)

(Reporting by Adrian Bathgate/Gyles Beckford)

 

[Yuan Shao]

Pedestrians watch as a house damaged from Saturday's earthquake is demolished in Christchurch September 6, 2010. Aftershocks rocked New Zealand's second-biggest city on Monday causing further damage and forcing authorities to extend a state of emergency after the country's most damaging earthquake in 80 years.

A firefighter watches as a house damaged from Saturday's earthquake is demolished in Christchurch September 6, 2010.

A damaged car is seen after a major earthquake yesterday in Christchurch September 5, 2010.


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[Yuan Shao]

A resident walks past damaged shops from yesterday's major earthquake in Christchurch September 5, 2010.

A damaged street from a major earthquake is seen in Christchurch September 5, 2010.

A resident looks at damaged shops from yesterday's major earthquake in Christchurch September 5, 2010.

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[Yuan Shao]

A resident walks past damaged shops from yesterday's major earthquake in Christchurch September 5, 2010.

Residents start to clean up after a major earthquake yesterday in Christchurch September 5, 2010.

Residents are seen near a damaged road from yesterday's major earthquake in Christchurch September 5, 2010. Strong aftershocks and gale-force winds buffeted a clean-up of New Zealand's second biggest city on Sunday following the country's most damaging earthquake in 80 years.



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[Yuan Shao]

A council worker surveys the damage to a building in central Christchurch after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the city September 4, 2010.

New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key surveys the damage to buildings in central Christchurch after a
7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the city September 4, 2010.

A council worker surveys the damage to a building in central Christchurch after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the city September 4, 2010.


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[Yuan Shao]

New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key (R) and city mayor Bob Parker (C) survey the damage to buildings in central Christchurch
after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the city September 4, 2010.

Damage from an earthquake is seen in a video frame grab near Christchurch, New Zealand, September 4, 2010.

Locals pose for photos in front of damaged buildings in central Christchurch after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the city September 4, 2010.



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[Yuan Shao]

A partially damaged road is seen in this video frame grab near Christchurch, New Zealand, September 4, 2010.

A partially wrecked van is seen in this video frame grab near Christchurch, New Zealand, September 4, 2010.

New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key surveys the damage to buildings in central Christchurch after
a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the city September 4, 2010.


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[Yuan Shao]

People stand near a damaged building after an earthquake in Christchurch September 4, 2010.

People look at a damaged building after an earthquake in Christchurch September 4, 2010.


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[Zhou Yü]

Goods are scattered on the floor in a shop in Christchurch after falling from shelves in the earthquake

A 'closed' sign hangs on a shop door obstructed by rubble in Christchurch

A damaged car is seen after the earthquake in Christchurch


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[Zhou Yü]

Damaged buildings are demolished by a bulldozer

Workers use a jackhammer to remove dangerous brickwork from a damaged building in Christchurch

A search dog is used to try and find a person reported missing amongst the rubble of a building after Saturday's earthquake
at the corner of St Asaph and Barbadoes Streets in Christchurch


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[Zhou Yü]

This photograph taken in Christchurch on September 6, 2010s shows Israel (L) and Miriam Garcia standing with their baby Amelia,
who was born as a powerful 7.0 earthquake struck New Zealand

Historic Deans homestead which was destroyed in Christchurch

Pastor Jenni Carter looks at the damaged interior of the St Johns church in Hororata


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[Zhou Yü]

Locals Wade Driver and partner Cheyenne Stevens look at damage to shops on their way to work in the city centre

A taxi crushed by falling bricks sits on Manchester Street in the city centre

Taylor Strowger (10) from Darfield explores earthquake damage to Highfield Road, 30km west of Christchurch


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[Zhou Yü]

Children play in a street damaged from Saturday's earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand

A young boy takes advantage of a warped road to skateboard on in Paiapoi, 20km south of Christchurch

Building inspectors look at damaged houses after the earthquake in Christchurch


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[Zhou Yü]

A motor bike rider passes a damaged building in New Zealand's second largest city Christchurch

Council workers dig around water pipes to locate damaged areas


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